Health and social care is one of the largest volunteering sectors in the UK. This includes organisations like the NHS and charities which improve the wellbeing of people of all ages. So what do helpers actually get involved with? The opportunities are more diverse than we imagined as our bloggers reveal.

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Saturday Apr 02, 2011

Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.

Over the last few months, I have been unable to continue to volunteer at the hospital as much as I would like to due to other commitments. I have recently started studying for a degree with the Open University and have taken on some exciting new roles working as a Musical Director. This has resulted in a lack of time to dedicate to volunteering. However, rather than giving up hospital volunteering (which I really enjoy!), I have been able to use the experience and knowledge I have gained over the past 4 years as a hospital volunteer to assist in the training of new volunteers as they begin to work with patients and staff on the wards. I have also been able to continue to volunteer as and when time allows.

Volunteers' Week 2011 is fast approaching (1^st – 7^th June) and in order to mark the occasion, the staff at our Hospital Volunteer Centre have asked me to co-ordinate a new Volunteer Centre Newsletter which will be circulated to volunteers and staff as well as being distributed to public areas within the hospitals. The first issue will be published to coincide with Volunteers' Week and the plan is to produce a bi-annual publication of the newsletter. I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has any thoughts and opinions on the type of information that you would like to see in a Newsletter. At the moment, the main thoughts are: Volunteer Achievements, Training Updates, General Volunteering News and some Inspirational Quotes and Stories. What do you think?...

~ Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart. ~

=] G

Posted by Geraint ( 4:08 PM )
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