The ‘Active Star’ Award was presented to the team at the Shining Stars celebration event on Wednesday 5 June, recognising and rewarding the contributions made by volunteers to their local communities. Wellbeing Space volunteers Gloria Phillips, Tony Foster, Linda Dakin, Catherine Jackson, and David Storer received the award presented for their contribution to ‘significant change in an individuals’ or community’s health, social development and/or physical or mental wellbeing’. Malcolm Brown, from the Treetops Spirituality Team, was presented with the runners-up award in the Brightest Star category.
Treetops, based in Risley, provides nursing care and emotional support for adults with life limiting conditions living in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. All services are provided for free and last year the hospice supported over 1,800 people and their families.
The Wellbeing Space is the newest service to be launched at the hospice, providing a range of workshops, groups and programmes encouraging people to maintain their quality of life and capacity to care for themselves. Groups include a Men’s Group, a Get Moving exercise group, Gardening Group, Singing Group, Drop In Café and Spa Days.
Our volunteers work really hard
Angela Walters, Treetops volunteer services manager, put forward the nominations:
“Over the last 12 months, our volunteers have positively supported the big change in the way that we deliver our Wellbeing Services to a more sessional-based activity programme. This has allowed Treetops to support even more patients but also enabled our volunteers to share new skills with us and empowered them to try different activities to support our patients.
“Our volunteers work really hard, in sometimes very difficult emotional circumstances, but they always have an empathic smile and are receptive to patients’ needs.”
Malcolm Brown joined Treetops in January 2016 to offer spiritual support to guests with life-limiting illnesses.
Warmth, compassion and dedication
Angela explained more:
“Malcolm soon saw the need to support not only guests, but also our volunteers and staff throughout the hospice. He had the vision to create a spiritual support team with fellow volunteers working alongside him and has delivered several training events for volunteers and staff on spirituality and death and dying.
“With his warmth, compassion and dedication, Malcolm has created a service that has a real impact on those who use the hospice services, or who volunteer or work here.”
There are over 650 Treetops volunteers in all areas of the charity, from supporting patients at the hospice in Risley, to volunteering off-site, out in the community. Further information about all Treetops volunteer vacancies can be found online or by emailing volunteering@treetopshospice.org.uk – 0115 949 1264.
Treetops services include Support and Information, Wellbeing Space, Hospice at Home nurses and Therapeutic Services including counselling, art therapy and complementary therapy. All services are available from diagnosis onwards.