Trust volunteers support mental health awareness week

Volunteers from North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust are highlighting the benefits of volunteering to support mental health and wellbeing, as part of an important awareness week.

Mental Health Awareness week takes place from the 12 to 18 May, and the theme this year is ‘community’.

The campaign is about celebrating the power and importance of community and the trust’s volunteers were keen to showcase the benefits of being part of a volunteer community and how having connections with others has impacted their mental health:

Bernie’s thoughts

Bernie Glanville is a volunteer driver and has been a part of the volunteer team for six months. She shared how volunteering has contributed to her wellbeing:

Why did you decide to volunteer?

Bernie said: “Prior to the passing of my husband, we often spoke about me making the steps towards volunteering. However, it was not something I could fully consider and commit to at the time. My husband wanted to make sure I was going to be occupied and I had something to keep me busy and we agreed that volunteering would be a good solution for this.

“Making the initial call to the volunteer team put me at ease and gave me the confidence to push forward with my application. It also gave me something to focus on. During a time when I could have quite easily shut myself away, starting the application process opened me up to experiences I would have never considered.”

Has volunteering benefitted your wellbeing?

Bernie added: “Volunteering has encouraged me to be more open with people. It has given me the confidence to sit next to a total stranger in the car and have a deep and meaningful conversation. We can have a chat about the weather, or sit in silence – all of which has never felt awkward. I have only gratitude to be able to help people in our community who are in need and going through a difficult time.

“I took part in the volunteer carol singing at Christmas and visited the wards with other volunteers to spread some festive cheer. I enjoyed this experience and it spurred me on to join a local rock choir – something I never thought I would see myself taking part in.

“I see volunteering as giving something back to the NHS for the treatment and care my husband received, but I also see it as paying something forward, for the support I may need in the future.”

Elaine’s thoughts

Elaine Ashwell has been volunteering for six years. During this time, she has brought her teaching skills and enthusiasm for therapeutic support to our patients through crafting and other activities. Elaine shared why she loves being a part of the volunteer community and why it feels like a privilege and is rewarding to work with the elderly patients on ward 40 and 42:

What is your volunteer role on the ward?

Elaine said: “My work on the wards is largely craft based, especially at special occasionas such as Christmas and Easter. At the moment, we are working on peg dolls for the Stockton and Darlington Railway 200th year anniversary, which will be displayed in Preston Park Museum in the summer.

“The patients are dressing a doll to describe a journey in their lives and some of their stories have been utterly amazing. They have quality time to chat and share their very interesting experiences and we can laugh and chat together for as long as they like. This helps in making them feel as though they belong in the community, despite being on a hospital ward.”

How do the patients benefit from volunteer support?

Elaine continued: “We’ve had a few emotional moments (mostly from me rather than the patients) but also some good laughs as well.  The patients are complimentary and say they have enjoyed the session and I thank them for joining in, even when sometimes they are quite poorly. My motto is ‘just one smile makes it all worthwhile’ but more often than not we have several smiling patients and one very happy volunteer!”

What do our clinical staff think?

Jennifer Relf, older persons physiotherapist from ward 42, explained: “We know that patients decondition both physically and cognitively during their hospital stays. Providing activities and group or social opportunities like this supports recovery, assists in maintaining function and independence and also promotes improved long term outcomes on discharge.

“It also bring a lot of joy to the ward staff – seeing patients stimulated and participating really boosts our morale as well. It’s been wonderful to see the patients chatting in a group, talking about their lives and reminiscing.”