From setting up displays in the charity shops to supper duty and fundraising, Les Bourgs Hospice relies on volunteers to keep providing its invaluable services.
Volunteers support all areas at Les Bourgs, and it currently has about 130 volunteers on its books.
‘We really couldn’t do it without them,’ said volunteers coordinator Lara Higgins.
‘When I started in January 2020 it was not long before we went into lockdown. Then we had no volunteers and that was really hard.’
There are a range of volunteering opportunities with Les Bourgs, from being on reception, supper duty for in-patients, in its charity shops and more.
‘Supper duty is a really important one as if we didn’t have a volunteer to do it, the nurses would have to and they are already extremely busy,’ said Mrs Higgins.
‘There is always a job to do at the charity shops, they are so, so busy, and our new Bridge shop has been a huge success too.’
The volunteers’ work is vital, and they also save the hospice about £300,000 a year.
‘The costs would be phenomenal, we’d have to spend that if we didn’t have the volunteers,’ said Mrs Higgins.
‘They are invaluable to us.’
‘I love meeting people’ – the benefits of volunteering
The benefits that volunteering can have for a charity are clear, but it is also beneficial for those who volunteer.
Brenda Terry got involved with the hospice after she retired 12 years ago.
‘I needed something to do,’ she said.
‘I went in and asked if they needed volunteers, and they always need volunteers. I started in the children’s shop on the Bridge and also did supper duty at the hospice before I moved up to the St Martin’s shop.’
Brenda said she enjoyed meeting people who come into the shop.
‘I love meeting people – I am a real people person,’ she said.
‘There is such a wide variety of people who come in and we have some amazing volunteers – that’s what has kept me here.
‘I love that people like coming here, we get some great donations and credit to the girls who do the displays, the shop always looks fabulous, which makes such a difference.’
Fundraiser delivers on promise to himself to give back to hospice
Seeing the impact of the work that Les Bourgs Hospice does first-hand has encouraged Ashley Dye to take on a series of challenges.
Ashley has completed a range of fundraising challenges for Les Bourgs which he was inspired to do after his father – who was at the hospice for respite care – died from cancer.
‘I did not know much about the hospice before then,’ he said.
‘Then I pretty much lived there at the time and to spend so much time seeing the round-the-clock care they deliver struck a chord with me. They were really reassuring and dealt with everything with professionalism, respect and dignity, so I wanted to do something to give back.’
Seeing the work of the hospice inspired Ashley to sign up to one of Les Bourgs’ annual challenges, 30 Bays in 30 Days, but with a twist. Ashley and a group of friends decided to take on the challenge of completing the 30 bays, but in just one day, and cycling between them.
Last year Ashley, who works as a financial intermediary in the local industry, had another reminder on the vital work the hospice does as his stepfather had end-of- life care there.
‘I had two experiences and was reminded what they do and what they need to continue, and I made myself a promise to keep giving back to them,’ he said.
‘I try to do something significant. I ran the London Marathon for them last year, I got a place through work and it was a no-brainer to run for Les Bourgs. When I started training I could barely run to the end of the road and started with Couch to 5k and now I do enjoy running, but it was a challenge and the experience was phenomenal.’
Each fundraising event Ashley has done has raised about £8,000 for the charity, which is what it takes to run the hospice for one day.
This year he organised a charity golf tournament.
‘I’m involved with L’Ancresse Golf Club and have been a member for many years, and other charities have done golf days in the past because it’s good way of raising awareness and funds while having fun,’ he said.
He added that he would like to continue with the golf fundraiser as well as continuing to come up with new ideas to raise more funds for Les Bourgs.
Hospice has ‘evolved and grown in 30 years’
More than 30 years on from when she first started volunteering at Les Bourgs Hospice, Maria Gillman has said that it has grown into something so beautiful for islanders.
Maria started volunteering on reception when she had two small children who had both started school.
‘It was a lot different back then,’ she said.
‘It was a lot smaller, really it was just like a house, and I was on reception making teas and coffees. It’s evolved and got so much bigger.
‘It’s a charity that is really close to my heart, it is one of the first ones that I knew.’
Over time, it is not just the hospice that has changed, but so has Maria’s role.
‘I did Mondays on reception and if I could I would assist with suppers,’ she said.
‘I now do the Wellbeing Service, which is just fabulous. It gives people a safe haven where they can come and relax and get spoilt.’
The Wellbeing Service is a free 12-week programme held each Thursday from 9.30am until 3pm. During the sessions guests are assessed by one of Les Bourgs’ specialist nurses, have lunch and get involved in other activities.
‘They get treatments and we have people who come in to do their nails, and they have a one-on-one with the specialists for advice as well as talks,’ said Maria.
‘It’s great as they can meet new friends as well. You notice such a difference from when they arrive to when they leave, and to see them flourish is really heart-warming.’
Maria said that is what has kept her volunteering for so long.
‘It’s such a worthy cause and it has been invaluable to spend time with the guests and their families and be a part of their journey,’ she said. ‘The courage and strength you get from them is unbelievable.’
You need to be logged in to comment.