Meet Karen: A friendly face at the Hospice

Since October 2020, Karen has been a familiar and welcoming face at the Hospice.

She initially started volunteering in the Day Centre, but it wasn’t long before she moved to the reception team, where she quickly found a role that suited her perfectly. As a volunteer receptionist, Karen is often one of the first people visitors meet. She answers the phones, welcomes people through the doors, checks visitors in and, most importantly, makes time for a chat.

Her role brings her into contact with all kinds of people, from patients and families to Café customers, visitors attending appointments and meetings, and those coming to spend time with loved ones.

“I’m very sociable and I love chatting to everyone,” says Karen. “I particularly enjoy seeing people who come to the Hospice regularly. You get to know them, and it’s lovely to see those familiar faces.”

There is also a deeper reason behind Karen’s volunteering. She has experienced end-of-life care first-hand and wanted to use that experience in a positive way. Having seen the difference that compassionate care can make, she feels strongly about the importance of hospice care for patients and their families.

“I wanted to do something meaningful,” she explains. “I know the dignity and respect our patients receive and how well they are looked after.”

Her own experiences also give her a particular understanding of the families she meets at reception. She knows that arriving at a Hospice to visit someone you love can be an emotional experience and believes that having someone there to offer a warm welcome can make a difference.

“You don’t get it unless you’ve been there,” she says.

Karen volunteers once a week and helps with additional shifts when she can. She loves the variety of her role and the people she has met through volunteering.

And while reception is where Karen has found her place, she is keen to highlight the many other ways people can get involved. Volunteering opportunities extend beyond the Hospice itself, with roles available in the Hospice’s stores and upcycling workshops too.

For Karen, volunteering has become a regular part of her week, one that allows her to meet people, and play a small but important part in the life of the Hospice.