Stories of volunteers supporting the health service since 1949
62 results
Namrata 'Nami' Walia originally began her career as an accountant for the NHS.In this interview, Nami shares how the pivot to volunteering and working within a charity has given her great satisfaction and new knowledge about different health cond...
Rachael Talbot has been volunteering with Acorn Lodge, working with students and encouraging them to volunteer for the last 10 years.In this interview, she shares how she supports students and some examples of the wonderful things students have been ...
Samira Abu started off volunteering with Friends of Attend as an activities coordinator. She eventually moved on to volunteering with Friends of Aspen Court , where she enjoys engaging with the residents and providing them with social care an...
Catherine Rogerson, a dedicated member of the Amman Valley Hospital League of Friends, shares her journey of returning to her home town after a career in research in Palaeobotany and teaching. Inspired by a local newspaper ad, she joined the League...
98 year old Idwal Davies shares his remarkable life story. After leaving school, he trained to be a butcher, but later joined the Air Training Corps during World War II. Idwal was originally an Infantryman in the military but was eventually selected ...
Richard Miller, Friends of Horse FairBorn in South Wales, Richard moved to the south of England at a young age and then spent 20 years in and around the south, firstly in Sidcup and then in Lewes, East Sussex. He met his wife in 1984 while she was doing her nurse training, and after acc...
Retired nurses, Yvonne Frost and Carol Watson, reflect on their years at St. Oswald’s Hospital, sharing memories of their care, community, and the close relationships they built with their patients. After retiring, they continue their involvement t...
After a difficult childhood in East London, Pauline has been working and then volunteering with disabled children, and disabled adults all of her life, as a social worker but also in multiple charities, before ending up in BOPH, where she has been fo...
Simon Jenkins, League of Friends of Glangwili HospitalWhen Simon's mother passed away, he decided he would carry on with her involvement with the League of Friends by becoming a volunteer himself. After a long career as a firefighter, he already had knowledge of community services, and involvement, whic...
Robert Fox (Kath Fox), The League of Friends of Deeside Community HospitalFollowing her death, Robert Fox talks about the life of his Mum, Kath. Robert tells of her early life as the daughter of a miner, and gives insights into both the challenges of that life, as well as Kath and her families determination to take adva...
Nevil Williams, Radio BGMNevil is the epitome of a local lad. Born and having always lived locally, he supports the local community with all his heart. Helping wherever he can, he has followed in the footsteps of his stepfather, a local lay preacher, and joined the hospit...
Emily Vincent, Enfield Stroke FriendsInitially volunteering as a way to broaden her experience with stroke survivors, Emily soon realised it was cementing her sense of being part of the community in Enfield. Using her experience in both nutrition, and speech and language therapy, Emily ...
Megan Jolly, The League of Friends of the Deeside Community HospitalFrom an early age Megan helped others and this led to a life long career in nursing. Alongside this she began helping with the League of Friends, an involvement that spans over 50 years....
Sally started volunteering at the League of Friends around 25 years ago, after 10 years of volunteering with adults who wanted to improve their literacy skills. When she started, she was mainly volunteering with the fundraising committee of the hospi...
Cathy Milne, Friends of Avery PlaceCathy started volunteering in care homes as an extension of her involvement in the Nuthall Methodist Church as a way to make Acer Court and Alder House feel more part of the community. She started with one-on-one visits, first with Dorothy, a residen...
Barbara Wren, Brentwood Community Hospital League of FriendsBarbara started her career as a bursar at a local school. During her time there she found herself going above and beyond for the students. She took that work ethic with her to the Highwood Hospital and then to the Brentwood Community Hospital.She use...
Josephine (Jo) Geary, Business Opportunities for the Physically Handicapped (BOPH)Founder of BOPH with Joan Lythgoe, MBE, Jo was first involved with people with disabilities when her daughter was born paralysed from the waist down and, when pushed by Joan, she joined her in starting a charity that would be a free workshop for phys...
Karen Bowers, Business Opportunities for the Physically Handicapped (BOPH)After being involved with special needs people all her life, Karen ended up being noticed by Joan and working full-time at BOPH. Working there doesn’t feel like work for her but more like coming to her extended family, where she is able to create s...
Brogan was motivated to volunteer after accompanying her Mum who worked with people with special needs, Brogan started volunteering at only 16 as a one-to-one support for one client who went on to attend BOPH and which led to her working at BOPH fu...
Jean Ranson, The League of Friends of the Deeside Community HospitalCaring and volunteering were all part of Jean's life from a young age. This both supported and led to a life long career as a nurse. Volunteering for the League of Friends was another part of hospital and community life that Jean helped with whene...