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