Voluntary Services

Our Butterfly Volunteers offer gentle companionship and emotional support to patients on their journey towards the end of life. In addition to supporting patients, volunteers are also available to help family members and visitors, providing a much-needed listening ear and signposting them to available bereavement support services, including: 

• An understanding of what matters most to the patient and providing support aligned with their values and needs
• Quiet companionship, especially for patients who would otherwise be alone
• Reading or playing calming music for patients
• A reassuring presence, such as simply sitting with or holding the patient’s hand
• Guidance and emotional support for family members and visitors.

Please note: Volunteers are not clinical staff and will not assist with personal care or manual handling.

Hospital Radio volunteers provide a professional radio service to patients.

Duties include visiting wards for requests, and assisting programme presenters.

The national charity, Pets as Therapy, strives to ensure that everyone, no matter their circumstances, has access to the companionship of an animal.

Brighter Futures is the Trust's charity, which you can support us at events held throughout the year.

We welcome applications from local college and school students, and offer an opportunity that paves the way to allow young people to volunteer within their local hospital, and provide a platform for up and coming medical students and others interested in a career in the NHS, exposure into the life of a hospital, and the vast range of jobs available in the NHS. 

Whilst we are one of very few hospitals who accept volunteers from the age of 16, we also have a more standardised approach for students who cannot get work experience, for which volunteering is a great avenue, especially when applying to UCAS.

We ask for a six-month commitment but we also have ad-hoc initiatives, such as audits or small projects that may suit some schools and colleges.

We are very keen to work with not only health and social care students, but a range of students on varying courses that will benefit our patients, such as business or administration and creative art students.