Volunteers make a huge contribution to the health and wellbeing of the nation, giving their time, skills and expertise freely each year to support the NHS. They are crucial to the NHS’s vision for the future of health and social care.
The Great Western Hospital currently has 341 volunteers. 67% of the volunteers are female, with the majority aged between 61 and 80. There are 424 volunteer placements across 79 placement areas within the Trust. The longest serving volunteer has been with us 34 years. Our oldest volunteer is 90 years old with the youngest being 16. Collectively our volunteers have amassed an incredible 1,212 years’ worth of service. On average Trust volunteers give 2,330 hours per month of their time free of charge, with a minimum of 3 hours a week and a commitment to serve for a minimum of 6 months.
Over the COVID-19 response, 117 volunteers gave a total of 4,742 hours of work (March – July 2020). 34 new volunteers were recruited as well as 43 Wingman volunteers from the airline industry representing British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, United, Easy Jet and Jet2 who organised a first class wellbeing lounge in our café. And we have continued to be supported by 30 existing volunteers who have helped us push trolleys around the hospital handing out sandwiches, ready meals and snack bags, supported patients with way finding, accompanied our most vulnerable patients when their relatives were not allowed to enter the hospital, looked after staff on wards in a new role as Staff Welfare volunteers and have handed out thousands of facemasks at entrances as mask monitors. With 10 homeworking volunteers undertaking vital administration activities from home, such as the making up of maternity packs and sending out bereavement letters.
To support our volunteers
We would like to say a big thank you to all our amazing volunteers and are raising funds to support them with health and wellbeing projects, thank you events and free teas and coffees to enjoy during their shifts.
Would you like to volunteer at the hospital? Click here to find out how.
