Lewis-Manning in Poole has said ‘a great big thank you’ this week to its volunteers who gave up their spare time to work tirelessly for the hospice in 2013.
The charity, which supports over 650 local people living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, organised a Christmas Party at Church House in Wimborne for its volunteers as an opportunity to show its appreciation for all their efforts this year.
Lewis-Manning intends to open its first in-patient bedrooms in the first half of 2014 and will be looking for more volunteers, of all ages, who can give up a bit of their time to fill a number volunteer roles such as drivers, fundraisers, retail support, caring support, laundry support and hospitality support.
Jenny Clark, Lewis-Manning’s Volunteer Services Co-ordinator, explains, “No hospice could function without its network of volunteers and their extraordinary commitment, and Lewis-Manning Hospice is no different. We rely on our bank of over 250 volunteers to support the work of the staff in all areas of the hospice and help make a difference to the lives of local people.
Volunteering in a hospice can be extremely rewarding. We are always in need of volunteers to help at the hospice or in one of our 10 charity shops. If you have a little time to spare and a talent to share, we can make good use of it!”
Paul Tucker, Marketing and Communications Officer, added, “There is a wonderful saying that ‘Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless!’ and we couldn’t agree more.
From school leavers to retired people, volunteering is an ideal way to meet new people, gain confidence and new skills out in the community, as well as enjoy being a valued member of a team. It is also a perfect way to help boost university and college applications, improve CV’s, or simply make valuable use of time between jobs or when the children have left home. Recent research has shown that volunteering can be a very useful path to paid employment and also can be beneficial to your health.”
If you are looking to for a way to help your local community this year or if you would like any more information about the open day, then contact Jenny, Volunteer Services
Co-ordinator at Lewis-Manning, on 01202 708470 or email volunteerservices@lewis-manning.co.uk
