Hospitals trust has a festive thank you for dedicated volunteers

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) recently held a pair of festive brunches in order to say thank you to its selfless volunteer colleagues.
Trust members from Bassetlaw Hospital at their festive brunch.Trust members from Bassetlaw Hospital at their festive brunch.
Trust members from Bassetlaw Hospital at their festive brunch.

These dedicated helpers give up their spare time so that they can support thousands of patients and relatives at the trust’s Doncaster, Mexborough and Worksop sites.

They contribute a staggering 38,000 hours to the trust each year, helping out on wards, clinics and libraries and often being the first point of contact visitors have when they pass through the hospital doors.

To show appreciation for this incredible commitment, the trust hosts annual get-togethers around Christmas at both Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Bassetlaw Hospital, during which the helpers are given coffees, cakes and sandwiches, as well as well-earned recognition for all their hard work.

This year also saw the introduction of long-service awards, with certificates being handed out to those who have been volunteering for the healthcare provider for upwards of five, ten, or 15 years.

And some volunteers have been part of the trust for much longer than that.

The brunches were attended by Neil Rhodes, non-executive director and deputy chairman at DBTH, who stopped by to personally thank these unsung heroes.

He said: “We rely so much on our wonderful volunteers, especially around this time of year when everyone is eager to see their loved ones.

“It’s therefore incredibly important that we take this opportunity to express our gratitude and reflect on how much they give for the sake of our patients.

“Presenting the long-service awards was an especially humbling experience, highlighting just how dedicated some of these amazing individuals are.’’

Mary Stockton, who has been supporting the main reception at Doncaster for more than 25 years, said: “I love volunteering here at the trust, because it gives me a lot of personal satisfaction knowing that I am making a real difference to something that is so vital to the local community.

DBTH has more than 200 volunteers across its three sites, call 01302 644403 or go to www.dbth.nhs.uk/join-the-team/volunteering to get involved.