Make a difference helping local families from diagnosis through treatment
Our incredible team of volunteers help us make a real difference in patient-facing roles, directly impacting the lives of local families facing life-limiting illness. There are many ways you could help our patients, from diagnosis through treatment. We'll provide you with any necessary training, offering emotional and practical support, to deliver our Compassionate Neighbours and Supporting Hands roles, as they support our popular Supportive Care and Community Hospice at Home services.
Volunteer today!
Whether you have specific experience you’d like to put to good use, or fancy learning some new skills, we’d love to hear from you.
Below are some examples of the kind of roles our volunteers do across the hospice, please scroll down for our current list of opportunities.
Living Well volunteer Living Well volunteers support our clinicians in keyworker roles, helping patients and those around them to cope with a life-changing diagnosis. In this important role, you’ll help ensure patients get the maximum benefit from their time at Grove House, in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
Compassionate Neighbours Compassionate Neighbours provide social and emotional support and companionship to people who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation as a result of living with a life-limiting illness or bereavement. After training, you'll be matched with people based on location, interests and character, with the aim of creating genuine, mutually-beneficial friendships.
Supporting Hands volunteers Supporting Hands volunteers provide support, companionship and respite care to hospice patients and their families. Your role may include accompanying a patient to an appointment or on a walk, collecting prescriptions, helping with some light housework or gardening, or simply sharing an activity together.
Complementary therapists Can you use your complementary therapy skillset to help support our work in the community? Our patients benefit from massage, aromatherapy, reiki, reflexology, and other complementary therapies – delivered by our team of fully qualified volunteer therapists. Find out more about our complementary therapy.
Counsellors and trainee counsellors Our counsellors support individuals with their diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and end-of-life preparation. You'll also assist family members and caregivers pre and post bereavement. As a trainee counsellor, we provide support and supervision for the best placement experience. Counsellors interested in palliative care can volunteer a few hours a week and continue their CPD in a well-supported environment.
Inpatient Unit (IPU) Assistants Volunteers in this role provide invaluable support to staff, patients and their families and carers in our 12-bed unit in Peace Hospice in Watford. They provide much needed assistance to the smooth running of the unit, providing practical support at patient mealtimes, collecting menu choices and delivering meals and welcoming visitors to the unit.
Why our volunteers love working with patients and those around them
As well as helping to make a huge difference to the running of our patient services,our incredible volunteers say they find working at Rennie Grove Peace both rewarding and sociable. Here are just some of the other benefits they listed:
Making 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.
Having a real impact Making a difference to our patients’ lives, and helping those around then, when they need it the most.
Working for the community Helping families in the local community who need specialist hospice care means your time and energy is harnessed for a good cause.
“It’s a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere at Grove House and the staff really support you as a volunteer. I feel very valued in my role and look forward to continuing it.”
Hear from our volunteers
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Raj and Gizella’s Story
Raj has been a Compassionate Neighbour volunteer in Watford for Rennie Grove Peace since 2022, supporting Gizella.
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Sara’s story
Sara has been a longstanding volunteer with Rennie Grove Peace, joining as part of our Compassionate Neigbours scheme and more recently, volunteering with our Supporting Hands service...
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Maureen’s story
Maureen has been volunteering with patients and families in their own homes for a number of years. She currently volunteers with Supporting Hands...
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