Interviewer

So, first of all, could I start by asking your name?

Sheila Jackson

Sheila Jackson.

Interviewer

And Sheila, could I ask how old you are?

Sheila Jackson

83.

Interviewer

Excellent. And could I ask which League of Friends we are talking about today?

Sheila Jackson

Burton Hospital’s League of Friends at Queens Hospital.

Interviewer

Thank you. So it’s lovely to see you today. Now can I ask, when did volunteering first come into your life?

Sheila Jackson

When my son’s Cub Scout group were desperate for volunteers to help, and he was eight. That was in 1970.

Interviewer

And what did you do for the Cubs?

Sheila Jackson

Oh, all sorts of things, including camping.

Interviewer

Oh really?

Sheila Jackson

We used to take them when it was nice weather to Catton Park where they now have the big festivals, and camp for the weekend under canvas. Teach them basic skills on cooking. So they didn’t go hungry, they didn’t have cereals for the breakfast. They had whatever they cooked. Okay. Under supervision, obviously. And we went all over the area.

Interviewer

So did you

Sheila Jackson

And we also taught the boys basic life skills.

Interviewer

Okay.

Sheila Jackson

So if somebody had a knock, one of the others would go, and see how they could help. We had some very unusual bandages tied.

Interviewer

<Laugh>.

Sheila Jackson

We had one lad who was determined that the best place to put a bandage was around the person who was hurts mouth, to stop them screaming.

Interviewer

<Laugh> it, it sounds like it was fun.

Sheila Jackson

It was fun.

Interviewer

So did you carry on that after your boys sort of left Cubs

Sheila Jackson

No. In 1976 I split up with my ex-husband. And at that point of the game, ladies who were divorced weren’t allowed to be Cub Scout leaders because it was a bad influence on the boys,

Interviewer

Honestly,  in 1976. Yes. So I’ll give away my age now. So, I was just going into secondary school about that time. It was the hot summer, wasn’t it? 76

Sheila Jackson

Certainly was.

Interviewer

But that value to me feels like it belongs to about 1920, not 1976.

Sheila Jackson

Well, when I went down to the police station in 1975 to report the fact that my ex had beat me up, the Sergeant at the desk said, “what did you do to deserve it?” So that was definitely the attitude.

Interviewer

A different time.

Sheila Jackson

Yes. A very different time.

Interviewer

So I assume.

Sheila Jackson

But I’ve survived.

Interviewer

Absolutely. So I’m assuming that you then had quite a lot on your plate. So volunteering wasn’t top of your list of priorities for a few years?

Sheila Jackson

Well, it wasn’t because my Mum was an invalid at that time and ill. So I was helping to nurse her as well.

Interviewer

Okay. So you volunteered within the family realistically? Yes. You were a carer?

Sheila Jackson

Yes, along with my Father.

Interviewer

And so what gets you in touch with Burton Hospital?

Sheila Jackson

I’ve always been a patient here. My family were born here. If ever I need treatment, it’s here I come, even if I’m arguing for 10 minutes with the ambulance drivers, and telling them  “you will get me to Burton” <laugh>.

Interviewer

Okay. So Burton is close to your heart?.

Sheila Jackson

Yes. But between the caring for mum, and becoming a volunteer here, I did other voluntary roles.

Interviewer

Oh, did you? Oh yes. So what else did you do?

Sheila Jackson

Neighbourhood watch?  Set up a group within Castle Gresley.  That was quite vibrant. Parish Council. I was a Parish Councillor for 20 years. In fact, one of the Directors, Lilian Owens, I believe she was a Parish Councillor.

Interviewer

Yes.

Sheila Jackson

Well, when you see Lilian give her my love. Because we used to meet at the National Association meetings.

Interviewer

Yes, well she’s now Deputy Chair, and I saw, and I spoke to her last week.

Sheila Jackson

Nice lady.

Interviewer

Absolutely. And I’m sure she’ll be pleased to know that you are still volunteering. <Laugh>

 

Sheila Jackson

Well, I started working 40 years ago at the hospital. In the Finance Department. Became a Public Governor after I retired, did nine, 10 years as a Public Governor. And in the interim, Pauline had recruited me to join the League of Friends as Treasurer. And my first role, and this was the beginning of November, my first role was doing the year end accounts, which ended on the 31st of October of that year. The Treasurer had walked out. The people who were doing the work to cover, and doing the audit had got the papers, and done nothing. So I wanted to go, and get all the papers. Nothing had been done towards the annual report. So I got a copy of the previous year, and just got left to get on with it. And I’ve been Treasurer ever since.

Interviewer

Excellent.

Sheila Jackson

I’m working the shop obviously.

Interviewer

So had the shop opened when you first joined the Friends?  So tell me about how the shop starts, what that is all about.

Sheila Jackson

Well we used to have, opposite the lifts, there used to be a stairwell, and we used to have monthly book sales there, and other things, and fundraising within the hospital as well. The hospital staff were really supportive. Pauline, and I were both Governors on the hospital trust at that time. And it was before Derby got involved. So we had a meeting with the then Chief Executive, and they agreed to source somewhere for us to have a shop, and they provided the shop, and the fixtures, and fittings. But then again we had helped to raise money for the new scanner. Pauline was heavily involved in the scanner appeal along with Sir Stanley Clark and his wife Lady Hilda, Ben Robinson.  She knew all the local bigwigs. She knew who she needed who to speak to when she wanted a favour.

Interviewer

Excellent. Which is often with Leagues of Friends, I have to say. Yes. So you have this shop, how often is it open?

Sheila Jackson

Four days a week. Monday to Thursday.

Interviewer

Okay. And only staffed by volunteers now?

Sheila Jackson

Yes. Julie handed her notice in, and left at the end of January, and we had a meeting to look at the way forward because obviously to recruit was going to take us three months. And they decided that as a volunteer group, we would run it for three months to see how it went. Have another meeting, then to discuss it again. And guess what? They don’t want a shop manager <laugh>. They’ve got that little bit more sense of it being theirs.

Interviewer

Okay.

Sheila Jackson

You know, if they think a price is right, they put the price on. If somebody thinks it’s wrong, they either put it up or put it down.  But there’s nobody who’s taking ownership of the shop. It’s a joint venture, and it is working.

Interviewer

Good. So the shop raises money. Yes. What do you use the money for?

Sheila Jackson

Recently we have spent just over a thousand pound on a Glide Away bed for the AMU End of Life care. Funnily enough, this morning I’ve delivered 30 advent calendars as a thank you for the department staff, chairs for members of staff. They wanted some remedial work doing in the treatment centre because they’ve put extra services down there. So they wanted the ceiling fitments for the curtains, and curtains. So that cost us 2000 pounds. The Neonatal Unit, we had a request from the Capital Scheme Manager to see if we would help to fund that. So we provided that, and it is a picture light so you have got a sky above so that it gives the baby some sense of what the outside world is like from a pram.  That was 1700 pounds. So all sorts of weird, and wonderful things at the moment because they were forced to get rid of decorations and trees during covid, and they’ve not got back to getting them in full yet. Last year, and this year Argos have been very pleased because I have been buying a lot of televisions, a lot of fridges, and a lot of Christmas trees.

Interviewer

Excellent. But they’re all things that make that difference to people, aren’t they?

Sheila Jackson

Yes. Yes. And the biggest difference is to staff morale because if I can buy it direct from the supplier, I will do because they get it a lot quicker. I mean, that Glide Away bed, I got within a fortnight, I dealt with the company. They just said, “oh, you can’t place an order with us because we need to get some information from other sources to do that.” I says, “how about if I send you a cheque with the order?” Fine. And the day that the cheque wandered in to their tray, they got the bed delivered. They didn’t even wait for the cheque to clear.

Interviewer

I’m assuming that there’s a little bit about your whole career in the hospital in the Finance Team, and things that you understand perhaps better than other people might.

Sheila Jackson

I’ve always worked in finance.

Interviewer

Yes.

Sheila Jackson

It’s ever since I was 16, my first job was in accounts.

Interviewer

So a particular expertise that you bring. Yes. And I’m sure you served them well.

Sheila Jackson

I’m looking for somebody to take over in the next couple of years, and at the moment, failing miserably. Nobody wants a Treasurer’s job.

Interviewer

Hard to find Treasurers. Yes. I, you know, I was an accountant, and I’ve been Treasurer of all sorts of things over the years. Because people don’t want to do it. Mm-Hmm. <Affirmative> They’re worried about it.

Sheila Jackson

I don’t know why they are worried.

Interviewer

No I don’t. But they are.

Sheila Jackson

But then again, if somebody isn’t good at numbers I can see why.

Interviewer

Yes. And the other thing that people don’t necessarily understand is that a Treasurer is no more responsible than any other Trustee. No. And people somehow think, oh, it’s the Treasurer who’s responsible.

Sheila Jackson

Only the Treasurer if what they do with the funds is put them in their back pocket instead of in the bank.

Interviewer

Yes, exactly. And there’s a responsibility there, but actually it, it, it’s not any more than anybody else on the team. Realistically.

Sheila Jackson

Same with Chairperson. Mm-Hmm.

Interviewer

Absolutely. So do you have any favourite memory of being part of the League of Friends?

Sheila Jackson

Favourite memory? I think it’s got to be the year that both Pauline and I were having treatment down in the Eye Centre, and they hadn’t got up to date equipment. So the League of Friends had been in existence 35 years that year. So we decided that we were going to raise 35,000 pounds to buy equipment, and we presented them with 35,000 pounds worth of equipment.

Interviewer

Well done.

Sheila Jackson

And I would just say Pauline knows all Burton well, most of them unfortunately have passed away now. But she approached all the people with any clout in Burton. I think the only one left now is Ben Robinson. All the others have passed away. We’ve also got a gentleman who has done a lot for the children’s ward, and any money he raises comes into the League of Friends.

Interviewer

Okay.

Sheila Jackson

Not to the hospital direct.

Interviewer

And why would that be?

Sheila Jackson

Because he knows we’ll spend it on the children’s department, and not on other departments.

Interviewer

Okay.

Sheila Jackson

It’s the knowledge that it’s safe. Yes. It’s a safe pot of money for the children’s ward.

Interviewer

And, when people talk to me about League of Friends, one of the things I say is that donors recognise that they’re giving it to people like them with values like them.

Sheila Jackson

Yes, very true.

Interviewer

And that’s the difference it makes.

Sheila Jackson

A gentleman walked into the shop last week, last Thursday afternoon, and had  a 20 pound note in his hand. He says, “I’m not giving it to the hospital charity, I’m giving it to you.”

Interviewer

Lovely. That’s nice. Yes. So when you thought about this meeting up today, was there anything that you wanted to say to me that you haven’t had the chance to say yet?

Sheila Jackson

I don’t think so. It’s been a happy for me, it’s been a happy 20 years.

Interviewer

I can see.

Sheila Jackson

I’ve never regretted it. There are times where I tear my hair out, and we have some lovely members of staff who regularly come in to spend money, support us when we have raffles, support us when we have tombola stall. So yes.

Interviewer

But it’s great.

Sheila Jackson

Community and customers are as well.

Interviewer

It’s a lovely community. I was just up in your shop, and I saw a young lad with his mum, and he bought something, I think for a pound.

Sheila Jackson

Yes. And a birthday card. Yes.

Interviewer

And it is just delightful to see people engaged. And it was lovely to see the way your volunteers spoke to the mum, and to the son. And it is a lovely experience that you are able to give.

Sheila Jackson

If you push a baby into the shop, and trust me, if I’m there, I’m all over it. And if a child comes in, they have been for treatment, we always give them a book or something small. That’s lovely.

Interviewer

Well, thank you. It’s a lovely community.

Sheila Jackson

It is lovely. And your organisation has been very supportive over the years.

Interviewer

Thank you for saying that. It’s very kind of you.