Tea and cake to thank our volunteers

The party was to thank all WAHT volunteers for their ongoing hard work and commitment to staff and patients.

Volunteers’ Week is an annual campaign – 1-7 June – established in 1984, recognising the contribution volunteers make to our communities every day.

Grahame Paine, WAHT Chairman said: “Our wonderful volunteers are a key part of our Trust; they support patients, visitors and staff and deliver an extremely valuable service throughout the hospital. Some of our volunteers have been with the Trust since 1994, which is simply outstanding.

“They are all an integral part of our team and we really cannot thank them enough for everything they do.”

At the tea party, which took place on Saturday 9 June in the grounds of Weston General Hospital, the volunteers had the opportunity to socialise with each other and the Trust’s Chairman, Chief Executive, Director of HR and the chaplain, and relax with a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Some volunteers were also presented with long service certificates.

WAHT Chief Executive, James Rimmer said: “Having afternoon tea with the wonderful volunteers, I gave out 20 ten-year certificates celebrating more than 200 years of volunteering at the hospital for our patients and staff. Thank you to you all.”

The event was also an opportunity to distribute their new uniforms.

WAHT Voluntary Services Manager, Maria Flinders said: “It is really important the volunteers feel part of a team and the new uniform is designed to do that. It also makes them easily identifiable by visitors and patients within the hospital.”

She added: “Local businesses – Asda Weston-super-Mare, Costa at Cadbury, Jollyes Petzone at Sanders Garden Centre and the Grand Pier – and staff very generously donated cakes and tombola prizes for the tea party, the buffet was supplied by The Dining Room in Wedmore, and Blitz Time Sally sang throughout the afternoon, helping us make it such a successful event. It was an opportunity to celebrate our volunteers and all that they do for the Trust as well as marking the end of Volunteers’ Week and as we near the 70^th anniversary of the NHS.”

There are more than 180 volunteers at WAHT who work in a wide range of roles, including greeting visitors and patients at the front desk, assisting patients – especially during meal times – and keeping them company. They also take part in many roles that you may not be aware of, such as, administrative support and photocopying at the hospital and the children’s services offices and helping to maintain the many courtyards within the hospital grounds.

If you would like further information about volunteering at Weston Area Health NHS Trust, please visit www.waht.nhs.uk and go to Volunteering, or get in touch with our voluntary services manager, by email at mariaflinders@nhs.net or call 01934 647 005.