Volunteers help to make a difference #volunteersweek

Every day members of the local community help to make a huge difference to the care provided at a local hospice by volunteering their time, skills and experiences in a variety of different ways.

 

During National Volunteers Week, Sunday 1 June to Saturday 8 June, Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice are celebrating the wonderful passion, enthusiasm and dedication of their volunteers. From maintaining the Hospice grounds to supporting the nurses and patients in Day Hospice, every volunteer helps to make a difference.

 

Eden Valley Hospice gardening volunteer Nigel, from Culgaith near Penrith, explains “I help out with all sorts of gardening work around the Hospice. This will be very varied depending on the time of year. It could involve mowing the lawns, planting, weeding, digging over beds, tending to the vegetable patch or cleaning leaves in the autumn. You name it and we’ll do it! I work with the other gardening volunteers and Rob the maintenance manager at the Hospice overseas our work.

 

“I enjoy working as a team member or doing something which hopefully can bring joy to those in need. If those staying at the Hospice or attending Day Hospice can enjoy the environment of the place then that makes me happy. That also goes for visitors and staff. This might sound like a cliché, but when I retired I wanted to give a little back and help others less fortunate than myself.”

 

Throughout National Volunteers Week, Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw are encouraging the local community to find out how they could volunteer and help to make a difference at Hospice. Whether people would like to assist the nurses on the Adult Unit or use their skills to help the Hospice there is a role for everybody.

 

Many local businesses also donate their time and skills to the Hospice in a variety of different ways. From assisting the current volunteers in one of the Eden Valley Hospice shops to brining their family and friends along and helping to maintain the beautiful grounds, everybody can help to make a difference.

 

Nigel continued “I used to come to the Hospice once a year when I was still working for the County Council. We came as a ‘day out’ from the office to help a very worthwhile organisation. Working in a team of ‘many’ ensured that this resulted in a lot of work and tasks being achieved which was very satisfying. I found the staff to be very friendly so when I retired 3 years ago I wanted to continue to help as a regular volunteer.

 

“I would say that if you have the time then doing something that helps others less fortunate can give you a positive feeling about things and therefore help you to feel that you are doing something worthwhile. Also if retired I think people need to have positive things to do and also challenges to show we can use skills we have developed over the years and still contribute to the wider society.”

 

If you, your place of work or community group would like to donate their time, skills and experiences to help make Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, the beautiful place it is today please contact Steve Golding, Voluntary Services Manager, on 01228 817658 or visit www.evhospcie.org.uk/volunteering

Local hospice search for green fingered volunteers

A local hospice is encouraging keen gardeners to donate their horticultural skills, expertise and time to the new Garden of Memories.

 

Later this year Eden Valley Hospice will begin work on the peaceful, relaxing and colourful gardens in Bitts Park, Carlisle, and they are now encouraging people to donate their time to make the special garden beautiful.

 

From planting flowers to maintaining the flower beds the Hospice’s current team of volunteers require the help and support of the local community. From business to community groups and schools, everybody has the potential to do a little bit to help maintain the colourful gardens.

 

Katrina Sander, Community and Events Fundraising Manager, said “The Garden of Memories will provide the local community with a place to reflect, remember and celebrate the life of a loved one. But we will require the help and support of an army of green fingered volunteers who would be able to donate a little piece of their time to help keep the gardens blooming.”

 

Eden Valley Hospice’s Garden of Memories will provide the local community with a peaceful place to remember a loved one. For every donation which the Hospice receives they will plant a special flower in the memory of a loved one and also send people a seed heart containing ‘Forget-me-not’ flowers for the community to plant in their gardens or window box.

 

All of the money raised for every loving donation towards the Garden of Memories will allow Eden Valley Hospice’s specialist team of nurses and doctors to provide the highest standards of care and support to local adults and children with life limiting illnesses.

 

If you, your place of work, community group or school would like to help maintain Eden Valley Hospice’s beautiful Garden of Memories please contact the Fundraising Team on 01228 817613 or visit www.evhopsice.org.uk/garden

Garden of Memories for local hospice

A local hospice is set to create a peaceful, relaxing and colourful garden in the centre of Carlisle allowing people to remember a loved one close to their heart.

Later this year Eden Valley Hospice, supported by Carlisle City Council, will begin work on the new Garden of Memories in Bitts Park, Carlisle. The colourful gardens will allow the local community to let a loved one’s memory blossom as people remember someone throughout the year.

For every loving donation received by Eden Valley Hospice the Hospice will plant a special flower in their memory for everybody to enjoy in the garden. The Hospice will also send people a seed heart containing ‘Forget-me-not’ flower seeds for people to plant in their own garden, window box or place special to them or their loved ones.

Katrina Sander, Community and Events Fundraising Manager, said “The fantastic Garden of Memories will provide people with a warm and welcoming place for them to remember a loved one right in the middle of Carlisle. The wide range of flowers, plants and shrubs which we hope to plant will ensure that the gardens remain colourful and enjoyable throughout the year.

“We would all like to thank Carlisle City Council for very kindly allowing us to create a garden in Bitts Park. The importance of remembering a loved one can never be underestimated and the garden will provide people with a special place local to them to remember.”

The Garden of Memories will be based in the ‘Herb Garden’ within Bitts Park.

Carlisle City Cllr Elsie Martlew, Portfolio holder for Environment and Transport, said, “We’re delighted to be supporting Eden Valley Hospice. Bitts Park is the ideal location for the Garden of Memories. It will give supporters the opportunity to visit an accessible area dedicated to their loved ones. Work will start soon on the garden, with planting planned in for April and May this year.”

All of the money raised from every loving donation towards the Garden of Memories will allow Eden Valley Hospice’s specialist team of nurses and doctors to provide the highest standards of care and support to local adults and children with life limiting illnesses.

During the coming months and as the Garden of Memories begins to bloom the Hospice hope to host a range of special events in the garden to bring the Hospice community together. A loved one does not have to have been cared or supported by Eden Valley Hospice to be remembered in the garden.

If you would like to let a loved one’s memory blossom in the Eden Valley Hospice Garden of Memories contact the Fundraising Team on 01228 817613 or visit www.evhospice.org.uk/garden

Picture: The launch of the Garden of Memories earlier today