St Coulumba’s celebrates the dedication of it’s magnificent volunteers

St Columba’s Hospice has been celebrating its many volunteers with special long service awards ceremonies. In total, the people who have been recognised for their long service have given a massive 525 years to the Hospice.

The Hospice, which celebrates its 40^th anniversary in 2017, has 680 volunteers – 60 of whom were celebrated at the awards ceremonies having given the Hospice five, 10, 20, 25, 30 and even 35 years of their time.

In this year’s awards ceremony, 60 people were recognised and the following awards were presented to volunteers for their time with the Hospice:

–       38 people received an award for five years of service

–       14 people received an award for 10 years of service

–       Three people received an award for 20 years of service

–       Four people received an award for 25 years of service

–       One person received an award for 35 years of service.

Volunteers at the Hospice offer face-to-face support to families, help behind the scenes to ensure the Hospice can run, help patients to get there, ensure funds are raised and much more. Roles for volunteers are extremely varied and include support with fundraising, receptionists, ward volunteers, flower arrangers, complementary therapists, working in the Hospice’s shops and even driving patients to the Hospice.

The volunteers recognised at the long service awards were presented with gifts by the Hospice’s chief executive, Jackie Husband. Karen Filsell, volunteer services manager at the Hospice said: “Volunteers at St Columba’s Hospice are very dedicated, and we are grateful that so many choose to volunteer for the Hospice for many years. The involvement of volunteers helps the Hospice reach more patients and families, and we are incredibly grateful to them, as are the patients and families that we support. Offering long service awards is one of the ways we can recognise the contribution that volunteers make to the Hospice, and thank them. Not only are we honoured to have such a great team of volunteers, having so many that have worked for so long for us is a testament to their passion for the Hospice and its work.”