Debbie's Volunteering Story

Volunteering can reach you in the most random of places – for Debbie, one of our Inpatient Unit volunteers, it was in a hot tub in Ingleby Barwick!

Here, Debbie explains how a chance encounter many years ago set her on a path to volunteering, and the happiness and gratitude she’s felt since then:

"I was in a hot tub at Bannatyne's in Ingleby Barwick one morning many years ago, when I got chatting to a lady I didn't know. She was telling me that she was a volunteer at Teesside Hospice. As the conversation carried on, a few days later (again in the hot tub!) I realised how interested I was and she was able to give me a contact name to start the ball rolling.

Well, I started on the Inpatient Unit as a mealtime volunteer within a short time. This involves taking their food orders and serving their food and generally chatting to our inpatients/guests and their visitors.

A few months after starting, alongside my role supporting on the Inpatient Unit, I also spent some time volunteering on reception regularly and going out in the ambulance now and again to help to bring patients and guests into the hospice for the day. 

Last year Teesside Hospice's Volunteer Operations Manager Colin asked me to help out at a student day at Prior Pursglove College, where we chatted to students about the benefits of volunteering, the opportunities available and tried to encourage students to consider taking part. I throughly enjoyed this and I will be doing this again shortly.

I really enjoy my roles and feel that I do some good by volunteering. I have met so many lovely people, whether they be inpatients, guests and visitors, or staff and other volunteers. 

All these years on and I am still here, which shows how much I love it!"

We’re so glad you found volunteering, Debbie! If you’d like to find out more about our volunteering opportunities, visit our volunteering page.