Mary volunteers in our Vitality Centre. This service provides support for patients who have a life-limiting illness and for their carers. It offers a range of services aimed at helping patients stay as well as possible for as long as possible. Mary helps with refreshments and spends time talking with the patients. She also volunteers on reception at the hospice.

“We’ve been volunteering for St. Rocco’s for five years,” explains Mary. “It began with me doing the Starlight Ladies Walk and Cliff coming to support me. So it seemed to make sense for him to become a marshall at the walk and then we moved on to volunteer at the hospice itself.”

Cliff’s volunteering duties are very different to Mary’s. He is a messenger, which involves delivering blood samples to the hospital and he also helps by transferring stock between St. Rocco’s shops, as well as delivering items to the auction house.

“I prefer being out on the road. I meet lots of people that way and it’s great to meet other St. Rocco’s volunteers as I go to the different shops,” he says.

The couple decided when they retired that they wanted to give something back and volunteering for St. Rocco’s felt like an ideal way to do so.

“It’s very rewarding,” says Mary. “It is about giving something back, but you wouldn’t believe how much you get from the experience.”

They would both recommend becoming a volunteer, so much so that Mary has already encouraged several friends to join the St. Rocco’s volunteer team!

If you have a few hours to spare and are interested in our volunteering opportunities, then please get in touch with our Voluntary Services team on 01925 575780 or email volunteering@stroccos.org.uk.