Volunteering

I decided to start volunteering in order to gain some experience whilst I am studying at university. I am currently completing a psychology degree, with the hope of going into clinical psychology in the future. In order to get into this role, this type of volunteering is crucial and so I am extremely grateful for this opportunity.

During my time here I have met some lovely people and have been involved in so many amazing roles, I have loved every second and am looking forward to all that is still to come. Hopefully this experience will help me to get to where I would like to be in the future, as well as helping me to have a positive impact on the people I meet along the way.

Why am I volunteer? A question easily answered!

My name is David Thomas and I feel very lucky to be a volunteer in the education centre at Burnley General Hospital. The staff there are not only my colleagues but some of my finest friends; it's so nice to work with such dedicated people.

Since working there I have won a ELHT Star Award for Volunteer of the Year and also attended a Buckingham Palace Garden Party for services to charity. Being a volunteer is giving back something after all the superb treatment I got when I suffered from cancer, peritonitis and sepsis - a debt I could never repay.

I began volunteering for the NHS not long after retiring from working as a Fresh Foods Manager for Asda. I was in a very privileged position in life and wanted to give something back. My motivation wasn't totally altruistic, a hunger for new experiences and a desire to work with different people and learn new skills, appealed to me. The Daily Mail newspaper was running a recruitment campaign for NHS Volunteers at the time, which caught my attention and interest. I applied immediately.

After an interview, which was soon followed by an Induction Class, I began working as an NHS Volunteer. My first role was working as an Usher in the Critical Care ward. This did not last too long due to the Covid Pandemic. I understood that the hospital needed to restrict access but was happy when I was called, a few weeks later, to cover the Patient Drop-Off. This was a service devised to help patients receive clean clothes, toiletries, newspapers, books, etc. from their friends and relatives, who could no longer visit them. I also worked in the Vaccination Hub at Burnley Hospital, one morning a week, assisting staff and making tea and coffee.

More recently, I have been working in Ward C6, which, for me, has been the most rewarding position so far. I get to talk to patients, make drinks for them and make out menu sheets for their meals. I also carry out a variety of tasks to help with the general running of the ward. This role gives me a genuine feeling that in a small way, I've managed to help some people.

I have really enjoyed volunteering over the last two years. I get great satisfaction if I can make someone a cuppa, assist them in choosing their choices of food, help to feed them or even give just a few moments of chirpy conversation. I truly believe these little things are important and worth my time. 

I have been volunteering since October 2019 after finishing working as a medical secretary.

I started volunteering as I like talking to people and finding out about them and hopefully making their day happier. I was born with a disability and have over the years been an in-patient and out-patient in hospital and I appreciate what they are going through.

I volunteer at Clitheroe Community Hospital on the ward as a patient support volunteer which involves engaging with patients, which I enjoy as I like interacting with people. I also volunteer in the Out-Patient Department which involves asking patients to sanitise their hands and put a face mask on arrival at the hospital and informing patients where they should go to prior to their appointment.

We have volunteered at Royal Blackburn Hospital for a combined total of 30 years doing a variety of duties, mainly reception work and work with the Macmillan team.

We all agree that our time here has been worthwhile in that it has given us pleasure and has been a focus in our lives for many years.

In our work we meet many interesting and amazing people and we get pleasure in helping not only staff but also patients and visitors who hopefully we make a difference to. Over the years we have made many good friends in our volunteering work. Working together, as a team, we support each other and enjoy social time together too. Hopefully the giving of our time enhances the experiences of visitors to the Trust as it certainly gives pleasure to us volunteers too.

We are all looking forward to volunteering for many more years to come. 

We have processes we need to follow to make sure volunteering at the Trust is safe, personal and effective. You won’t be able to start volunteering until this process has been completed. As part of this process you will be interviewed, and if you’re successful we will need to complete certain checks, and we’ll support you through some training to make sure you have all the tools you need to enjoy your volunteering.

Our volunteers complete mandatory online training which adhere to the Trusts guidelines. There are 12 modules in total, these include; Health & Safety, Data Security, Fire Safety and Safeguarding to name a few. Volunteers must also complete our Volunteer Virtual Induction which will help you understand more about the Trust and our values. 

Some roles may require extra training before you start volunteering. Once you are in your role, there may be additional opportunities for ongoing training that’s related to your role. 

To volunteer you must be 16 years and over however, there is no upper age limit. This is due to the responsibility you will be undertaking.

Can I just volunteer in one specific place or role? - You'll be applying to volunteer for a specific role, each role has a role profile attached, this explains what the role entails. If there isn't a role you would like to carry out, please keep checking the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership website as there may be something more suitable for you in the near furture.

You’ll be applying to volunteer for a specific role but if there isn’t a role you’d like to carry out, please keep checking the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership website as there may be something more suitable in the near future.

Once with us, we will be as flexible as possible to make sure you’re happy in your role and with the time and place you are volunteering. If you’d like to change anything, volunteer services will support you where possible.

Volunteers have specific roles and do not carry out any shadowing of staff, any clinical roles or participate in short term work experience or placements.

By defination, volunteering involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the enviroment or someone other than, or in addition to, close relatives.

Volunteering in the Trust will not quarantee you a paid position but can help towards giving you valuable experience and building skills to gain paid employment within the Trust or annother organisation.

Our volunteers can claim out of pocket expenses they have encountered as a result of their volunteering. There is a process for this which will be explained during your induction.