This award is in recognition of the time and commitment given by our volunteers who go above and beyond for our patients. As an organisation, we depend upon the help we receive from our small, but dedicated, army of helpers, whose assistance and aid to our visitors, patients and staff make our day that little bit brighter.
These are truly the voluntary heroes which help to us to become outstanding in all we do.
Meet the nominees:
Anne Lavin and Marjorie Atkinson, Cardiac Rehabilitation Volunteers
Essential to the Trust’s cardiac rehabilitation journeys, Anne and Marj are truly inspirational figures and are utterly selfless individuals to boot. They can always be relied upon to go the extra mile for the sake of patient comfort, preparing refreshments, chatting to visitors, making everyone feel welcome and eradicating any undue fears. Their commitment in this regard is so strong, that they will go out of their way to make sure that they don’t miss their voluntary sessions.
Not only are they highly rated by their colleagues, but they are also consistently at the heart of the excellent feedback and comments the team receives from patients. This extends to the satisfaction surveys, where the duo are regularly praised and singled out for their unrivalled enthusiasm.
Butterfly Volunteers
Working alongside the end of life team, DBTH’s newly introduced Butterfly Volunteers have had a fantastic inaugural year, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback, recognition in the local press and even attention from a local MP.
These unique helpers have been specially trained to provide companionship and support to those in the last days of their life. In accompanying people through this emotionally distressing time, they demonstrate an unparalleled sense of empathy and bravery whilst also giving solace to friends and relatives, who can feel assured that their loved ones are not scared or alone.
Most members of staff simply do not have the capacity to provide this sorely needed interaction and it is nationally reported that many die alone in hospital because of this. The Butterfly volunteers are thus providing a vital service, one that is appreciated by staff and visitors alike. Their impact cannot be overstated as, in the space of just over a year, 112 patients have already benefited from their support.
June Chantry, Colorectal/Stoma Care Department volunteer
An instrumental part of the Trust’s Colorectal Department for many years now, June can be depended upon no matter what and is an absolutely critical asset to the team. Be it by meeting and greeting anxious visitors, or even by just making cups of tea, June does everything she can to put people at ease. This is especially appreciated given how busy everyone else is around her. In addition to this, she also pitches in with things like stock control, general organisation and the tidying of shelves.
With her successfully spinning all of these plates, it is no wonder that her colleagues claim they would be lost without her.