For the Friends Voices project, Steve Moreton has had two key roles. His first role was to attend interviews and organise their recording and other logistics. Following the interviews, Steves other role was to review their key themes so that they could be organised on the Friends Voices website.
Steve’s main role at Attend involves creating training and development programmes tailored towards the voluntary sector and undertaking research to create frameworks to evaluate the impact of Attend’s work and support project development. Steve said because his role at Attend and work on the Friends Voices project are similar, helping with the project has also affected his other work. He said capturing the Friends stories and identifying key themes throughout the histories of the groups has helped him to think more insightfully about current volunteering initiatives.
A unique aspect of the Friends Voices project is that interviews have been held in all sorts of settings. Whether it was a hospital, a pub, a lounge or somebody’s home could sometimes make a difference in the interview itself.
When conducting interviews in Friends’ homes, Steve said it seemed that the interviewees often felt more responsibility as a host than they may have felt had they been in a hospital. Steve said it is also definitely important to think about how the context of an interview may change its contents. For example, in their own homes the interviewees may have spent more time talking about their friends in the group rather than the volunteering activities themselves because they are outside of the volunteering setting. In comparison, in a hospital the focus may be more on the experience of volunteering because the interviewees are in the place where they do these activities.
Steve said the Friends Voices project is an essential initiative to highlight how volunteering in the health sector has existed throughout the history of the NHS and before. He said during interviews, in addition to recording, he spent a lot of time listening to interviewees and considering how the histories of Friends groups are tied together and what elements have allowed them to persist since the NHS was started in 1948.
“We’re helping fit the pieces of the jigsaw together because the Friends groups touch on so many different things: fundraising, volunteering, the things they raise money for, the different aspects of clinical practice they support.”
Despite their long history, Steve said it’s also important to consider that in 1948 there were 1500 Friends and now there are 500, a number that decreases each year. He said his hope with this project is to evaluate the journey of the Friends groups so that they do not disappear without a passing thought in the coming decades. Historically, Steve said Friends groups have been undervalued, so it is important that the project combats this.
“If we don’t learn, we will have lost something. We’ve got some years now to make sure we capture what the important ingredient is among this journey, and it may be in 2050 the answer is Friends groups are not the answer, but at least we’ll know because we made good decisions not because we’ve accidentally lost them because we didn’t look after them,” Steve said.
As healthcare continues to evolve and change, Steve said it is likely Friends groups will as well and will remain as important as they’ve ever been in 2050 and beyond.
“Volunteering in health precedes the NHS, by hundreds of years. It goes to the heart of the best of human motivations and a healthy functioning society. We must shine the light on these early days of the NHS and identify what made this work then, and how best to make this work in a 21st century NHS,” Steve said.
One of the most important threads Steve picked up on through this process is that healthcare has been and should be for the people. In its original Constitution, Steve said the NHS was defined as belonging to the people and it is so important not to forget that. “When the NHS finishes, the people will still be there doing healthcare,” he said.
Although he has worked with volunteers for 25 years, Steve said through this project he was able to see a different side of their work. He said he was once again reminded how impressive the Friends can be.
Steve described the Friends as “capable and well-networked” and said he was particularly struck by the fact that “a genuine volunteering contribution can start at the age of 80.” For Steve, the difference between interacting with the Friends in the context of this project, is that he was able to see how the thread of all of the Friends groups’ individual projects and actions tie together and the intentionality behind where they focus their efforts.
“What you get from the thread of the story is that these are not people just doing things, they’re people working out what is the right thing to do,” Steve said.
One thing that sets Friends groups apart from other kinds of volunteering is that they integrate their volunteering work into every aspect of their lives. In many ways, it becomes who they are rather than just something that they do.
“They generate an opportunity for people to live their volunteering rather than do their volunteering. The social networks and volunteering become intertwined,” Steve said.
Christopher Wood
For the Friends Voices project, Christopher has had three key roles – Attending Interview to record the audio while the interview is being conducted, editing the audio files and helping to maintain the Friends Voices Website.
Christopher’s main role is working with Adults who have life limiting conditions and assisting them to get the necessary help to live as independently as possible, and helping to run the weekly Stroke Cafe in Enfield.
He finds all the volunteers and members of friends groups a great inspiration and learns much from their stories. To Christopher the project is a great way of preserving the stories from the older generations and making sure there words aren’t lost to time, and hopes one day these interviews could be shown to younger members of families to help them understand what their relations have done, and how they have contributed to the world around them.
In his free time he loves, to read, build and paint miniatures, listen to music and spend time with his families 2 sausage dogs.
Jordan O’Sullivan,
For Jordan O’Sullivan, volunteering has meant not just an opportunity to expand his writing, editing and social media skills, but also to learn about inspirational volunteers and change his philosophy around work. Jordan, a 21-year-old student studying music at Brunell University is volunteering as the social media coordinator at Attend. Jordan said he came to Attend because he can see the difference the organisation makes in people’s lives. “I wanted to do a placement where I was helping myself but also trying to help others,” Jordan said.
His work has included updating the Attend social media, writing blog posts and news flashes for the charity’s different projects, and most recently working on the Friends Voices project.
“I didn’t know anything about the Leagues of Friends myself before I started working on the project. I didn’t know how imperative their role is within the hospital and how much help just a small group of people can be and how much stress they can take away from staff and patients,” Jordan said.
Since beginning his work on the project, Jordan said he has learned a lot about the Leagues of Friends and many of their members. For the Friends Voices project, Jordan has edited interviews with League of Friends members and communicated with the Leagues and hospitals to write about their histories. Jordan said he found learning the history of the Friends groups eye opening because some have existed for so many years. Particularly, he was surprised that Bart’s Guild, the League of Friends at the Royal Hospital of St. Bartholomew, has existed since 1911, which he remarked was before the Titanic sank.
“It just feels like they’re quietly working in the background just trying to make people’s lives easier and they’ve been doing this for over a century, so it’s just absolutely insane,” Jordan said.
Jordan said helping to create the Friends Voices website has been a lovely and rewarding experience. Through sharing the Friends stories on social media, he enjoys seeing the immediate reaction and impact the stories are having on others as well as on himself.
One of the best parts of working on the Friends Voices project for Jordan has been listening to the stories Friends have had to share. He said their work has inspired him and their stories have been extremely moving. For him, one that stands out most is the story of Gifty Coleman, who volunteers at the Friends café at Ealing Hospital. Coleman shared in her interview that after closing time one day, an elderly woman came by the café and told her that she was very poor and had no money for food or drink. Coleman responded by serving the woman, and the next day the woman brought her a gift in thanks.
“It was just really heartwarming, and there’s so many stories like this and I feel like the Friends cafés, for example, have soul and a heart within them. You’re not going to get a Starbucks or a Costa Coffee opening their doors past closing time just to feed somebody,” Jordan said.
Jordan said another story that was impactful to him was learning about how the Friends of University College London Hospital supported patients who were unable to see their families during the Coronavirus pandemic, especially during extended stays.
Because of their age and the work that they do, Jordan said he feels that it is past time the Leagues of Friends received more recognition. He said he finds it inspiring that the Friends, many of whom are ex patients or staff members or are retired, continue to volunteer their time to support the hospitals. Jordan said he hopes to emulate the way they work in his own life.
“For me, I think their work ethic is what stands so prominent to me … They get up tirelessly every day, they don’t complain about it, and I’d love to have the work ethic I suppose they have,” Jordan said.
Jonny Leonidas
Jonny started at Attend in February of 2024. Orginally from West Hartford, Connecticut in the US, he is a student studying film/television and journalism at Boston University, and began working with the volunteer organisation during his semester abroad in London.
He is a huge fan of music history, skiing, and bulldogs, and his favourite thing about London is the weather. Just kidding. It’s probably that the English bulldog originated here.
At Attend, Jonny works mainly with the Friends Voices project, interviewing volunteers and clients across Attend’s large network of Friends Groups, and helping to amplify the voices of some very important players.
He has found the project to be immensely rewarding and enjoys listening to the diverse stories of all the interviewees, while gaining insight into volunteering in the UK. He feels it is crucial to highlight the tireless efforts and dedication of these volunteers so that their contributions can be forever recognised and celebrated.
Rutu Tatke
Rutu started volunteering at Attend in June of 2024. Studying neuroscience and English at Boston University in the US, Rutu is spending a summer in London as a part of her study abroad program.
She has primarily been involved in the Friends Voices project, listening to and capturing the inspiring voices of key volunteers within Attend’s network of Friends Groups. She has loved travelling around Greater London to care homes and cafés, hearing all the stories that lead people to give back to their communities.
In her free time, Rutu loves visiting floral gardens, writing, and spending time with friends. In the future, she hopes to go into the medical field, and patient care is the part she is most looking forward to. Her time at Attend has been wonderful, as this position has allowed her to meet many down-to-Earth London locals and get the chance to chat with people from all walks of life. She is excited to watch the Friends Voices project flourish!
Kate Bartling
Kate has been with Attend since August 2024. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Kate moved to London after falling in love with the city while studying here in January. She is a student at the University of Arkansas, studying marketing, with hopes of building a career in the sports marketing industry. Kate loves sports, dogs, cooking, traveling, and everything London.
At Attend, Kate focuses on marketing, with a special emphasis on the Friends Voices project. This role has been a perfect fit for her, as she’s always been fascinated by hearing stories from people all over the United Kingdom. “It’s my favourite part of my job, getting to hear everyone’s unique stories,” Kate says.
Kate has found the project to be a great source of inspiration. Hearing about the dedication of volunteers and the incredible impact they have on others has been nothing short of eye-opening. It’s this kind of spirit that she believes can inspire her generation to get involved in volunteer work. Kate is determined to help Friends Voices gain traction because she knows that sharing these stories can encourage more young people to step up, give back, and create a ripple of positive change in their communities.
Ankita Kumar
Ankita started volunteering at Attend in October of 2024. Currently, she is a student at Boston University studying neuropsychology and data science, set to graduate in Spring 2025!
As a social media and copywriting intern, Ankita works on creating content for cross-platform engagement with followers and members of Attend’s community. She’s passionate about crafting stories that connect with people on a deeper level, and her academic background in psychology helps her bring a unique perspective to her role.
At Attend, Ankita has found the opportunity to use her skills in content creation and data analysis to expand the organisation’s reach. She’s committed to sharing Attend’s mission, aiming to inspire more people to get involved and make a positive impact. Her favourite part of working at Attend is coming into the office and working with the team each day!
Kaosiso Nwakile
Kaosiso started volunteering at Attend in February of 2025. Originally from the Bronx, New York, she is a student at New York University (NYU) studying Global Public Health and Applied Psychology. She is spending the spring semester in London as part of her study abroad program, which afforded her the opportunity to join this organisation. In the future, she hopes to do work in clinical psychology, providing psychological care to vulnerable populations, particularly children and adolescents.
A copywriting and social media intern, Kaosiso works primarily with the Friends Voices project, highlighting the diverse, impactful voices and experiences of Attend’s volunteers. As a fieldworker herself back home in New York, she understands how integral volunteer work is in building healthy communities. She loves hearing about the local changes people are making across the United Kingdom.
New to London, Kaosiso finds volunteering at Attend an insightful introduction to the city’s work culture. She feels inspired by the dedication people exhibit here and hopes to contribute immensely to the project herself
Ingrid Marques Reginato
Ingrid started volunteering at Attend in February 2025. She was born in Brazil, then moved to Illinois, United States, when she was 9. She is a third-year student at Boston University studying sociology. She is studying in London during this spring semester, and is volunteering at Attend as part of her program. Her interests include qualitative research, sociology of healthcare, and wealth inequality.
At Attend, Ingrid works on research-related projects, primarily focusing on the Friends Voices project by doing interviews, transcribing, and writing. She has also been working on interviews and write-ups for the ABI Case Studies project, and works with the social media team at Attend. Working at Attend has been a way for Ingrid to connect to her past experience in Illinois volunteering and working with people with disabilities.
Ingrid has enjoyed studying and working in London, and exploring the city and surrounding areas on her days off. Working at Attend has been rewarding and reminded her of the importance of community-based volunteer work.
August Donato
August started volunteering at Attend in January of 2025. He is originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the US. He is currently studying Emerging Media at Ithaca College in Upstate New York. He is spending his semester studying abroad in London and volunteering at Attend as part of his program.
For Attend, he works as a Volunteer Social Media Coordinator. He creates short-form, animated video content and posts for Attend’s social media platforms. He also edits and transcribes interviews for the Friends Voices project.
While working for Attend, August has found opportunities to use his animation and editing skills to reach a wider audience on social media. He has found a passion for social and community volunteer work and enjoys working with others who have the same views. On his days off, he enjoys exploring London, traveling to other countries, and meeting new people.
