27 Jul 2022 Personal Stories

Celebrating 35 years of George Chambers

George Chambers, our longest standing gardening volunteer, has devoted the last three and half decades to our movement. We recently caught up with George, now 89, to ask him all about his dedicated service and how things have changed since he put on his first pair of volunteer gardening gloves back in 1987. 

Long serving volunteer, George Chambers, has been putting his green fingers to good use for The Kirkwood for over three decades. After freely giving his time to make our gardens at the heart of our hospice site in Dalton for so many years, George continues to fulfil his volunteer gardening duties at the tender age of 89, helping our gardening team to maintain and develop the beautiful environment for our In-Patients and families to enjoy. 

During his many years as a volunteer, George has attended many events in The Kirkwood Gardens. Most recently, he popped into our Vintage Tea Party during Volunteers’ Week last June, where we had the pleasure of sitting down with him for a chat.  

A big part of The Kirkwood’s history. George was born in 1933 and lived in a close-knit community who looked after each other. During his childhood he witnessed first-hand the kindness of community spirit. If a neighbour was to unfortunately fall ill, they were looked after by members of their family, friends, and community.  

George explains: “I was brought up in a mining village, if someone was ill, their relatives or friends would sit up all night with them. If they were weak, people would make them a beef tea to keep their strength up, and when someone died all the neighbours would keep their front window curtains drawn until after the funeral as a mark of respect.”  

George moved to Honley in 1968, and it was whilst living there that he spotted David Stocks’ letter in the Huddersfield Examiner in 1981. George thought the idea of creating a hospice for our local area was a fantastic idea. Stemming from his childhood memories of the caring way people in his local mining village looked out for each, the idea of The Kirkwood, with this same community sentiment but brought into the modern-day care system, was an exciting concept. 

Having closely followed developments about The Kirkwood in the local paper, George spotted another article, this time asking for volunteers to help in the gardens. Immediately interested, George applied for the position.   

George explains: “When the hospice was being built, I was part of the Probus committee in Honley. I read in the Huddersfield Examiner that volunteers were needed to take care of a flowerbed. I was asked to find out what was involved, attending an induction evening along with George Hirst, Dennis Brook, Bill Dearlney, Alf Burnhouse and Bill Gambell. Our Honley team was going over weekly to the hospice to help. It was the article in the Examiner that got me involved.” 
 
Pleased to see the garden thriving with life and beauty whilst retaining its tranquil atmosphere. George is determined to continue volunteering for The Kirkwood for as long as he can and hopes to reach 40 years as a volunteer.  

He adds: “I am 90 next January and I have no intention of retiring as a volunteer, I don’t think The Kirkwood gives a badge for 35 years, so I am aiming for 40 year one! 

“I am pleased to see the way the garden has developed over the years. It is much smaller now because of the extensions to the building, but it is still an area of calm, it is good to be a member of a happy and well organised gardening team. The gardening volunteers put hundreds of hours a year into the garden, and it shows.  

“I would encourage everyone who works at or visits The Kirkwood to visit the garden. It offers an area of peace and beauty which can help to relieve stress. I will always encourage patients and visitors to enjoy its tranquillity.  

“I think that in our modern society, which has changed vastly from the one in which I grew up during the 1940s, The Kirkwood offers people vital support at times of need. It would be nice to think that my efforts and those of all the other volunteers help to relieve that stress and worry on people’s lives. We put in lots of hard work every year to make it a wonderful place.” 
 
We are truly humbled and inspired by George’s story of voluntary service and dedication. From everyone connected with The Kirkwood, past and present, we’d like to thank George for his devotion to The Kirkwood. From day one he has played a vital part in our movement, helping to make sure that compassion and care remain at the heart of everything we do. 
 
If you would like to join George and the volunteering community to support life in Kirklees, please email: volunteer@thekirkwood.org.uk or call us on: 01484 557 900 

Visit our gardens on Saturday 30th July 

We are opening The Kirkwood Gardens to the public for a very special event in association with the National Garden Scheme this Saturday!
Our gardens will be open to view from 10am until 3pm, with refreshments available on the day along with a variety of plants for sale. You can get tickets online at: https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/42125 or just turn up on the day.