FOR two and a half decades the people of Bolton have played a vital part in the life of one of the town’s biggest charities.
From staff to volunteers, Bolton Hospice has always inspired support from people looking to make a difference.
Now in its 25th year it has turned the spotlight on to those who help it to care by honouring them in the Long Service Awards as part of the national Volunteers’s Week.
Held on Wednesday, 79 volunteers received awards for either 10, 15, 20 or 25 years of service, having racked up an impressive 1,155 years’ service in total.
Among them was Ann Brooks from Bank Top who celebrated 25 years volunteering with the hospice, starting out three years before it was built and working in its first charity shop, before going to volunteer in the in-patient unit
She said: “I really enjoy the time I spend volunteering at Bolton Hospice, it’s part of my way of life now.
“People might think volunteering at the hospice is a bit morbid and be a bit afraid to come through the doors, but it’s not that at all — once you come in and everyone welcomes you, it’s a wonderful place to be.
“The hospice has grown and developed a lot over the past 25 years and it’s a privilege to have been part of it since the beginning”
In their 25th anniversary year, Bolton Hospice is celebrating the amazing contribution their volunteers make to help local people facing cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.
Bolton Hospice has over 800 volunteers and 30 different volunteer roles including roles such as inpatient ward volunteers, charity shop volunteers, and fundraising volunteers.
Volunteers give around 110,000 hours of their time to the hospice every year.
Alan Meadows, aged 70 from Blackrod, celebrated 10 years’ service.
He said: “I’ve worked in Bolton most of life and decided to start volunteering at the hospice after I took early retirement. I wanted to do something not just to fill the time, but to do something useful.
“I derive a degree of satisfaction from the knowledge that I’m giving a little bit back.
“It’s not earth shattering, it’s not going to change the world, but at least I’m doing a bit. And I do feel good about that.
“Volunteering at Bolton Hospice gives you a sense of pride, and I know I’m contributing to something bigger that helps the hospice.”
Chairman, Judith Bromley voiced her praise for the men and women at the heart of the hospice.
She said: “The passion, dedication and commitment shown by our army of volunteers never fails to humble and inspire me.”
Celebrations continue on June 17 when thousands of participants are expected to gather in the Victoria Square for the hospice’s 11th Midnight Memories Walk.
Eight-year-old Neve Hill, from Horwich, will be walking with her grandmother Carole Matthews to celebrate her dad Neil Hill surviving testicular cancer.
Mrs Matthews, aged 54, said: “She said she wanted to do it for her daddy because if he had been poorly he would have gone to the hospice.
“She is so excited and I am very proud of her.”
Neve added: “I’ll be holding a yellow lantern to celebrate! He was given the all clear and since that I’ve now got a baby brother called Elliot who is 8 months old — we call him the miracle baby!”
Many who take part have had family and friends who have suffered from life-limiting illnesses and were cared for at the hospice — while others have been directly affected.
Senior clinical nurse at the hospice, Jacqui Ryder, recently survived cancer.
She said: “I have been working at Bolton Hospice for almost 14 years as a senior clinical support nurse in day therapy and out-patients.
“This year’s midnight walk is going to be special for myself, friends and family who are all taking part in the walk.
“I myself have had an emotional year after having a diagnosis of early stage breast cancer in June last year. I am now back at work doing the job that I love, helping other people and their families at some of the most difficult times in their life.”
25 years’ service:
Ann Brooks
Jackie Dando
Pam Duxbury
Wendy Hibbert
Margaret Morris
Kath Rushton
Edna Welsby
Pauline Cull
Renee Hart
Antonia Shard
Katie Knowles
Maureen Wood
20 years’ service:
Barbara Barlow
Marion Buchanan
Mary Corbett
Kathleen Edge
Rotraut Horridge
Carole Houlker
Margaret Howard
Audrey Hudson
Pauline Kite
15 years’ service:
Joan Abraham
Margaret Burns
Olive Cowell
Daphne Dixon
Sandra Gastall
Soula Greiss
Barbara Harris
Barbara Howcroft
Geraldine Kingston
Vivian Maddock
Penny Mather
Sue McKellen
Freda Platt
Norma Probin
Susan Roberts
Marilyn Smith
Marilyn Symonds
Irene Watson
Kathleen Wilkinson
10 years’ service
Brenda Askew
Hillary Barnard
Joe Barnes
Dilys Bowmer
Janet Brown
Christine Coward
Susan Crook
Christine Davenport
Mary Dunn
Elizabeth Edwards
Christina Gilligan
Denise Gleaves
Francine Godfrey
Gordon Hale
Vivienne Hatch
Audrey Hewitt
Christine Hill
Margaret Holden
Ann Horrocks
Alison Hoyle
Ron Hughes
Marilyn Jenkins
John Leigh
Emalyn Lightfoot
Mary Massey
Alan Meadows
Susan Molloy
Sylvia Moss
Elizabeth O’Riordan
June Phillips
Jean Pike
Brian Pilling
Connie Rorrison
Kathleen Seddon
Eleanor Shaw
Janet Shone
Irene Stevens
Diane Warburton
Christine Wolstencroft
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