Give back to your local community
We are urgently seeking new volunteers for our Compassionate Neighbours and Supporting Hands services.
Supporting Hands volunteers offer companionship and practical support to our patients living with a progressive life-limiting illness and those who care for them, in their own home.
Compassionate Neighbours volunteers provide social and emotional support to people who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation as a result of living with a life-limiting illness or bereavement – whether or not they are being cared for by us.
Which role might suit you best?
See how our Supporting Hands and Compassionate Neighbour roles compare. You don’t have to choose right away, you can get in touch with our volunteering team who can help you decide the best fit.
| Supporting Hands | Compassionate Neighbours | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the role | Freeing up nursing time and reducing social isolation by providing companionship and practical support to patients and carers. This may include providing respite to a carer. | Companionship to reduce social isolation and offer emotional support. |
| Matched with | People living with a progressive life-limiting illness and those who care for them | People who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation as a result of living with a life-limiting illness or bereavement. They may not be a patient of ours. |
| Location | Patients within Herts and Bucks access this service. Travel time is kept to a minimum but some flexibility is required in order to meet the demands of the service. | For people in the Herts area. Our team works to match volunteers with people who live locally. |
| Home or community | Working with people in their own home or supporting them to get out and about locally. | Working with people in their own home or supporting them to get out and about locally. |
| Time of day | Volunteer visits take place during the working day, when volunteers have the support of the nursing and coordination teams in the office. | Visits are totally flexible and can be made in the evenings or at weekends, by agreement between the volunteer and the person they are matched with. |
| Time commitment | 1-2 hours per week. | 1-2 hours per week. |
| Length of each match | Each person you’re matched with is likely to need short-medium term support. | Matches can be longer term. |
| Next training date | 9.30am-4.30pm Tuesday 10th February – Rennie House, Tring | 9.30am-4.30pm Friday 13th March - Peace Hospice, Watford |
| 9.30am-4.30pm - Tuesday 28th April – Rennie House, Tring | 9.30am-4.30pm Friday 1st May - Peace Hospice, Watford | |
| Expenses paid | Yes | Yes |
Meet Fiona, Compassionate Communities Co-ordinator, talking about Compassionate Neighbours
“Volunteers in these roles make a huge difference to local people. Whether it’s supporting somebody during their illness and freeing up a family carer for desperately needed respite time, or combatting isolation in your community, every hour volunteered makes a huge difference.
No previous experience is needed for either role. If you can spare a couple of hours per week and enjoy meeting new people, you would be great for either role. If you have any questions about which role would suit you best or how volunteering might fit into your busy schedule, please get in touch and we’d be delighted to talk you through everything.”
Meet Alison, Supporting Hands Lead, talking about Supporting Hands
“I support Stephen in a variety of different ways, but trying to get him out and about is key. We go shopping, out for walks and sometimes even go to the pub. The volunteer visits have given me purpose as well. It keeps me busy and has been beneficial for my mental health."
Volunteer Vicki, supports Pat as a Compassionate Neighbour. They share their experiences:
Raj has been a Compassionate Neighbour volunteer since 2022
“We tend to mix up home visits, where we chat over a cup of tea and snacks, with walks out in the local park – when the weather permits! Gizella has met both of my kids and loves when they occasionally visit her with me. This broader sense of family and company of young children gives a sense of support and purpose, particularly as her grandchildren live abroad."
Read Raj's full story
Barbara has been volunteering with Supporting Hands since the service was established in 2017
“When patients are referred to the service they can request different types of support. It might be a companionship visit – either for somebody who lives alone, or to offer a carer some respite time – or it could be some practical help they need. I was once supporting a lady whose eyesight was failing. Through our chats I found out that she used to love reading. So I offered to read to her and she was delighted. She had so many books! I would sit and read to her while her husband had a chance to go out and do something for himself.”
Read Barbara's full story
Jenny, our Hospice at Home nurse, explains how our volunteers makes such a huge difference to her life as a nurse.
“If we spot that a patient is isolated, we can refer them to Supporting Hands and know that they will receive dedicated companionship support. This means we can spend more time seeing other patients who have new or complex medical needs, as we know that our isolated patients’ emotional needs are being supported by volunteers."
Read Jenny's story
Meet Gill, a Supporting Hands and Compassionate Neighbour volunteer
Could volunteering in the local community be the right match for you?
Make connections Helping people who are going through a difficult time gives enormous personal satisfaction, and there is great value in meeting people and making a connection at this time of life.
Have an impact Making a difference to people's lives, and helping those around then, when they need it the most.
Give back to the community Helping families in the local community who need specialist hospice care means your time and energy is harnessed for a good cause.
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Current opportunities
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