Volunteers inspired by a newspaper article have been thanked by their local NHS trust for their commitment and dedication to helping hospital patients.
In December 2018, the Daily Mail launched a national campaign to encourage readers to pledge their time to volunteer for their local NHS. Over just five days, more than a million hours were pledged from 17,500 volunteers nationwide – including to a Teesside trust.
In 2019, 30 people who stepped up to become volunteers were matched with their local NHS organisation – North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
Five years on, 17 of those are still dedicated volunteers at the trust. They were thanked for their contribution at a recent event which took place at the University Hospital of North Tees. Each received a five-year long-service badge and a certificate.
They each volunteer their time to support the trust’s patients and staff by undertaking various duties. This includes bedside companionship, patient transport services and meeting and greeting patients and visitors upon arrival.
70-year-old Kenny Tucker, from Billingham, is a volunteer driver. A retired offshore worker, he joined North Tees and Hartlepool after seeing the Daily Mail’s campaign.
His role as a driver sees him helping patients get to and from their appointments and delivering medication to their homes.
Kenny said: “I’d volunteered for the Red Cross before but it was relatively new for me to volunteer in a hospital. I’ve stayed for five years because I just love what I’m doing.
“I get great inward pleasure out of it from just helping people. You’re surrounded by wonderful people and I’m still learning new things every day. It’s a great world that volunteering brings.”
An enormous support
The Daily Mail’s volunteer drive was launched on 1 December 2018 in partnership with Helpforce, a charity which supports volunteering across the health and care sector.
Following the campaign, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust was one of the first in the country to hold bespoke sessions for matched volunteers. Here they discussed possible roles, met with current volunteers and started their application process.
Paul Wharton, head of volunteering at the trust, said: “All of those who joined us at that time have been an enormous support to the patients, staff and wider trust. Their commitment is to be applauded.
“The 17 volunteers who are still with us have enabled our service to grow, allowing new volunteers to be inducted as quickly and seamlessly as possible, growing our service and developing the support we offer our patients.
“My personal thanks go to each and every one of them, as well as to every one of our volunteers across the trust who support all our patients and staff.”
