Hospital says Thank You to volunteers with annual celebration
Around 100 Southend Hospital volunteers enjoyed a slap-up lunch of sandwiches, tea and cake as a small way of the Trust saying thank you for all their efforts.
The volunteer annual summer party was held at the Saxon Hall, Aviation Way, Southend, attended by leaders from Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, including Chairman, Nigel Beverley..
Paying tribute, Mr Beverley said: “This is a small token of our appreciation for all you do – day in and day out. That’s from helping people get to their appointment – thank you, Carecars [hospital voluntary transport scheme] – to being a friendly face when patients arrive at the hospital – thank you Outpatient Department volunteers! – To being encouraged to eat and drink as inpatients – thank you, Feeding Buddies.
“We are also hugely grateful to all the volunteers from our three charity shops, plus our volunteer fundraisers who bring in money to help our patients. And to the admin volunteers who help lessen the load for staff, the volunteers who run errands for ward staff, the volunteer chaplains and Hospital Radio volunteers whose presence is such a comfort … I could go on!”
Two volunteers received their Long Service Awards, denoting a decade or more of support to the hospital. They include:
Peter Thorn, Feeding Buddy
Peter is a much-loved member of Chalkwell ward, Windsor ward as was, and is well-known to many of the staff there. Peter, 75, was a former bank manager who then became a bursar at St Michael’s School in Leigh before retiring.
He decided to become a Feeding Buddy after visiting his brother-in-law at a hospital in London, Peter said:. “I became aware that some people have no friends of family to check in on them,”
Until recently, Peter’s fellow buddy on the ward was Joyce Upton, a volunteer awarded 10 years’ service at the Christmas event. Joyce is currently awaiting surgery and could not join the celebrations, but for the time being, her place has been taken by Michelle Davis, who joins Peter every Tuesday in helping patients at mealtimes.
Claire Buckell, Clinical Development Nurse said: “Peter is an amazing man, he is so kind, he really cares.”
Maureen Holmes, 74 volunteer, Leigh charity shop
Maureen, 74, and grandmother of three from Southend, wanted to volunteer as a way of saying thank you for the care members of her family had received there. After being made redundant, she helped out with admin tasks in the neurology department, and then moved to the recently opened charity shop in Broadway West, Leigh in 2013.
There she operates the till, sorts through stock and chats to customers. Maureen said: “I love it there.. They are a good bunch of girls and we have our regulars who come in. We have a good laugh. I’m not the type to sit around and have a quiet retirement.”
More celebrations will be held next week, with Basildon and Orsett Hospitals volunteers receiving a cream tea treat at Basildon’s Holiday Inn. Broomfield and Braintree Hospital volunteers get their turn on July 7.
The Trust has an ongoing volunteer programme and anyone interested in join in should visit: https://www.mse.nhs.uk/get-involved