Hospices North East and North Cumbria celebrate volunteers for Hospice Care Week

From Monday 9^th October to Sunday 15^th October, Hospice’s across the country are raising awareness for Hospice UK’s annual Hospice Care Week campaign.

Hospices across the North East and North Cumbria are working together as ‘Hospices North East and North Cumbria (HNENC). HNENC is a collaboration of 12 Hospices that have come together with the purpose of achieving sustainable excellence in palliative and end of life care across the North East and North Cumbria.

The 12 hospices in the collaboration include: Alice House, Butterwick, Eden Valley Hospice & Jigsaw Children’s Hospice, Hospice at Home West Cumbria, HospiceCare North Northumberland, Hospice at Home Carlisle & North Lakeland, St Cuthbert’s Hospice, St Oswald’s Hospice, St Teresa’s Hospice, Teesside Hospice, Tynedale Hospice at Home and Willow Burn Hospice.

Hospice Care Week 2023 is focused on workforce, under the theme: ‘We are hospice care’.   It’s all about celebrating the incredible work that is being done by hospices across the UK, including those in the HNENC collaboration, to make sure everyone can benefit from the very best palliative and end of life care.

Hospices support more than 300,000 people every year. But the need for hospice care is growing.

Over 2,250 volunteers donate their time to the 12 independent hospices across the North East and North Cumbria who all rely on this volunteer support.

Paul Marriott, Chair of Hospices North East and North Cumbria said:

“With Hospice Care Week focusing on ‘We are hospice care’, HNENC want to say thank you and highlight the importance of our volunteers who are a fundamental cornerstone to the services we provide.”

Paul continued:

“We would be lost without our dedicated volunteers who donate their time, skills and expertise to help across all areas of our services – from volunteer retail staff, to fundraisers, gardeners, receptionists, ward helpers, chefs, drivers and more.”

HNENC report that despite this large number of volunteers, as a collaborative, these 12 independent hospices across the North East and North Cumbria need to recruit around 600 new volunteers over the next year to meet service needs. That’s why they’re reaching out this Hospice Care Week to ask anyone who can, to lend a hand and volunteer with their local hospice.

There are many examples from across the HNENC collaboration of how volunteering has helped people to develop key skills. Volunteering is a great way to expand your network which could benefit your career. It’s something positive and worthwhile to put on your CV when applying for education or jobs. Some people come in to volunteering as a way of making new friends or report how it has boosted their wellbeing. But most of all, by volunteering – you can really make a difference.

Paul explained:

“Every hospice is firmly rooted in its local community. The sheer number of volunteers who get involved with their local community is proof of this. Volunteers can see the difference their gift of time makes to the experience of hospice care where they live. We need to celebrate this as well as encourage even more people to join the volunteer team in their local hospice”.

Paul added:

“If anyone would like to start their volunteering journey with their local hospice, please get in touch.  Your support means our collaboration of hospices can continue to offer specialist care to thousands of local people and families when they need it most.”

Contact your local hospice today and start making a difference.

St Oswald’s Hospice

Teeside Hospice │Alice House Hospice │Tynedale Hospice  │ Willowburn Hospice │ Eden Valley Hospice │ St Cuthbert’s Hospice │ Darlington Hospice │

Butterwick Hospice │ Hospice at Home West Cumbria │ Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland  │ North Northumberland Hospice Care