Long-serving volunteers at children’s hospice honoured at special celebration

Long-serving volunteers at a children’s hospice have this week been recognised by the charity for their dedication and hard work over the years during a special celebration.

Hope House, which was initially set up by volunteers in the early 1990s, relies on the unwavering support of its volunteers and during an online Volunteer Awards celebration, 111 volunteers who have served between three and 30 years have been honoured.

This year there are a number of volunteers who have been recognised for an incredible 30 years with the charity.

They are Shirley Tart MBE, the charity’s Patron, and members of the Bayston Hill Friends Group Sue Roberts, Sue Parry, Sandra Dale, Marie Parry and Christine Croft.

Andy Goldsmith, Chief Executive, said: “I am constantly in awe of our volunteers, those that show enormous dedication by giving up their time to work with us, either at the hospices, at our shops or supporting us to be able to hold events.

“Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at Hope House Children’s Hospices and without their selfless efforts we simply wouldn’t be able to provide the care we do to the local children with life-threatening conditions and their families.

“Hope House Children’s Hospices was built on a foundation of volunteering, and the unstinting committed support of our volunteers that has allowed us to go from strength to strength over the years.

“The contribution from both Shirley Tart MBE and the Friends of Bayston Hill group has been nothing short of amazing.”

Shirley Tart MBE

“Shirley has been with us from the very start. She is a Patron and a wonderful ambassador for the charity, publicising our work and even writing a book about us.

“She remains as passionate about helping children today as she did when she first started volunteering with Hope House when the concept of a children’s hospice in Shropshire was little more than a hopeful aspiration.

“Bayston Hill Friends were our very first friends’ group and are still active today helping with our fundraising events and volunteering in our Oteley Road shop and I am sure for many people, myself included, introduced us to the work of Hope House Children’s Hospices.

“To have given so much of their time and energy to the charity for three decades is truly humbling, and it is people like them that have made the charity what it is today. I am so grateful that we have such great friends.”

If you are interested in making a difference in your local community then you can find out more about volunteering at hopehouse.org.uk/volunteer