6 Feb 2023 Volunteer News

Volunteer with The Kirkwood - Tina and Helen’s story

Volunteering has been a part of the fabric of The Kirkwood since the idea of a 'Hospice for Kirklees' was first conceived, and over the years, our volunteering team have contributed to many areas of our movement, from retail, fundraising, events and more.

A few weeks ago, we caught up with In-Patient Unit volunteers Tina and Helen to discuss their thoughts on volunteering, why it is so important to them and why others should consider signing up too.

Tina has been part of our movement as a volunteer for five years, working the lunch shift, delivering meals to our patients and their families. Tina helps the clinical team by recording the amount of food consumed, remaining vigilant to the ever-changing symptoms of our patients who may have become nil by mouth.

Originally from Essex, Tina volunteered at her local fire service, helping with victim support, continuing her volunteering role, and eventually moving into working within the community until she and her family relocated to West Yorkshire.

“I've been used to volunteering and wanted to continue my volunteering work after I had relocated up north, so when I moved up here, I popped into The Kirkwood shop, local to me, and requested a volunteering form. When I read through the information, I realised there were a variety of volunteering roles available at The Kirkwood, such as the In-Patient Unit, which I thought would suit me more in comparison to the volunteer retail roles.

“Volunteering is important to me. When I see someone sitting on their own visiting a loved one, who might be a little lonely and stressed, it’s nice to think I can help in some way, even if it is just with a simple chat that makes a difference to their day. It's a difficult time for the families of our patients. I’ve lost parents and relatives, and when you are sat there on your own when a loved one is really sick, it’s sometimes nice to have a fresh face to talk to.

“It can help our patients sometimes to talk to someone from outside that environment about something else instead of focussing on what is happening to them.

“Working on the In-Patient Unit isn’t always for everybody, and it can depend on how well you cope working with people who are very ill, but if you can, it can be a rewarding experience”.



Helen is new to her volunteering role following her retirement from nursing in May 2022. Still wanting to contribute towards the care industry, Helen began her volunteering journey with The Kirkwood.

“As a nurse previously myself, I felt that volunteering on the In-Patient Unit whilst still contributing to the health care sector would be a rewarding role for me. Knowing first-hand how busy nurses can be, the role of an In-Patient volunteer is a great idea and can help to remove some of the pressures from the clinical teams, which can only be a good thing.

“It can be quite busy on the In-Patient Unit. I volunteer during the evening shift, from 6pm until 7.30pm, giving out fresh water, teas and coffees. It’s nice to have the time to converse with the patients and their families, getting to know them from a non-clinical perspective, while still making a difference”.

Volunteering at your local hospice can be a heart-warming and illuminating experience. Our volunteers are a vital part of the team, helping to deliver the services that are so important to the patients and families cared for by The Kirkwood.

When you sign up to volunteer with The Kirkwood, you instantly become part of the team, a movement of people working together to ensure those living with life-limiting illnesses receive the best quality of care across the whole of Kirklees.

Learn more about volunteering with The Kirkwood and view our current list of volunteer roles available by clicking here.