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How you can help
There are lots of ways in which you can help your local hospice.
Volunteering
The UK hospice movement would not survive without the extraordinary commitment given by around 100,000 volunteers. Men and woman from all walks of life give their time and energy to support their local hospice communities.
The majority of hospices have a full time Voluntary Services Manager whose job it is to match volunteers to suitable tasks. Each Voluntary Services Manager may have several hundred volunteers working for the hospice.
Volunteers take on a huge variety of roles and responsibilities. Volunteers are involved in running the hospice reception, facilitating day care activities, bereavement support, practising complementary therapies, gardening, running support groups for carers, producing volunteer newsletters, driving patients and their families to day care and hospital appointments, and providing listening and befriending skills to patients and carers in their own homes.
Volunteers may get involved with a hospice after a relative or friend has been cared for, they have retired, have some time on their hands or just want to put something back into their community.
Please see the Volunteering website from Help the Hospices for further information about volunteering in hospice and palliative care.
If you are interested in volunteering please contact your local hospice and ask for the Voluntary Services Manager
Tell your friends
Sadly there are still too many people who are unaware of the very comprehensive support that is now available in charitable hospices, in NHS hospitals and palliative care centres and at home. You can help by telling your friends and colleagues about hospice and palliative care.
Support local fundraising events
Take part in local fundraising events. Hospices regularly run local fundraising events and activities which include golf days, quiz evenings, concerts and a range of sponsored events such as walks, bike rides, or even firewalking! Check your local newspaper for details of upcoming activities or call the Fundraising Office at the hospice to find out what's on.
Hospice lotteries
Most hospices run their own local weekly lotteries where all the proceeds go to support the hospice. Across the country these raise millions of pounds to support hospice care.
Hospice charity shops
Charity shops are an important source of income for hospices. They rely on generous donations of good quality clothes, books, goods, curtains, furniture, crockery and more. You might like to consider volunteering at one of the shops. Or just pop in and say "hello"!
Support organisations that work for hospice and palliative care
You might like to support one of the national charities that work for the benefit of hospice and palliative care. They can also tell you about major fundraising campaigns. To find out about such organisations browse the list of UK national organisations in the Links section.
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