Our Stories

You’d think they’d been friends their whole lives but Maureen and Rita didn’t actually meet until they both started volunteering for St Cuthbert’s Hospice 15 years ago!

“A year after Carmel’s passing, I decided that I wanted to give something back to the Hospice as a way of saying thank you for all they had done for us. I’d been lucky enough to retire from work and had a little spare time each week so I applied for a volunteer driver role. I’ve now been part of the team since 2018 and I enjoy every minute of it! I’d recommend it to anyone. If you’re at a loose end and have the time to spare, why not give your time to a worthy cause?”

Adam has been volunteering with us in our Hospice Gardens since February 2019. Here, he shares his experience, hoping to encourage more young people to volunteer.

When someone is diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, or someone close to you dies, it’s normal to feel a huge range of emotions. Some of which you may never have experienced before. Each person’s experience will be different, and perhaps because there’s no right or wrong way to grieve this can often mean we struggle to navigate these feelings.

"I’d almost given up until I came here. My breathing was bad and I couldn’t eat anything when I arrived. I couldn’t believe how much they boosted me up and they got me eating meals again. It was so relaxing and homely, I sat reading books and sewing. I loved it and told them I didn’t want to leave!"

We sat down with Anna recently to chat about her role as Volunteer Retail Assistant at our Houghton-le-Spring shop. It was lovely to hear why she chose to volunteer and what it means to her.