Thank you to all of you who attended the volunteer coffee mornings. We would like to make these a monthly occurrence moving forward and would welcome suggestions on possible topics for discussion or if you just welcome the opportunity to meet other volunteers in the team. It was also wonderful to see those who attended the thank you tea parties in aid of Volunteers’ Week.

The contribution each and every one of you make as always makes a huge difference to our patients, visitors and staff. From a personal point of view each and every one of you have a special place in my heart, and I feel honoured to have my role.

Anne-Marie Stevens-Swain Voluntary Services Manager

Volunteers’ Week runs from 1 to 7 June and is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK by freely giving their time, skills and expertise to help and support other people. It goes without saying that volunteers have played a key role in the COVID-19 pandemic response. During an exceptionally difficult couple of years, people from all walks of life around the UK have taken the time to volunteer and make a huge difference to their communities – just as they do every year. This is a time for us to come together and thank all volunteers for their invaluable contribution.

Here at MTW we have a team of almost 300 volunteers working in 10 departments across the Trust doing everything to help our patients and staff from taking patients to the correct places, supporting our Grounds & Gardens Team, to assisting medical staff with taking samples to the labs. They range in age from 16 to 96 years young and bring a wealth of experience and smiles to our hospitals.

If you are a member of staff and would like a volunteer to support your area and are willing to integrate and support them, do get in touch. Volunteers can bring a new dynamic to a department, bringing a wide variety of skills and knowledge. It is important that volunteers enjoy their role within the Trust and clear definition of a volunteer’s role within any given area is vital to ensure continuity, confidence and dedication of our volunteers. 

Click here to meet some of our volunteers and hear their stories. 

The wellbeing team volunteers help with the running of the wellbeing lounges at Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Maidstone Hospital. Our volunteers support with the general running of the wellbeing lounges, help set up and participate in relaxing activities for staff and help with events. We would very much welcome volunteers who would like to provide an activity that could be added to our calendar of events. 

We are working to improve the access and variety of wellbeing activities that will refresh and re-energise staff and promote a sense of belonging and community spirit.

We would also love to hear from anyone who has something to offer our staff, for example:

• Are you a skilled crafter and would like to lead in teaching knitting or crochet over a lunchtime period?
• Keen walker and know the local area well? We’d love someone to lead a small walking group on short walks. If you love to run, let’s start a running club too!
• Good listener? Social isolation is a big problem, especially among our staff working far from home. A tea-break is a perfect way to meet other people in the same situation.
• Qualified to deliver a holistic therapy or trained to deliver a fitness class? If you could spare any time for our staff we’d be grateful.
• Training for a therapy or beauty qualification and need volunteers? Our staff would love to help get your practice hours in.

"Oncology Outpatients is a busy department and patients are encouraged to attend alone to reduce footfall in the hospital during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I am based in the Outpatient area to help patients and staff alike. This might involve supporting a patient in finding the right room for COVID-19 testing, chatting to those who are waiting for an appointment, checking where they are in the queue or making a hot drink for patients waiting for transport home. It sounds very little but I have had some interesting conversations with patients whilst they wait.

"I recently had a long conversation with a lady who had not spoken to someone outside of her family for two years. We touched on her diagnosis and treatment but the majority of our chat was about walks by the coast, grandchildren and gardening. The hardest thing I find is that mask wearing means that we miss facial expressions - I hope I convey that I am smiling through my eyes! 

"Staff can call on me to escort a patient to have a blood test or COVID-19 lateral flow test, or guide someone who may be in the wrong place. Hospitals are big and confusing places for patients and more often now we have people attending out of their area. The drive to the hospital and parking can cause stress for some patients as they are anxious about missing an appointment. This can come out in frustration at times and so I try to defuse any tension by offering to help. No-one wants to be in hospital but we can try and make it as easy and stress free as possible."

Read more from Angela here