Alison’s story of volunteering: “It’s really about building relationships, we’re like a big supportive family.”

Alison’s amazing volunteering support for the Hospice began when she, her husband Les, and their family, received ‘amazing’ care during the last few weeks of Les’s life:

“Les wanted to stay at home, so we had a home nurse and an occupational therapist who were brilliant. But when he got more poorly, he had to go into the Hospice for two weeks. The care was amazing – they looked after me, my kids, the whole family.”

Like many volunteers, Alison wanted to give something back for the support she’d received, so started a volunteering role collecting donation tins and helping at events, which allowed her to stay connected with others and help her through some difficult times:

“At first, I helped at events like the London Marathon, standing at the Cheer Station and meeting and greeting the runners. Then I helped the Fundraising team in the office, doing research, stock taking and general admin.”

Alison would recommend volunteering and feels that the training she received helped her experience: “There’s generic training for working at the Hospice, but also specific training for your role. I’ve always felt respected and valued for what I do.”

Now Alison looks forward to her weekly shift as a shop volunteer in Staines, which she says helps provide a focus outside of her own life: “It gives me a huge sense of purpose. I enjoy meeting new people, giving something back, not only to the customers but the shop team too.”

Whether it’s sorting through stock, creating a beautiful window display, or chatting to a customer who has come to donate items of their loved one, Alison enjoys working as a team: “It’s really about building relationships, we’re like a big supportive family.”

As well as being out in the community, Alison also helped create many new bonds at the Hospice with her beloved late dog, Millie, who attended as a Pets as Therapy dog: “She loved meeting the patients, families and being made a fuss of,” says Alison.

It’s this ongoing passion, dedication (and also years of experience as a teacher), that led to Alison being asked to become an Ambassador for the hospice, a role which includes the opportunity to spread the word about the service and care the Hospice provides, which Alison enjoys drawing from her own experience for.

Ten years on, Alison is due to be awarded a 10-year Volunteer Long Service Award from the Hospice, a small token of appreciation for the incredible contribution she’s made as a volunteer.

Alison told us how it’s really changed her life, providing new opportunities and friendships: “I meet lots of new people. In fact, I met my two best friends through volunteering. It’s been a win-win situation for me. It’s so rewarding and whatever your skills, there will be a role for you.”

‘’We’re stronger when we’re together, helping each other’’ 

Originally from Poland, Joanna’s volunteering journey in the UK began with an invitation to step outside the classroom and into the community. Encouraged by her English teacher to volunteer, she found a shop volunteer role at Princess Alice Hospice’s East Twickenham shop, and quickly felt exactly where she needed to be.

From day one, Joanna was “taken aback by how kind people are here” and quickly discovered how busy a charity shop can be! From sorting donations and steaming clothes to learning how to manage the till, no two shifts are the same. “Sally, the shop manager, is so patient with me and trusts me with lots of different things. I never feel judged and I feel very well supported by her and all the other volunteers. I’m very happy in this environment.”

Volunteering has helped Joanna grow in confidence, especially with her English, and has made her feel truly part of the local community. She enjoys chatting with customers, spotting familiar faces around town, and feeling connected to the place she now calls home. “Volunteering has improved my English a lot. I feel more confident to speak, even if I make mistakes, and I’m not worried to ask people to repeat themselves if I haven’t understood correctly. I now feel part of a community where I recognise people on the bus or on the streets, and we always stop and have a little chat, which is so nice.”

Having previously worked as a social worker in Poland, Joanna sees volunteering as a natural fit and an important step towards her goal of becoming a social worker in the UK: “I would like to be a social worker here, so volunteering in a charity shop is good training because of all the people you get exposure to and I want to continue helping people.”

“I am all for helping people, and that’s what working for a charity is. I think our society is built on supporting your community, young, poor, sick… otherwise society will collapse. We’re stronger when we’re together, helping each other, and that’s what makes us rich. A richness found in exchanging ideas, opinions, knowledge and helping one another. It is very precious.”

And finally…would Joanna recommend volunteering? ‘’100% – it changes things in you. If you want to contribute to society, volunteering is the best way to do so. Also that is a great way to get integrated into a new community and establish yourself as a valued member! Also, doing good makes you feel good! ‘’

Before retiring, Shelagh led a busy life working as a Chartered Surveyor, helping to raise her three children and undertaking voluntary work: ‘Volunteering is something I’ve always done, I’ve always wanted to give back. I realised when I retired that I’d need some structure because I do like to be busy, and volunteering definitely gives me that.’ 

Since retiring, Shelagh has been a volunteer on the flower team at Princess Alice Hospice and creates floral arrangements from donated flowers for patients and visitors to enjoy: ‘I take flowers into the patients’ rooms and it’s like taking a ray of sunshine in with me, it can be a lovely way to start a conversation with people’. Shelagh then trained to become a Compassionate Neighbour, which coincided with a time when her elderly parents’ care needs were becoming more complex. As an unexpected benefit, Shelagh found the training she’d received helpful when broaching ‘tricky’ conversations with her parents: ‘I was able to talk to them about what the end of their lives might look like, which the training certainly helped with, it allowed me to introduce and talk to them about the future.’  

The training sparked conversations about Shelagh’s parents arranging their Wills and then implementing their funeral wishes. Initially, Shelagh’s dad, Fred told her he planned to have a non-attendance funeral and had told her mum, Pat it had all been arranged, despite his children’s reservations.  

When Shelagh’s mum, aged 95, sadly died at home in September 2021, shortly after her parents’ 70th wedding anniversary, her dad was able to remain at home with their existing full time carers.  Shelagh remains extremely grateful to them for the care and compassion they received. On a walk one day with her father, he told her he had changed his mind and would like a full funeral, knowing the burden of arranging it would no longer fall to his late wife. Shelagh was glad when Fred asked to continue their talk the following morning and is certain these important conversations wouldn’t have happened without her feeling equipped to initiate them through her Compassionate Neighbour training.   

Sadly, Fred was diagnosed with bladder cancer on 8 December 2023 and died aged 98, in a hospice, shortly afterwards on 23 December 2023. With the conversations Shelagh had been able to have with her dad, she reflects back that it was ‘a good death’ because he had made his final wishes clear to his family.  

After a while, Shelagh was matched with a community member as a Compassionate Neighbour. She enjoyed her weekly visits with her match, an elderly gentleman she visited up until he died: ‘he was such a giggle, he would say to his daughter, ‘I’m still here, darling!’ when she visited. Shelagh has stayed in touch and the two women have met up a few times since.  

Shelagh has now been matched with a new community member, who she has been visiting for a year: ‘they’re a lovely couple, he is housebound and she is his carer but also nearly housebound. They have four children and they’ve been married for over 40 years. I love chatting to them both, it’s good for them to have some regular social contact. I really enjoy it, it’s the chance to talk to different people. Having had carer support in my own family, it can be a very valuable medium to have other people helping you communicate your feelings. When my father was unwell, I found I could sometimes talk to his carer about his situation instead of my husband, which relieved the burden on my family.’ 

To be a Compassionate Neighbour, Shelagh believes a person needs to ‘be a good listener, be non-judgmental; be respectful of privacy and of people’s circumstances. We’re given strict boundaries within the training though, I’m very fortunate to have had that and it’s helped me with my own losses, too. Death and dying isn’t talked about enough though and people sometimes need help to get started.’ 

My name is Emily and I am one of the Consultants in Palliative Medicine and the Medical Director of Princess Alice Hospice. I joined the Hospice in November 2020.  

Princess Alice Hospice has always been a highly regarded institution and one of the leading hospices in the South East, with a reputation for being well run and focusing on the wellbeing of patients and staff. I was immediately drawn to the vision and environment of the Hospice when I first discussed taking on a role here. It is a welcoming environment, with patients at its heart, where everyone wants to achieve the best possible outcomes for those on the ward and in the community, and for colleagues. 

As both a Consultant and Medical Director, I have a clinical and managerial/leadership role meaning my job is very varied. From a clinical perspective, I work across both the In-Patient Unit and the community as part of our medical team of consultants and resident doctors. This means that on some days I will be carrying out home visits to assess community patients and then liaising with other healthcare professionals to agree and manage a clinical plan. We also provide a “duty doctor” role, providing medical advice and guidance to the Hospice At Home team, often supporting the duty nurse responding to urgent issues when patients and their families call in. 

On the In-Patient Unit, my role involves assessing and reviewing patients admitted to the Unit and overseeing the team providing their care.  

A large part of my role is educating and supervising the large number of resident doctors who rotate through the IPU every few months, ensuring that each trainee is supported to work within their competency and obtain their learning objectives. As a medical team, we also organise a weekly training session on a Monday, and a weekly journal club to ensure we are continually developing our knowledge and skills. 

As part of the consultant team, we are responsible for the safety and quality of the care we provide and supervising the doctors who deliver this care.  

I have a particular interest in research and, since 2021, I have been the Medical Lead for Research working with Shannon Milne, the Research Lead. We have developed the research strategy for the Hospice based on feedback from a research workshop we facilitated. 

As Medical Director I have overall responsibility for the medical team and represent them at the executive level at the weekly senior leadership meetings. I am a Medical Appraiser which ensures our doctors have annual appraisals. I also sit on committees which ensure compliance with legal requirements and regulators, such as the CQC. 

In addition, I am the Deputy Caldicott Guardian. This role ensures that information is handled ethically and legally, protecting confidentiality whilst balancing this with the need to share information to facilitate care.  

Finally, I am an ambassador for the Hospice – representing it at local and national meetings.  

One of the greatest challenges I face in my job is having sufficient time to balance the clinical demands of being a Consultant with the management and leadership responsibilities of Medical Director. However, I am very well supported. Patient care must always come first and I am proud that we have outstanding, holistic patient care. I believe our team deal in the best way possible with people and their loved ones at the end of their lives. I would like to highlight the teamwork and dedication of the medical team and the passion of the people who work there. 

For me, the rewards of working at the Hospice are in knowing that you have done the best for a patient and the care we have provided. This is what drives me – and I believe the team – and our reputation in the community is strong. Any positive feedback we receive from the families of people we have looked after is met with great pride. I enjoy going to work every day to be around my colleagues and working with them with a shared sense of purpose and mission. 

We are currently only able to meet the needs of a small proportion of people in our community and, going forward, we would like more to benefit from specialist palliative care and the services the Hospice provides. We would like to make our care more accessible to a greater number of people, and we are therefore looking to develop increased collaboration with communities and other healthcare providers to support patients, their families and carers.  

‘I absolutely loved my time volunteering at Princess Alice Hospice!’

As a 17-year-old pupil at Tiffin School in 2017, Shreya remembers herself as ‘very shy, quiet and reserved, the youngest in the year’. As an A Level student, she hadn’t seriously thought about her career path but says it was the Ward Support Volunteer programme at Princess Alice Hospice that first inspired her to consider Medicine. In January 2025, Shreya took her final exams at Imperial College London and is now a qualified F1 Doctor. She has chosen to focus on oncology and palliative medicine in an ‘elective block’ of her studies and in May this year she returned to Princess Alice Hospice for a 2-week placement.

‘I loved the nitty gritty of the volunteering programme and it’s what made me want to apply to do Medicine at Imperial. My parents are so grateful to Princess Alice Hospice, it’s had a huge impact on our family. Vanessa (Head of Volunteering at the Hospice) was my Buddy while I was volunteering and she’s a household name in my house! She played a huge role and was so lovely and supportive during my time here.’ 

In her third year of university, Shreya spent a year focusing on endometrial cancer but also took a paid job in the Princess Alice Hospice shop in Kingston to subsidise her studies, which she remembers fondly.  

Back at the Hospice, Shreya has spent time shadowing the Doctors, attending ward rounds and assisting with admissions on the In-Patient Unit. She has also spent time with people in the Wellbeing Centre and visiting people in their own homes with members of the Hospice at Home team. Shreya reflects: ‘the Hospice Doctors are so good, they’ve had years of 

experience in previous roles before but are so dedicated to their specialty. People here are so lovely, they say hello and they know who you are. As a student you’re often in the background but I’ve been so involved here, some of the staff even remembered me from my volunteering days!’ 

Shreya knows that the perception of palliative and end of life care by her peers is that it’s particularly challenging, emotionally. However, she feels this is often because they haven’t had much exposure to it (though Imperial does recognise its value and there is a 2-week module on palliative care in its fifth-year curriculum). Shreya herself finds it ‘incredibly rewarding, you’re helping family members too, it’s the whole team, the whole environment.’ 

‘The care is exceptional, the consultants are so knowledgeable and have such high standards, they’re on top of the latest research and at the forefront of palliative care.’ 

Shreya is hopeful her younger sister will be able to join the volunteering programme soon: ‘It gives you really good exposure from a young age, it’s about dealing with people so it gives you life skills that aren’t just specific to healthcare; I think it would benefit people who are creative or considering a career in the Arts, too.’ 

‘It’s important to think about the feeling you’ve left them with.’

Bea is a professional carer supporting adults with learning disabilities, who has also worked in care homes and nursing homes over the years. Despite juggling work and a busy family life, Bea also volunteers as a Compassionate Neighbour at the Hospice and has been matched with a gentleman living with dementia; she has personal experience of supporting her dad who is living with dementia, too.

Several years ago, Bea undertook Dementia Level 2 training at work, which was supplemented by the Compassionate Neighbours training. She has developed a deep understanding of the condition and feels strongly that a carer’s demeanor has a huge impact on the person: ‘they will ask the same question again and again, but you have to answer as if it’s the first time. The person will know by your demeanor if you care about them, so they’ll be upset if you’re upset. You’re not supposed to give them upset, give them the joyful parts of your life.’

There are practical ways that people with dementia can be supported, which Bea has learned over the years: not using white crockery if serving pale foods (which makes the food difficult to see); how signage above doors can help people in their own home, such as ‘toilet’ or ‘kitchen’; how people with dementia will often try to go through doors. If it’s a front door, they can sometimes leave the house but forget how to get back in, so putting a curtain up in front of the front door can help them to walk past it safely and not remember the door being there. Patterned tablecloths can agitate a person, and flooring with patterns can cause anxiety (for example, if a person thinks it is water and becomes scared to tread on it).

Bea has seen the positive impact that memory books can have, as a way of engaging a person with their interests and opening up their world. As a carer, the books can be valuable tools for starting conversations, providing opener question opportunities such as ‘Where was this?’ which can allow the person to go back to that time.

After completing her training, Bea was invited to meet her community member and arranged to visit him and his wife at home. It was a great success and they arranged to meet again the following week, when Bea took her nature-loving match out to a nearby park. Bea describes him as ‘a proper gentleman’ and loves listening to stories about his life, as a former teacher who was fluent in four languages. They often enjoy nature together and he’ll encourage Bea to spot patterns: ‘now, have a look at that cloud.’ They’ve spent time discussing Oliver Twist and have enjoyed feeding the ducks on the river, ice creams out, singing and dancing together in the park. Sometimes they will walk to a bench and he will say, ‘Can we just sit here?’

Bea finds her role as a Compassionate Neighbour fulfilling, describing it as a ‘peaceful, relaxing part of my life. I’m doing it because I want to do it, I’m also getting something back. I don’t walk anywhere, there’s got to be a reason, but (he) likes to walk and because he likes nature and trees, he’ll tell me all about them, I see the birds the way he sees them.’

When Bea spends time with a person with dementia, she always tries to step into their world: ‘People should not forget that the person with dementia still has capacity to make some decisions in their own lives, so it’s important not to take all their choices away. For example, they may want to wear the red scarf not the blue, they may want a coffee not a tea. Leave them with a happy feeling, leave them in a happy place. It’s important to think about the feeling you’ve left them with.’

Bea would recommend being a Compassionate Neighbour to a person with dementia, saying that ‘you need to know you’ll hear things multiple times. You need to know how to step into that person’s world – they’re already on the road, you can make it prettier for them. It could be a grey path, but you can make it a pleasant one with flowers for them to travel on.’

Finally, Bea reflects that ‘you need to be committed to it. I’m so happy with my match, I look forward to seeing him, he smiles all the time and you know you’re doing good.’

Our volunteer Rukhshana tells us about the rituals around death and dying as a Parsi of Zoroastrian faith: 

When Rukhshana’s Father, Dara, was taken ill on holiday in India, all three of his children flew out to see him. Sadly, Dara died 2 weeks after Rukhshana returned to the UK. At that point, Rukhshana was over 6 months pregnant and therefore unable to attend any funeral ceremonies, so she decided to remain at home, but her husband flew back to India. 

As a Parsi of Zoroastrian faith, it was important for Dara’s body to be disposed of as quickly as possible. This meant that although family members left on the day he died, the disposal of the body had already taken place by the time they arrived. 

Zoroastrians see life as a battle between good and evil, believing that when a person dies their body is no longer needed and the essence of the person, the soul, leaves the body on the fourth day of prayers. 

As soon as a person is confirmed dead, Parsi priests arrange for the body to be taken away to the Towers of Silence. Once there, the body is bathed and dressed in white muslin in preparation for the funeral. This is the traditional method of disposal of the body but these facilities are not available throughout India and cremation tends to be the system used by many these days. 

The funeral prayers are conducted by the priests in front of the body and then special bearers carry the body up to the Towers of Silence. Traditionally only men followed the priests and the body up to the boundary point but women can now follow if they wish. Everyone walks in pairs, the men holding a handkerchief between them and the women holding onto each other’s saris to protect from evil spirits. Non-Parsis are not allowed to attend but there is an area where they can wait to pay their respects to the family of the deceased. This is the first of four days of prayers and customs. 

Once the body is placed into a particular section in the Tower of Silence, it is left open to the elements and vultures are left to consume the flesh. This is the start of the process that allows the dead body to return to nature as simply as possible. More recently, the vulture population has shrunk dramatically and solar panels have been introduced to reduce the time taken for the body to decompose. Over time, other natural elements will decompose the remaining bones and parts of the body. Zoroastrians believe this is the most spiritually pure way of allowing a body to return to nature.

There are a series of bungalows of different sizes which can be booked for the four days of prayers. Traditionally, family members would sleep and eat together in the bungalow for the four days but nowadays the remaining three days of prayers can be held in a local fire temple if that is more convenient. As a mark of respect meat is not eaten but fish and eggs are. On the fourth day Dhansak, a dish of brown lentils with meat and rice, is prepared by the family. This is the Parsi signature dish but is never served at weddings because of its significance as part of the funeral rituals. 

After attending a funeral it is customary to bathe on returning home, to wash away any evil spirits. Some people place a bowl of water by the front door in order to symbolically wash their hands before entering their home. Pregnant and menstruating women do not attend because they are thought to be more vulnerable to evil spirits.  

Although Mumbai is an extremely busy and noisy city and the Towers of Silence is in a very central location with tall apartment buildings surrounding it, Rukhshana describes the 54 acres of the site as ‘an oasis of peace surrounded by lush greenery and the sounds of nature. It is a sad, but comforting period with family and friends coming and going.’ 

On the fourth day the ‘Boi’ ceremony begins at 4am and continues into the new day (the new day starts at 5am rather than midnight). Rukhshana describes it as ’a beautiful ceremony marking the end of one day and the start of a new one as darkness becomes light.’ 

After this, prayers are said on the tenth day, the first month and the first anniversary. Every year before the New Year starts there are 10 days of prayers when all the deceased are remembered. 

Rukhshana’s experience of her mother’s death in the UK was different. In keeping with her faith, Khorshed was determined not to have any trace of her body left behind and she was adamant that she didn’t expect her grandchildren to look after a memorial space after she died. She was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium after a priest conducted Zoroastrian prayers. Friends, family and neighbours of all faiths or none attended. She died in February and her ashes were scattered on the lawn, which Ruchshana recalls as being ‘a colourful carpet of crocuses.’ 

The Zoroastrian faith is centred around ‘Humata Hukhta Huvarshta’ which translates as Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds, with the belief that you should live life to the full but give to others less fortunate as well. We are extremely grateful to Rukhshana for her dedicated volunteering with Princess Alice Hospice.  

Find out more about Parsi Funerals here: Everything You Should Know About Parsi Funerals – Mitt Arv Blogs 

‘Live your life happily and peacefully in your house.’ 

Our volunteer Bal tells us about the rituals around death and dying, as the daughter of a Sikh mother:

Bal’s mum, Gurdial Gahunia, was diagnosed with dementia in 2014, having faced significant barriers to receiving a diagnosis. As first-generation Indian immigrants, Bal’s parents moved to Hounslow in the 1960s with their four children. Gurdial was married in India at a young age and received no formal education, remaining unable to read or write for the rest of her life. When Bal was born in England her oldest sister was 20 years older than her and her British upbringing was fundamentally different to her siblings, educationally, socially and culturally.

In a Sikh family, care for a parent falls traditionally to the son and his wife, who then go on to inherit the parental estate. As Gurdial’s health declined, Bal became more aware of her mother’s needs, while her brother’s own illiteracy made it difficult for him to navigate the British healthcare system and the responsibility fell to Bal and her sisters. Visiting the Memory Clinic, Bal recalls how frightened her mum was by the many questions she was asked, many of which were culturally inappropriate: ‘for example, mum was asked ‘how many times do you think about your husband?’ and what her honeymoon memories were. Mum was 15 when she was married, she was so frightened by the questions that she walked out.’ Bal recalls how her mum was asked to say the alphabet backwards and forwards, when she had no understanding of the English language – ‘that’s when it cemented it in my mind that I’d have to care for her to the end.’

Bal explains that dementia is not generally recognised in India and tends to be seen as mental instability that cannot be medicated or treated in any way. As her mum’s condition declined, Bal decided to become her mum’s primary carer, along with her nephew, who had lived in the family home since childhood. As a single mum to 4 boys, then aged from 16 to 28 years and still living at home, this was a particularly difficult decision for Bal. A roster was drawn up and Bal generally cared for her mum 3-4 evenings and nights after work each week; her nephew did the remaining and they employed private carers during the day. Finding Punjabi speaking carers was challenging, which led to confusion and upset, while some family members still did not understand the extent of the condition. Her sisters also took it in turns to care for their mum and give Bal and her nephew some time to rest. 

In July 2023, Gurdial was hospitalised again. Bal was told her mum was going to die and wanted to take her home so she could spend her last days in the comfort and support of her family. 

A few days before she died, Gurdial said: ‘open all the windows in the house, people are coming to get me and can’t get in.’ In the Sikh religion, followers believe that somebody who has already died comes to get the person who is dying. 

On Gurdial’s final night, Bal’s older sister put prayers on in the room while Bal liaised with hospital palliative nurses. While caring for her ex-mother-in-law years earlier, Bal had been given advice that she passed on to her nephew: ‘tell Grandma that if someone’s coming to get her it’s OK, she can go, and we will be fine. Keep telling her if she wakes up.’ In recognition of their years of caring, Bal’s older siblings told Bal and her nephew to stand close to Gurdial by the bed, whilst they prayed, Gurdial died peacefully on Sunday morning. 

As soon as a Sikh person has died, the process is traditionally taken over by the eldest relatives. The reading of the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh Bible) is started in the house or Gurdwara (a Sikh temple) and is read by priests from the temple, in shifts, from beginning to end until the end of the funeral: the speed at which the readings happen depends on the date of the funeral. If the reading is done at home, the Guru Granth Sahib must be positioned so nobody can walk above it. The service begins with Kirtan (hymns) from the Guru Granth Sahib, recited to provide peace and spiritual reflection. For two weeks after the death, it’s traditional for friends and relatives to visit the home and share their own stories of loved ones who have died. No cleaning or cooking should be done, and guests are traditionally only offered tea or water. Traditionally, everybody sits on white sheets on the floor in the home, with men separate to women, though this is less common in modern-day life. As the visitors left Gurdial’s home, Bal was reminded by siblings not to see them out, but to observe the tradition of visitors leaving by themselves. Women tend to wear white or light colours, and their heads are kept covered by white scarves at all times. 

Before the funeral, daughters and daughters-in-laws wash the body of their female relative and men wash their male relative, to symbolise purity. The body is first cleansed with yogurt, then washed with soaps or oils. The body can be moisturised with creams or oils before being dressed in brand new clothes. No shoes are put on the feet but can be placed in the coffin. The female’s head is covered with a white scarf and the body is covered by a white sheet up to the neck. The body is placed in a coffin lined with a white sheet of a certain length and an ornate shawl or blanket can be added on top. Close family comes to visit the open coffin and sometimes sprinkle a handful of a blessed cardamon, raisin and almond mixture by the feet and around the body. Bal added petals to her mum’s coffin and her favourite doll, which had brought her comfort during her illness. 

It’s traditional for women to wear white to the funeral and for men to wear suits. Bal’s mum arrived at the temple in a white carriage pulled by horses; Bal and her nephew had picked flowers of every color possible to reflect her mum’s ‘ray of sunshine’ personality.  

On the day of the funeral, the coffin goes traditionally from the funeral director to the family home and is taken inside as far as possible, or just outside if not. The priest attends to say Ardas, a prayer asking for divine support and strength for the grieving family and to provide peace and spiritual reflection. Family, friends and neighbours gather to listen. The coffin is carried out by male relatives and taken to the Gurdwara, where it’s positioned head-first towards the Guru Granth Sahib. Prayers are read for the soul to be blessed and for an easy path to the next life. At this point, Guru Granth Sahib readings are still taking place in the Gurdwara, or the person’s home. The coffin is then taken to the crematorium where more prayers are read. Bal’s nephew had prepared a video montage to play, which included a recording of Gurdial saying at the end, as she had often said to everyone, ‘live your life happily and peacefully in your house.’ The traditional closing of the curtain at the end of the funeral was performed by Bal and her siblings. Afterwards, the family traditionally returns to the Gurdwara to hear the final prayers, and a scarf is handed over to the eldest family member, recognising them as head of the family. The family eats food prepared in the temple and the Guru Granth Sahib is covered with an ornate cover to signify the end of the prayers. Bal remains grateful to the ‘amazing’ funeral directors who arranged the flowers and photos in the back garden for when the family returned home.  

The ashes are released in running water as quickly as possible, symbolising the return of the soul to nature. If they’re brought home, they are considered sacred and must stay cleansed. The following year, Bal’s family travelled to India with her mum’s ashes, flying in from different locations on Mother’s Day. For the 9-hour flight and the second internal flight, Bal sat holding the urn, talking to her mum internally in her mind the entire time. It’s traditional that any refreshments bought during this journey should be bought for the deceased relative, too. As Bal left the flights, she left money on the seat behind her and travelled directly to the holy site of Kiratpur Sahib, to perform the traditional ritual of scattering ashes into running water. After washing, Bal’s brother went to register his mum’s death, a manual process where names are handwritten in record books, before the family went to the Gurdwara for prayers and to eat. Afterwards, the family travelled to their late father’s house for an Akand Paath, a 3-day religious prayer ceremony. In the UK, a family could choose to do an Akand Paath or a Sukhmani Sahib Paath, a 1-day religious prayer ceremony each year for 5 or 7 years. Prayers are then said again about two and a half months before the first anniversary of the death.  

Back in the UK, Bal chose to observe the first anniversary of her mum’s death with an Akand Paath which consisted of 3 days of Seva, or ‘selfless service’ for others, from 4am on Friday until 3pm on Sunday. In one of her mum’s sari suits and with her siblings, Bal recited and listened to prayers and cooked and served thousands of people with meals at her Gurdwara. 

Bal’s parents instilled the importance of humility, being grateful and showing respect to everyone. Since her mum’s death, Bal has volunteered as a Compassionate Neighbour with Princess Alice Hospice; from her community match, she’s learned that ‘you can only do, to the best of your ability in the situation you’re in at the time’ Bal likens this outlook to her own faith in life, believing that she did the best she could for her mum which has helped her navigate her grief and her life now without her mum. 

Our volunteer, Sharon, tells us about the rituals and customs around death and dying as an Orthodox Jew: 

Sharon’s Dad, Jerry, was 95 years old when he died of cancer in November 2019. As a member of an Orthodox Synagogue, he had devoted his later years to charitable causes and was still volunteering at his local dementia clinic two weeks before he died. In preparation for death, Jerry had clear his flat of unnecessary belongings so that Sharon would have less to organise afterwards. As his health declined, he received regular home visits from his local Rabbi. After a short stay in hospital with an infection, Sharon arranged for her father to be moved to a Jewish nursing home for the final few days or weeks of his life.  

When an Orthodox Jew reaches the age of 21, they are expected to join a Synagogue in their own right, and the membership includes a burial plan. Cremation is not an option for Orthodox Jews.  

It is customary to be buried within 24 hours, unless an autopsy is required or the person dies abroad. However, as Sharon’s Dad died early on a Friday morning, it was not possible to bury him until the Sunday, with Saturday being the Sabbath. Before the burial, a special priority death certificate must be obtained from the local Registry.  

When Sharon arrived at the nursing home on the Friday morning, a Rabbi was already sitting with her Dad, in keeping with the custom of not leaving the body alone at any time. As an only child, Sharon felt comforted that the Jewish Burial Society took over at this point and made all the necessary arrangements for looking after the body up until, and including, the burial.  

On the Sunday morning, Sharon and her family travelled to the north London cemetery. The coffin had already been placed in the prayer hall. It’s customary for a close friend or relative to be given the responsibility of tearing a piece of the closest relative’s clothing – in this case, Sharon’s – to show respect and solemnity. Prayers are said by a Rabbi and the plain wooden coffin, unadorned in any way, is wheeled to the grave and placed within it. Close family members are then invited to each shovel some earth onto the coffin. In a moment remembered fondly by Sharon, a friend of her Dad with whom he had played tennis for over 50 years, dropped a tennis ball in with the earth. The simplicity of the ceremony follows the belief that a person should leave the world as they entered it and so the body is left undressed and wrapped in a simple shroud.  

Following the funeral, the mourners and close friends and relatives returned to Jerry’s flat, where Sharon was given the traditional ‘meal’ of a boiled egg (for life) and a round roll or bagel, to symbolise continuity of life, no beginning and no end. There is no celebration at this time. On the first evening after the funeral, prayers are said in the evening, usually at the family home. There is an acceptance that nobody is without sin and the Rabbi conducting the prayers will beg forgiveness for any sins the person may have committed.  

It’s customary for family and friends to look after the mourners for up to a week after the funeral, visiting them at home to bring food and share stories and memories about the person. During these visits, mourners are expected to sit on low chairs that are provided by the Synagogue, to show respect and humbleness. Sharon loved hearing stories about her Dad from visitors who’d volunteered alongside her Dad at various charitable organisations. As an only child whose mum had died a few years earlier, Sharon felt hugely comforted by the Synagogue community during this time, a feeling that continues to this day.  

Between six months and a year after the burial, family and friends are invited to the setting of the gravestone. Prayers are said and, once at the graveside, the Rabbi will read out what is written on the stone. Afterwards, it’s customary for friends and relatives to be invited back to the family home, or to a local venue, with refreshments served as many will have travelled a long way. 

After an Orthodox Jew dies, the next child born into the family is given the same Hebrew name as that person, in the belief that they will inherit their good traits and enjoy a long life. A Jewish name is also required for a person to be married in a Jewish Synagogue.  

Every year, on the anniversary of a death, a prayer is said in the Synagogue and a 24-hour candle is lit at home as a reminder of the person.  

Sharon believes her instinct to volunteer and contribute to her community is very much part of her Orthodox upbringing. Throughout her childhood, she recalls there being annual charitable dinner dances organised by her parents, along with other fundraising events. Sharon is a dedicated gardening and IT volunteer at Princess Alice Hospice, as well as being involved in Holocaust Memorial events each year in her Synagogue. Sharon had a friend who spent her last few weeks of life in the Hospice and was impressed by the end of life care given by the team.  

To find out more about Orthodox Judaism, Sharon suggests contacting your local Rabbi.  

My name is Peter and my association with Princess Alice Hospice started in January 1981. 

On 1 January I happened to read my stars in the newspaper and for my star sign it read that I would become involved in a hospital movement. I thought “what a load of rubbish that is”!  

However, on the first working day in January one of my clients, Geoffrey Gardner, came to see me about setting up a hospice. I was a solicitor at the time, practicing in Esher, and Geoffrey Gardner wanted legal advice on how to establish a charitable trust to set up a hospice in Esher. Geoffrey was a retired Lloyds underwriter who lived in Esher and, together with myself, became one of the founder trustees with seven others.   

The first step was to find a suitable site for the hospice. A three and a half acre plot on the corner of West End Lane and Lammas Lane, owned by Surrey County Council and originally intended for a primary school which was no longer needed, was proposed by Elmbridge Borough’s Planning Department.

One of our first tasks was to raise the necessary money – a staggering £3 million – and previous experience of fundraising helped me with this task. We started off by approaching “the great and the good” for funds. Fear of failure may have deterred people in donating, but with the fantastic help of Roger Wyatt on corporate funding, and Jane Formby on developing Friends of the Hospice, we did not fail! 

We had the support of the local authority and tried everything – from jumble sales, to “buying a brick”, to sponsored marathons, swims, parachute jumps. The idea of “buying a brick” was to make it possible for everyone to contribute towards paying for the building. It was appreciated that many would be unable to make significant donations, whereas most people could afford to buy a brick.  We also received significant donations from local businesses. We raised £3 million in 3 years with the building well under way. This was a real achievement as no money was borrowed. 

One issue the trustees were immoveable on in the early days was that the Hospice had to be a brand new building, rather than a conversion, with state of the art equipment and facilities in the wards. From a practical perspective, the doorways would not have been wide enough in an old building and the rooms would have been the wrong size. Our thinking was that if you start from brand new, you will create the best to start with. You will get the best staff and that is what happened. We recruited the finest medical team. 

The trustees, including myself, travelled to Edinburgh, London, Sheffield and Southampton to look at the design of the hospices there and we then created our own ideas for the design of the Hospice as we felt that was very important. One particular hurdle we had to overcome was the presence of a fuel pipeline under the land on which the Hospice was to be built, which serviced Heathrow Airport. We could not build directly over it and the design had to be modified accordingly. 

I became Chairman of the Board of Trustees in May 1982, a role I held for fourteen years, and a trustee from 1981 until September 2012. 

One memory which stands out for me was the official opening of Princess Alice by the Queen Mother on 20 March 1986. She was scheduled to spend just over 1 hour at the Hospice but, in fact, spent more than twice as long talking to patients and staff. Ten years later she wrote asking to make a return visit to the Hospice, so impressed had she been by the work being carried out here in Esher. 

A personal highlight for me has been seeing how much the Hospice has helped society. My father died at Princess Alice and so I have seen it from both sides. The Hospice is free of religion, free of race and free for everyone who comes in whatever their financial position, which is hugely important. Everyone is treated the same, which is one of the great things about Princess Alice Hospice.  

I am incredibly proud of what we achieved as a group of people, that eight complete novices of fundraising could build the Hospice. If I could sum up the Hospice, the words which come to mind are passion and caring. It is a wonderful institution, which has helped thousands of patients and their families in the past 40 years and continues to go from strength to strength.  

My name is Susan and I am a Senior Staff Nurse at the In-Patient unit. I have worked at Princess Alice Hospice since 1991 when I was a newly qualified Staff Nurse, having completed my training at a London teaching hospital.    

I came as an Agency Nurse to the Hospice. I had not enjoyed my training and was ready to leave nursing altogether, but came on a chance shift to the Hospice. I immediately liked it, and they liked me. My role was to work on the ward, caring for patients who were coming in for terminal care, symptom control and respite.

My first impressions of Princess Alice Hospice were of the pleasing decor: soft couches, carpets, flower arrangements, fanned copies of magazines, beautiful gardens. It felt like being in a hotel after my experience at the London hospital, and yet homely. Everyone was so friendly. The standard of care was amazingly high, nothing was too much trouble for the patient or their family. The food came with garnishes for each plate. I remember carrots fashioned into roses!  The sheets on the beds were a softer cream, instead of white, and before a patient was admitted, we would place a hot water bottle in the bed to warm it for their arrival. 

As I have mentioned, my current role is Senior Staff Nurse. I have just retired and joined the Hospice bank staff which gives me more flexibility. However, fundamentally, I still care for patients at the end of their life on the ward. 

The main challenge I have faced while working at the Hospice was when I was bereaved myself. My Mum, who was cared for at the Hospice, and my Aunt died two weeks apart and I have also lost my Dad in the last few years. I found it very difficult to separate being a nurse from a daughter. However, the positive thing to come from my experience was that it gave me more empathy in dealing with relatives and friends of patients at the Hospice. 

I have seen many changes at Princess Alice during the last 33 years. There are increased referrals for patients with more complex needs, and a wider range of drugs available to help with the pain. There has also been the creation of the Wellbeing Centre, the expansion of Hospice At Home, the Virtual Ward, the Ward Support Volunteers working on the In-Patient Unit and young volunteers giving their time, to name but a few. 

The In-Patient Unit was demolished in 2006 and rebuilt to accommodate single rooms along with the relocation of the Sanctuary. We now have a Man Shed, the Labyrinth was created in the grounds and an Education Centre was built. The European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care, which is a highly respected qualification in palliative care, was founded and coordinated by Princess Alice since 2001. This is a 9 week course which is offered to healthcare professionals who are new to palliative care and who deal with patients at the end of their life. 

One thing which has not changed is the tea trolley on the ward – tea and cake are fundamental to hospice care! 

It has been wonderful to work at the Hospice. This is largely due to the staff, my colleagues, housekeeping and medical team. Working in a hospice is often something which arouses curiosity and people have asked me “how can you do that job?”. It is, of course, a tough job at times and takes courage. However, it is bearable due to the support from the staff and the high standard of care – knowing you have done the best for people at the time of their greatest need. 

I write a lot of poetry inspired by my work and have had some success. I won the Hippocrates Prize for poetry and medicine in 2022 and, in 2024, I was Commended and invited to read my poem at the symposium for The Hippocrates Prize at the University of Oviedo in Spain. 

The most rewarding part of working at Princess Alice has been the feedback and thanks I have received over the years from patients and relatives, and knowing I have been part of an amazing establishment which really cares. 

If you were considering joining the care team here I would say give it a try. You need resilience but the staff are wonderfully kind and supportive and, like me, you may end up staying not just for one shift but 33 years! 

My name is Kiley and I am a Senior Healthcare Assistant working nights in the In-Patient Unit. I have been working at the Hospice for 23 years. 

My first contact with Princess Alice was when they looked after my Nan when I was a teenager. I remember the exact room she was in and how I looked forward to coming to see her. As a family we were very happy with the care she received and the smooth transition made for her to move from the Hospice to her permanent nursing home.  

When I was 18, I applied for a job at the Hospice as a nursing auxiliary (as it was called back then). I was very nervous as I had no hands-on experience and I was very shy. I was welcomed with open arms to see if I liked it and if I fitted in as I was so young. I have since been told that the nursing team had a meeting prior to me starting as they had never had anyone that young on the team and, luckily for me, they agreed to give me a try. I think I can say I have passed as I am still here 23 years later! 

There have been many changes throughout the years with the nursing teams and the ward itself. While the ward was being rebuilt in 1998, I moved to Leatherhead Hospital where we had a small ward for our palliative patients and we loved the cosiness and calmness of it. Everyone worked so well together to make it work; even the catering team would transport the patients’ meals over to the hospital every day and serve them in the small kitchen we had there. 

I found returning to the brand new Hospice building very daunting but exciting. I got to see my colleagues who had been working on a different site during the building works and we soon settled into the new ward.  

There have been many changes and challenges throughout the years with lots of staff coming and going which was unsettling for the team, changes in management on the In-Patient Unit and new updated ways of working. However, I think as a team we have embraced it and made it work.  I have moved from working days to permanent nights. 

Our job is an emotional rollercoaster which I personally think gives us an extra special bond with our colleagues and we are a great support for each other.  

I was a very young inexperienced girl when I started at the Hospice, and I have grown into a more confident woman with lots of experience, constantly learning from my colleagues and trying my best. The love and passion for my job remains and I can only thank my fabulous team for their support and guidance.  

I look forward to many more years at Princess Alice Hospice!

My name is Craig and I was Medical Director at Princess Alice Hospice between June 2013 and March 2021. I joined the Hospice in December 1995 as a Senior Registrar in Palliative Medicine, becoming a Consultant a year later and then taking on the Deputy Medical Director role, before being appointed Medical Director in 2013.  

Why did I want to work at the Hospice? 

Back in the 1990s Princess Alice was, as now, recognised as a centre of excellence. At that time, it was one of only a handful of hospices across the country which had reached the level required to offer accredited training posts for Senior Registrars in Palliative Medicine, the last step before becoming a Consultant. When I came to visit the In-Patient Unit, I was bowled over. The Hospice had such an impressive set-up, with great staff and offering even more than I had realised. I initially failed to secure a post when I first applied, much to my disappointment. However, I persevered and reapplied and was offered a post about 12 months later.

While hospice care is demanding intellectually, physically and emotionally, I was expected to be working at the highest professional levels, and I was constantly challenged and pulled in all directions in a breathless plate-spinning dance. It all played havoc with my imposter syndrome. Yet, I didn’t feel unduly stressed at PAH. I always came into work with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. While on reflection (having now retired) I could never truly switch off from work, this never felt an unfair or unmanageable burden. Instead it felt a privilege, a true vocation. I felt lucky throughout my time at Princess Alice Hospice. For example, I always looked forward to returning to work after a period of annual leave. Still now on reflection, having given “my best” 25 years to the Hospice, I feel truly fortunate. 

The Hospice always ensured their staff had the right knowledge, adequate time and the proper support to deliver the best care possible. This broad-based staff support was crucial to optimising patient and family care, and this also ensured a resilient and sustainable workforce for the future. 

Princess Alice Hospice surpassed every expectation I could ever have imagined, not just the humbling clinical work dealing hands-on with patients and families on a day-to-day basis, but the amazing colleagues that made up the various teams, across the whole range of activity. 

The diverse range of activity delivered by the Hospice is outstanding and typically not recognised externally. Obviously, there’s the high-quality clinical care, with clinical staff underpinned by an army of key support staff. This care function is totally dependent on a mammoth charity / fundraising enterprise. Both care and fundraising are held together by a huge number of volunteers. There is also a massive regional retail endeavour. The Hospice has a leading internal and external education department. Finally, the over-arching Senior Leadership Team and the Trustees have the unenviable role of knitting this eclectic portfolio together into one united front, that reflects a prudent use of charitable monies, to ensure that the Hospice delivers high quality, effective and efficient services that are fit for and sustainable into the future.  The scale, and the breadth, is amazing. 

Most importantly, the key strength of the Hospice is not just the amazing work it does, but the way that it goes about it. As a result, it is able to deliver so much more, focusing on what really matters, going that extra mile whenever it can and making a tangible difference, whatever the situation, despite the odds. 

Princess Alice understands and embodies the belief that “people matter” but, more so, that “everyone matters, always and equally”. In any organisation it is the people that make a difference. Princess Alice Hospice has tried to ensure it creates the right environment, so that people can flourish and always be at their best. 

The Hospice offers a truly holistic approach, understanding the importance of and managing the physical, social, spiritual and emotional needs of our patients, an approach which is equally important in supporting our staff.  

The Hospice is always wanting to learn, but equally always wanting to share the lessons learnt to improve best practice everywhere. The European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care is a fabulous example of the Hospice dedicating a huge amount of time and effort to improve the palliative care available outside of hospice care. 

The uniquely special nature of the Hospice was externally recognised when the Care Quality Commission awarded it “outstanding” in all 5 domains in September 2016. Princess Alice was the first and only hospice to achieve this unbeatable quality validation. There was a shared sense of pride, and also relief! Obviously, inspections cause additional stress and distraction, but we wanted to ensure the CQC team got to see the everyday specialness of PAH, that we all saw and valued so much. 

I am so thankful to the Hospice in the way that it has supported and developed me personally and professionally, far further than I could have ever hoped.  

Before arriving , I was an enthusiastic and hard-working hospice registrar, having rotated across three hospices in the West Midlands, but my then potential suggested I was destined to be a journeyman doctor. I had previously completed my training and worked briefly as a GP, before switching to retrain in Palliative Medicine. Growing up I wanted to do Medicine, to be a “family” doctor, for many reasons; to help people, to make a difference, to be hands on, utilise medical knowledge and skills to problem solve, work in a team and provide continuity of care. By the time I was working as a GP, my impression was that in that period, from the 1970s to 1990s, General Practice in the UK had changed dramatically. My experience of working in a hospice, St Giles in Lichfield, taught me the aspirations that had attracted me to a career in Medicine were far better met in Palliative Care. 

In addition to wanting to treat patients so that they could feel as well as possible and help them live life to the fullest, I also wanted to improve patient understanding of their condition and the range of treatment options so that patients and their families could better understand the range of choices available to them within end-of-life care. By empowering them, patients would be better able to face complex or daunting treatment choices, and adapt as best they could to the challenges ahead. 

Looking back, my proudest moment at Princess Alice is just too hard to answer easily. It could be sensing “the potential of Princess Alice Hospice” on my first day –  I had made it, I was so lucky to have the opportunity “here we go!” It could be “my reflection on Princess Alice Hospice” that was only possible on my last day – I had completed 25 years, having developed personally and professionally more than I could have dreamed of and having been so well supported throughout. I was so grateful to have had the opportunity “I made it!”. 

However, I would rather suggest that my proudest moment was “the reality of Princess Alice Hospice”, every moment of every day – always a breathless whirlwind, but never a dull day, equally challenging and rewarding. Every day I was incredibly proud of every element of what we did and what we were aspiring to do. I was proud to be playing a small part in it. Every patient and their family who I interacted with mattered. Every colleague who supported me or who I supported, mattered. Every new development that we set up, mattered. I believe it was the ins and outs of the day-to-day clinical care, the Hospice’s prime function, the ability to be making a difference to patients and their families at the bedside, that mattered most. This was where my overwhelming passion lay, together with an appreciation of everything that was necessary for all the other hospice functions that allowed me that privileged role. So, ultimately, it is the whole that I am most proud to be part of, more than any one moment or any one achievement. 

I retired early in March 2021, primarily for family reasons. However, it also felt the right time to move aside for many other reasons. It was a key milestone for me, having completed 25 years at Princess Alice Hospice. It was also a good time in the business cycle to hand over to a colleague in order that they could plan the next 5-year cycle (with the perfect person in-house, ready to take over as Medical Director). Perhaps, most importantly, I had done all I could ever have hoped to in my career, and much more, and I did not want to move elsewhere for fresh challenges. I preferred to bow out gracefully, with no regrets and arguably on a high. 

My 25 years at the Hospice have provided me with the most important and fulfilling time of my life…. unbeatable. I feel privileged to have worked with amazing colleagues, sharing key values, and taking on a range of diverse roles. While these were always challenging, together we were able to make a real difference and, individually and collectively, we were able to move forward, while always aspiring to deliver the highest quality. Princess Alice always gets its priorities right, which means everyone benefits; staff, patients, families, all our collaborators, the wider community, and the organization itself.

My name is Diane and I am Head of Governance & Company Secretary at Princess Alice Hospice. I joined the Hospice in April 2002 as “Accounts Coordinator”. I reported to the Business Manager and my role was to manage the accounts department, which consisted of the accounts clerk, payroll clerk and a volunteer. 

I received a warm welcome from reception and the HR department on my first day.  At lunchtime the ladies from the HR department took me for lunch. They have become really good friends! 

I recall that the job advert for my role caught my eye because it said “Does where you work matter to you?”. It did and still does. When I came for my interview, I was struck by the lovely warm and happy atmosphere, not at all sad and gloomy as people had suggested to me it would be like. The daffodils were out in the garden and I thought “what a lovely place to work”. I had moved out of the corporate world into not for profit because I wanted to make a difference to people’s lives.

My role at the Hospice has changed a lot. I was lucky that there were quite a few changes early on in my time here. The Business Manager left and a Director of Finance and Resources was appointed. He mentored me, and I was appointed Director of Finance when he left in 2008. I was in charge of accounts and IT.  

Over the years I have acquired other responsibilities, taking on HR and Volunteering, Facilities, Catering, Housekeeping, Health and Safety, Business Improvement and Company Secretary. My current responsibilities are Finance and Payroll, Operational Services (encompassing Facilities, Catering and Housekeeping), Health and Safety, Executive Support, Governance and Company Secretary. 

When I joined, the Hospice had just had a really good legacy year and the next two years were also good which enabled the re-development of the In-Patient Unit in 2005/2006. At that time, the NHS funded 26% of our charitable expenditure. That has fallen to circa 20% funding coming from core NHS grants. Our retail shop sales were £1.2 million a year when I started at the Hospice. Today, they are in the region of £7 million a year. 

While juggling competing priorities is a challenge, I like to be busy and have variety. No one day is the same. There have been many changes in and development of our services over the years to reach more people. There has also been a big change in culture – much less corporate and more welcoming and inclusive. My proudest moment has been as co-lead on the work to develop the Hospice’s values and behaviours. 

The most rewarding aspect of being involved with Princess Alice Hospice is knowing what I do contributes to making a difference to the support people receive at the end of their life. 

My name is Steve, I am the Bereavement and Spiritual Care Lead for Princess Alice Hospice. I have been in this role for about 2.5 years, although I started at the Hospice in 2004 as the Chaplain and have effectively been in that role for over 20 years. 

When I was at theological college in Manchester, I had the opportunity to do a two-week hospital chaplaincy placement, which I really enjoyed. I thought chaplaincy may be something Iwould like to do at some point in the future. So, when the opportunity arose to join the Hospice, I applied. I had no previous experience of working in a hospice, but I am still here 20 years later!  

Before I started at the Hospice, I was a local church minister in northwest London and, having worked in the church for seven years, I though it reasonable to step into a chaplaincy role at the Hospice. However, I found it was not the same thing at all! 

The major difference is that, as a minister in a local church, the work I did was predominantly with religious people and it was religious work. However, in the Hospice, the people I work with may, or may not, be religious. Most likely, they won’t be. 

Historically, the perception has been that chaplaincy was a religious role. That was because a significant number of people would want some form of religious care, such as prayers, Holy Communion, Last Rites (now known as Sacrament of the Sick). However, as the demographics have changed within society, and people have less affiliation with a religious community, the requests for that kind of support have declined.  

Unless a person has advised staff that they do not wish to see a chaplain, I will knock on their door, explain who I am and see where we go from there. I remember introducing myself to one guy about 18 years ago. He said he was an atheist and not interested in religion but if I was happy to talk to him, he was happy to talk to me. So, I offered him support for the time he was at the Hospice, and we talked about all sorts of things. In the end, he asked me to do his funeral.  

The Hospice ethos is about care for the whole person and spiritual care is an important aspect of that. Professionally, it has been quite a journey to work out what spiritual care is if it is not religious care: what might spiritual care be in a thoroughly secular environment? I have spent a lot of time reading about, reflecting on and writing about that. As I understand it now, spiritual care is about connection: connection with who we are in our self; connection with those we love; connection with our world and the people we share it with; and connection with our beliefs and values.  

A lot of people don’t want to talk about their illness trajectory and coming to the end of their life. But if people are open to this kind of conversation, the care I can offer – spiritual care – might support them as they are making that end-of-life journey. They might want to talk about their existential anxieties about coming to the end of life or their concerns about what their life has meant. 

When more people followed a religion, they could look to their faith to give them guidance as to what to expect at the end of their life and after they have died. Those who are not religious may not have that same scaffolding, so they may find talking to a spiritual care person helpful. 

The personal challenge I face is what all that stuff about preparing for the end of life means for me? Since coming into the role, I have thought much more about the meaning of my own life, what my values are, what dying will be like, but not in a morbid sense. What if this was my last day and what would I do with it? These thoughts arise from working with people who are facing this situation as their reality. 

There is a misconception that the Hospice is all about the building. But hospice has always been about the work that goes on out in the community with the community nurses. So, the spiritual care we offer is not limited to the patients in the Hospice building. There are volunteers who, with me, visit people in their homes. Currently, we are only able to serve Hospice patients, but with our bereavement work we are trying to open that up as far as we can to anyone in the community, and there has been a significant shift in the last 3-4 years in opening the services to non-Princess Alice Hospice community folk. 

It can be difficult to get bereavement support if you are out of the community. In 2015, I started a project that partners with community and faith groups who want to support bereaved people in their local area. It is about reaching more people with the resources we have. The partners provide volunteers and a venue, and we provide training and ongoing support for them as they run their own cafe. We currently support over 20 cafes across the care area. We encourage them to do their own advertising, but we also post information on our website and promote the cafes to people who come to the two bereavement cafes hosted at the Hospice. 

There is an assumption that when someone dies, their family will need bereavement counselling. In fact, about a third of people might benefit from bereavement support. Most people get by with the support of their family and friends and their own resilience. But the Hospice does provide bereavement support. We train our own Bereavement Support Volunteers, putting them through a challenging 10-week course before they go on to support bereaved people. I also run an introductory, half-day Bereavement First Aid course, that looks at how people might respond to someone who has been bereaved. This course is open to anyone working at the Hospice. 

There is a good fit between bereavement and spiritual care. Both are about holistic care, and both are concerned with the connections people make. I’m proud to lead a team of dedicated colleagues, staff and volunteers, and I’m proud of the service we are able to provide to the patients and families who come into our care. 

I am Clare and I have worked at Princess Alice Hospice since November 1998 (26 years!). I am currently the In Memory Officer. This involves dealing with the donations made in memory of loved ones. We use the MuchLoved website, which is an independent tribute fund website where friends and family can create a personalised web page in memory of someone. The page can be used to share stories, videos, photographs, date and location of funeral and to fundraise in memory of that person. The tribute page can be kept for as long as is needed. 

When someone sets up a page for a person who has died and who may have been cared for by the Hospice or had a strong connection to the charity, I contact them to see if the Hospice can help or support them in any way. I also light virtual candles on the anniversary of that person’s birthday and death – then the families know we are still here if needed. 

I am also involved in part of the bereavement journey. I contact the next of kin, around 10 weeks after a person has died, with information about how they may be feeling and how they can access bereavement support. The information also includes how they might continue to support the Hospice. I also provide details of any donations which have been made in memory of the person they have lost. 

I also carry out the administration for the sponsoring of feathers on the Giving Dove which you can see in the Hospice’s reception. I arrange for the feathers to be engraved with loved one’s names and added to the Dove. At the end of the year, I contact the sponsor to encourage them to continue their support or return the feather to the families.  I was also involved with the “Under Our Wing” appeal and the packaging of over 500 metal doves on sticks! 

During lockdown, it was a little difficult for people to come into the Hospice to see their feathers so I would send pictures of the feathers to families. This has carried on post lockdown and, wherever possible, I will send a photograph of the feather to families.  

When I first started at the Hospice, I was involved with the administration of the Lottery. At the time, it was based initially in Dove House (the other end of the dual carriageway – a white house next to the car showroom) with the retail team, we then moved to the main Hospice building. My Aunty worked at Princess Alice at this time as a clinical secretary and she had seen the job advertisement and encouraged me to apply. I had previously brought my young sons to a staff Christmas party at the Hospice which was the first time I had been here and it was not what I had expected it to be. It was a lot lighter and brighter and quite uplifting. 

I became Lottery Manager when that role became vacant and I held that position for about 9 years. My proudest moment of working at the Hospice has to be the first Super Draw we held during the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002. We raised £45,000 from that draw alone. We had enclosed tickets to supporters, all by hand and many willing volunteer stuffers! It was a great effort by all concerned and a great result.  

The Lottery Team remained at the Hospice during the building works in 2005/2006 and a further Super draw took place at that time. We invited all of the winners and their families to come to the Hospice for tea and cake (homemade – thanks Mum!) which we held in the remaining part of the reception area at that time. Chris Tarrant joined us and presented the winning cheques. He was great and spoke with everyone – it was a lot of fun. 

After the Lottery I became a Marketing Officer and worked on a number of campaigns. One in particular which I worked on involved people sponsoring wooden sunflowers with the names of their loved ones on which were then displayed in the Hospice garden.  

Whilst mentioning the Hospice garden, I remember one year the Hospice Friends and some shop volunteers had a Teddy Bears’ Picnic for children and their families in the Hospice garden. Teddy bears were collected from the Hospice shops, cleaned up and wrapped in cellophane for sale at the picnic, and a band played. I dressed up as a teddy bear. It was a lovely event and all the children went home with a teddy.

In 2014 I became the Supporter Care Team Lead. Our team was involved in answering all the calls and queries, administering donations, thanking and banking from appeals and supporting the community fundraising team. I was still involved with the Lottery as part of my role, and I also dealt with Gift Aid which, at that time, was initially still on paper and then later moved online. 

One of the main things I have noticed during the last 26 years is the education and the sharing of skills with other health care professionals in the community. Raising awareness of the service the Hospice provides is essential to securing donations in order to continue to be here for many years to come. The scheme allowing young people to do training on the ward and learning about healthcare is a great way to educate and create awareness. 

The Hospice is a lovely place to work and people are grateful for the fact you are here and what you do. 

After completing a psychology degree Zulfika spent time working in hospital roles, including 15 years at St George’s Hospital, in advocacy and health promotion. In 2015, an advert in a local newspaper for a social work assistant role at Princess Alice Hospice caught her eye and she was delighted when she was offered the job: ‘I knew I wanted the role as soon as I walked through the door and I can’t thank my manager at the time, Margaret , enough for believing in me back then.’  

In 2015, Zulfika’s new line manager, Anne , supported her to begin a Masters in Social Work, at the Royal Holloway University. ‘Anne believed in me and encouraged me, she gave me time to do my 100-day placement at the Hospice, and at King’s College in A&E. In return, I told her I would never let her down.’  

Zulfika’s role is hugely varied and in her practice she provides practical, social, emotional or spiritual support to patients and loved ones. She provides person-centred support, which means she caters her approach to each person depending on what’s needed most. There may be practical issues to work through, such as planning for the future and making a Will. Sometimes she will connect people with other services available at the Hospice: compassionate neighbours, complementary therapies, physiotherapists, occupational therapists or Wellbeing services. There could be complex, unresolved family matters to support on, such as guardianships and custody issues, when Zulfika will facilitate conversations while providing practical support alongside.    

When somebody receives a life-limited diagnosis, they and their loved ones often go through recognisable stages: shock, orientation, adaption and acceptance. Zulfika’s role is to help the person or their loved ones on that journey, which can sometimes lead to peace. 

There are recurring themes and guilt is common: when somebody experiences survivor guilt after a loved one dies, or if a person doesn’t want to become a burden to loved ones. Zulfika reminds people they have permission to be ill and encourages them to work through their guilt, helping them understand it only comes from a place of goodness and proves they have a conscience; that realisation can bring about real relief. For example, a young mother may feel guilty about being unwell and not being able to care fully for her children. In this instance, unpicking the emotional turmoil and suggesting ways to plan ahead, such as writing letters and creating memory boxes, can provide real comfort: ‘it’s often the simplest things that can help, sometimes during the first or second session I spend with somebody.’ 

Regret is another recurring theme and Zulfika sees it as her role to ‘get people unstuck.’ By asking what the person may have done differently and asking them to think things through, she attempts to help them reframe their past and to see they can enjoy a quality of life for as long as possible, while using coping mechanisms can allow them to contain the feelings of regret. This can be brought about by practicing mindfulness, a form of CBT, introducing the distraction model or the gratitude model.  

Some people stand out in Zulfika’s mind when she reflects on her work: the beautiful lady who was living happily in Greece until her husband died, who returned to England with little money, only to receive a diagnosis of MND. Zulfika describes her as feeling ‘totally broken, helpless and hopeless.’ After living with her sister for a while, Zulfika helped the lady move to her own bungalow, where she loved living independently for as long as possible. Alongside that, she enjoyed attending wellbeing sessions at the Hospice, which ‘gave her back her hope and she bloomed.’ During one session, Zulfika told her, ‘you look like Catherine Zeta-Jones.’ Showing her character and wit, the lady replied quickly, ‘Catherine Zeta-Jones looks like me!’ 

Zulfika has facilitated prisoners to visit a loved one on the In-Patient Unit and has helped 3 patients reestablish contact with long-lost daughters; in one instance, she helped to employ private investigators to help the search. One father’s reunion was so successful that he was taken to live with his daughter and her children, who cared for him before he died. 

One fellow Muslim lady was married to a non-Muslim husband and was worried about her end of life rituals being observed. Zulfika helped arrange her dying wishes and describes the privilege of bathing the lady at the Hospice herself, while prayers were said around her, before she was taken to the Mosque for burial. Zulfika feels privileged she was able to allow the lady to die in peace as a Muslim.   

Sometimes it can be simple support that makes a big difference – like the lady who enjoyed wearing fashionable clothes until she felt she couldn’t wear jeans when she began using a stoma bag. Zulfika asked, ‘have you thought about wearing maternity jeans?’ and remembers how the lady’s face lit up as she realised she could continue to socialise and feel like herself once more.  

Zulfika always encourages people to visit the Hospice if they have concerns about what it might be like, because she believes it will help them to understand ‘it’s about living, not dying.’ Many people, including elderly people, are genuinely shocked they are going to die, they’ve been living their lives and not expected it to happen: ‘we all know we’re here and that we’ll leave, but that feeling is behind us. A terminal diagnosis brings it to the forefront. You can push it to the side, or you can recognise what you can do and not do at that point. Hospice is about for living, for now.’  

Grief is complex and comes in many forms: grief for the loss of a life, or for the loss of physical wellness. It can come straightaway at the point of diagnosis or it can present itself as anger or denial: ‘often people lose hope at the beginning, but I would encourage everybody to hold on to hope, there’s something there to hold onto.’ Many people grieve a future they will not experience, the life they were expecting, but Zulfika helps to reframe their thinking and works towards a feeling of acceptance.  

In her 20 years with Princess Alice Hospice, Zulfika feels she’s grown and developed as a person: ‘’People are fascinating, colourful and complicated, but deep down they are so lovely. Working with people at such a sensitive and delicate time is hugely humbling and an honour for me. I work with wonderful colleagues and continue to learn from people’s stories and I’m privileged they allow me to be part of the journey that they’re on.’’ 

Antonette had a successful career in sales and marketing for many years. When she decided to take a step back she begun volunteering as a morning Ward Support Volunteer. After 18 rewarding months a position as a Health Care Assistant came up. Seven years on, with support and training, she is a Senior Health Care Assistant and loves her newfound and unexpected career! Hear her journey.

Hilary, a broadcaster, teacher and poet by trade, first heard about plans to build a Hospice in Elmbridge whilst sat in her GP’s waiting room in the early 80s. A leaflet promoting the proposed Hospice caught her eye and she got in contact to find out if she could help in some way. This was the start of her journey as a volunteer for the Hospice. 

In no time at all she found herself researching and writing a series of six weekly articles for the local press on what a hospice was and why there was a plan to build one. She was becoming increasingly drawn into the enterprise. ‘I enjoyed working in a team of people with a wide range of skills, and was fascinated by how something as apparently bleak as end of life care could evoke such a positive, even creative, response.’  

The articles were published and helped to spread the word about the plans and the need for fundraising to turn them into a reality. Hilary quickly found herself in demand as a speaker and gave talks to a range of bodies throughout the potential catchment area, all the while spreading the word about the planned Hospice. She was fortunate to be able to donate £1,000 herself and become what was known then as a ‘Founder Patron’ – and this meant she was well-placed to encourage others to do the same. 

Hilary continued to volunteer her time, skills and connections to support the Hospice during its early days, for example taking on an active role as part of the committee organising the official opening by The Queen Mother in 1986.  She sourced a photographer, wrote speeches for the Queen Mother and the Chairman, and also wrote the commemorative brochure to mark the occasion. 

She also set up and trained a team of volunteer tour guides for the new building. ‘It was a joy to watch the community see the fruits of their support and ownership of this new enterprise.’ 

Hilary became a Trustee of the Hospice and continued in this capacity for 20 years, volunteering her time on several committees.  Hilary is pictured below in 1984 – front L-R: Angela Walton, Anne Grainger, Patricia Hayes and back L-R: Trustees Jane Formby, Virgina Waller and Hilary Elfick.

Once the Hospice was up and running with a full complement of patients, Hilary made a film of the work there and this became a useful tool for continued fundraising for ‘we not only had a building to pay for, but had to staff it and maintain it way into the future. I wanted to show potential sponsors that we actually had a product: the difference we could make.’ 

Looking back on her time as a volunteer, Hilary is in no doubt that the experience benefited not just the Hospice, but her too, in several ways. ‘I learnt how volunteers could work alongside paid staff, and how everyone, not just employees, were answerable for their conduct and understanding of boundaries.’ 

Hilary’s time volunteering with Princess Alice Hospice led to a further volunteer role as International Coordinator for Voices for Hospices, which took her to hospices in Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Uganda, the USA and Canada, where she again put her broadcasting background to good use with radio and television interviews and reports from many a destination, including taking part in lively discussions on end of life care. She spoke live to BBC Radio Two from Nairobi during an event there. 

Time spent volunteering has inspired Hilary in other ways too; poetry collections, a play, a novel and other writings have all been enriched by things she has seen, heard, and experienced at hospices. ‘My own beloved father died in the Princess Alice after a seven week stay and it was enlightening to experience its work from the receiving end.’ 

After some time spent living abroad, Hilary is now back in the UK and living in Cambridge. Although she’s no longer a local, her time as a Princess Alice Hospice volunteer is still close to her heart. She’s delighted that so many volunteers have followed in her footsteps, donating not just their time, but in many cases their skills and expertise, to allow the Hospice to carry on developing and meeting the changing needs of our local community. ‘I came to appreciate that not only did each country have to interpret the idea of hospice to their own specific situation, but that this was true from hospice to hospice. There were seven hospices in Greater Auckland, New Zealand, and each was different, and rightly so. The Princess Alice has its own character to this day and the demography of its volunteers has grown and adapted in its own local way.’ 

“When I came to the UK from Lithuania in 2013 my English was limited and I had trouble finding work. I decided to volunteer when I saw a leaflet in my local Hospice shop. The staff were always lovely and it’s one of the nicest charity shops I’ve been in, so it was an easy choice.

I loved volunteering so much and continued to do it for almost a year in the shop. I then applied for the supervisor job, and did that for two years, then I was made shop manager for a further two years before moving to the Hospice volunteer team. I am currently the Volunteer Recruitment Manager.

Volunteering is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I found it an extremely rewarding experience, I feel proud I am able to contribute to an amazing cause and it’s provided a lot of new opportunities for me.

Whether it is because you want to find new friends, help your local community, get work experience or even improve your English skills (like me) I would say just do it and see where it will lead you!”

If you are interested in finding out where it could take you, why not come to one of our introduction to volunteering events or explore our current roles. 

Nicky qualified as a physio 34 years ago and has worked for Princess Alice Hospice for over 8 years. She currently works as part of the Hospice at Home team, providing care for people in their own homes. Team working is what Nicky loves about her job – working within the Multi Pofessional Team, working holistically and problem solving with patient and families.

Nicky works part-time 3 days per week, and during a typical week she’ll see around 6 patients in their homes but will call or liaise with at least 15 more.  Her day typically starts at around 7.45, with a quick of check emails for any urgent or important messages.  She may then attend team meetings and will liaise with Occupantional Therapy colleagues to discuss potential joint visits.  The rest of the day will then be filled with calling patients, giving advice, triage referrals, managing her caseload, loading her car with equipment and carrying out visits, back heading back to the office or home to write up notes.  Some days she has meetings, team teaching, supervision of other physios or service development.  Nicky is also part of a physio forum with other palliative care physios to share ideas, education and support.

Nicky is very much motivated by being able to help people achieve their goals – one example she recalls “was visiting a patient in a nursing home who was bedbound and helping her achieve her goal of going back home – this was achieved over the course of 6 months of rehabilitation and the patient went home independent with personal care and mobility.”

You can see Nicky in action in our ‘Think again’ video which provides a bit more insight into the compassionate care provided out and about in our local communities:

Sylwia is Care Home Manager at Birtley House in Bramley, Surrey.  Here she explains how she has working with Princess Alice Hospice to expand her knowledge and skills regarding palliative and end of life care.

”The quality of training and knowledge delivered to us over the years by Princess Alice Hospice has been absolutely brilliant. We see them as being the ‘go to’ experts in End Of Life Care and the courses attended by my colleagues have been outstanding. 

I’m extremely proud to have been involved in setting up this Share and Learn Network for everybody who works in care homes within Princess Alice Hospice’s care area. The need for sharing knowledge, skills, practical advice and support – and sometime just a listening ear – has never been greater. The effects of the pandemic have been enormous on all care homes and we know we have to do more to support everybody involved in helping deliver the care to the people we look after and their families. I love the idea of people from different care homes, in different roles, all coming together easily and regularly to learn from each other and being able to provide support and guidance, too. I’d really encourage you to join us and begin your own sharing and learning journey in a supportive and friendly environment, both online and in person.”  

As a resident of the Borough of Richmond upon Thames for over 40 years, Sheila has always been aware of Princess Alice Hospice – ‘living in the borough, you can’t help but know about it’ – but it was the care provided to a close family friend by the Hospice that demonstrated the true value of their services to her.

For the last 9 years, Sheila and her husband have lived in Twickenham. Over the years, they have travelled abroad extensively with their work, raised three daughters, and now have grandchildren living close by and in Singapore. Five years ago, Sheila’s husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour, for which he was treated successfully. Around the same time, the consultancy firm Sheila was working for was bought out and the culture changed dramatically; it was also around this time that the couple became grandparents. At 64 years old, Sheila felt these significant life events were a sign that it the right time to retire and begin focusing on different things.

Retirement soon became busy with activities including Bridge games, acting as PA to her husband, swimming and spending time with her first grandchild. One day Sheila chatted to a neighbour who, at that time, was managing the Princess Alice Hospice shop in Twickenham. Sheila was keen to forge closer links in her local community and began volunteering at the shop, starting by steaming donated items of clothing in the back room. Sadly, Sheila’s mother died shortly after she began the role and she took some time off before returning – today she is proud to have earnt her 5-year volunteering badge and is quickly heading towards 10 years!

Fast forward to 2022 and the Twickenham shop has moved to a more prominent location on the high street. Sheila says:

‘I love interacting with the public, I don’t want to spend my time working in an office because I did that for so many years. I’ve been told I have a good eye and I love the way the shop managers take such pride in their work; they do colour banding so that clothes are grouped by shades of colour and it’s really eye catching when customers walk in. I get involved with all aspects of the shop – sometimes I’m asked to look up a donated item on the iPad so I spend time researching similar things to find out what we should charge for it.’

Attention to detail is a prerequisite of the volunteering role – if a 100-piece jigsaw is donated, then Sheila will need to count and check that all 100 pieces are in the box, to ensure the items sold are of a consistently high quality. Sheila recalls one customer mistaking the shop for a new clothes boutique due to the beautiful range of items on offer, asking if she had a particular dress in a size 12!

It’s clear that Sheila takes great pride in the role and she enjoys spreading the word about the work of Princess Alice Hospice within her local community. As well as raising vital funds for the Hospice services, the shops perform other important functions in their local areas, too: some customers are lonely and Sheila recognises that chatting to her might be the only time they’re able to engage in conversation that day.

When asked what the impact of COVID-19 has been, Sheila says she was keen to return to the shop once it reopened after the lockdowns; after two vaccinations and a booster, she resumed her role and adhered to the safety measures that were put in place, some of which are still in place now. The biggest change Sheila has noticed is the move away from cash to contactless payments from customers, a change that is here to stay.

Sheila’s advice to anybody thinking of volunteering in their local Princess Alice Hospice shop would be:

‘‘I do one morning a week and I’ve received hundreds of compliments about how beautiful we make the shop. I love being part of the team and enjoy the team spirit we have, it’s great that we get to spend time with people of all ages. Of all charities I support, it’s the one I choose give my time to, because I get so much out of it. I’m very, very lucky to be fit and active, and I love to be out and about. All of us in the Twickenham shop volunteer for just half a day and there’s plenty of flexibility. I’d say to anybody considering volunteering to give it a go. It’s not a huge commitment of your time and Princess Alice Hospice will be so grateful. I had to be trained on using the till but I was given the time I needed, and if you have a particular interest, say in music or books, you can often weave that into your role. Go for it!’’

Noor is very much a people person. For eight years now she has volunteered in Princess Alice’s Twickenham shop (and for ten years before that she had a similar role with Cancer Research). Before she retired, all her work was in customer-facing roles – British Gas, Harrods to name just two – and Noor is now also a befriender and receptionist at Age UK.

“I love what I do in the Princess Alice Hospice shop,” says Noor. “It gives me the chance to meet so many different people  –  and to practise so many skills.” One of those skills is her positive mindset, which Noor believes attracts more positivity from others. She loves walking round the shop floor, talking to customers, and helping them find what they want. So, a customer happy to find just the right shoes is even happier when Noor points them to the perfect matching bag.

Noor comes into the shop focussed on her day’s target – but for service, not just for sales. “If a customer isn’t sure about something, I’ll remind them to keep the receipt so they can change it later. I get into the shop early, so I can have a good look round at the stock, ready to offer advice and feedback.”  Really, a Harrods-level of service!

Of course, most customers are lovely  – but from time to time Noor is called on to use another of her skills, her straight talking. Being assertive can come in handy to pacify an awkward customer, or to challenge (and keep a straight face with) someone who’s trying to bargain down a price.

Noor has always enjoyed learning, and this includes understanding how gadgets work. See that charcoal iron in the window (rather a niche collector’s item)? If a customer wants to know about it, Noor will be able to explain its features and how it works.

Noor says she’s sometimes thought about writing about her life. She’s overcome many problems over recent years:  “I appreciate life,” she says, “and I’d encourage anyone who is thinking of volunteering to give it a try. I could certainly write a book about my experiences as a volunteer.”

Compassionate Neighbour, Anne, originally qualified as a midwife and has been nursing for over 40 years, including a period of time spent working as a bank nurse at Princess Alice Hospice when her children were younger. For the last 10 years, she has worked in a safeguarding role for young people at Kingston Hospital. In 2018, and with her own children now grown up, Anne was keen to give a few hours a week to a volunteering role, which is how she found out about the Compassionate Neighbour scheme run by the Hospice; drawn to the idea of giving something back to her community, Anne decided to sign up for the weekend of training, which included role-playing many different scenarios to prepare her and others for situations that Compassionate Neighbours might come across, which Anne found both useful and enjoyable. Soon after the training, Anne was matched with a lady called Stella, who had recently been referred to the scheme; Stella was 98 years old, bed bound and living by herself, with the help of carers, in a maisonette in Surbiton.

At their first meeting at Stella’s home, Anne felt very lucky that she had been matched with this extremely independent lady and enjoyed her visits from the outset. They soon settled into a comfortable routine which continues to this day: Anne tends to pop round one evening in the week and on Saturdays, having done some shopping for Stella and taking a few of her favourite things: the Daily Mail newspaper and tv guide, a packet of scones and some lemon drizzle cake. As Anne says, ‘it’s been a real eye opener to me, Stella is happy with what she has – her TV, her cakes and a warm room, she’s happy to have a big window to look out of and watch the clouds.’ The pair have spent time talking about Stella’s memories of the Great War, and she’s entertained Anne with her stories of D-Day celebrations on Wimbledon Common. Stella used to have dogs and is a real animal lover, so she loves it when Anne’s dog, Betty, comes to visit and she’s able to feed him treats. Other members of Anne’s family have enjoyed getting to know Stella, too, and if Anne can’t make her weekly visits her daughter, Abby, is happy to pop along with her own dog, Betty’s brother, Sid: ‘Stella likes to have young people around her and she adores Abi,’ says Anne, ‘her eyes light up when she sees her.’

What has the impact of being a Compassionate Neighbour been on Anne’s own life? As she herself says, ‘I feel very lucky I was matched with Stella. She’s never overstepped the mark with what she expects from me. I’m not trying to replace a family member and we’re not ‘gushy’ or ‘huggy’ with one another, but she knows she can rely on me and we enjoy one another’s company. My sister, Liz, has also met her and we’ve said that with our own mum no longer being around, Stella fills a bit of a void and I’m doing what I’d be doing for her if she was still alive – getting her some shopping, checking up on her.’

What would Anne’s advice be to anybody who may be considering becoming a Compassionate Neighbour? ‘I think it’s really important to remember you’re in that person’s home. They often won’t see many other people at all and so you have to know how long you should stay. It can be exhausting for them, so 15 minutes of good quality time is better than staying for hours. It’s a two-way thing as well, if it becomes a chore and you don’t look forward to seeing the person then it’s not going to work because they will pick up on that.’ Anne feels very lucky to have been matched with Stella, there are elements of her own personality that she recognises in her and it’s clear they have become close. Anne will be retiring from nursing soon and is very proud that Abby has just qualified as a nurse and is also now working at Kingston Hospital. But Anne will definitely continue her twice-weekly visits to Stella, accompanied by Betty: ‘I saw straightaway that Stella is her own person, she doesn’t always want a lot of conversation but she’s very happy to sit with Sid up on her bed. A while ago she had to go to a nursing home, which she really didn’t enjoy because she values her independence. She was so happy to get back to her cosy flat, which she has just the way she wants it; she’s got her boxes with things in and her lamp with a low bulb, but it’s just how she likes it.’ It’s clear that Anne has a huge impact on Stella’s life, too, and helps her to continue living in a way that suits her.

Thinking about volunteering? Find out more about our Compassionate Neighbour role or other volunteering roles.

I started volunteering at Princess Alice Hospice after taking a career break to raise my children. Previously, I had worked in government social housing for the elderly for over 10 years, then volunteered with Age UK providing information and advice; supporting patients at Epsom Hospital and advising on services available in their local community.

When it came to volunteering at the Hospice, I was looking for a community-based role and initially enquired about becoming a Compassionate Neighbour back in 2019, but the Planning Ahead role was a better fit with my skills. As a Planning Ahead volunteer, I help a patient or community member record their wishes and needs regarding their future and their end-of-life plans. It’s about listening, talking, and giving information to facilitate making informed choices. The importance of the role is also that it reassures the person that these decisions can be talked about with family or close friends, which is something we encourage. This aspect of the role is very rewarding, although you don’t always get to see the result. It has helped me have these conversations with my own family, too.

I had no prior connection to the Hospice before I began volunteering here, but my own experience of bereavement has shown me the importance of family members knowing what someone would want. This wasn’t always the case and made a stressful time even more difficult. If there had been a Planning Ahead process, this would have given us more direction as to what they wanted.

You need some resilience to do this role. This helps because when starting along this journey, a person can experience a range of emotions including anger and vulnerability. You also need to be impartial and not influence them at all and keep in mind that you are there to help and facilitate the process, but the decisions are theirs. Their funeral wishes or care choices might not be the same as yours and it is important to respect that.

Since starting back in 2019, the role of a volunteer has changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions of not being able to meet people face-to-face. However, I have had telephone calls instead and this has worked well. In 2020, I also decided to become a Compassionate Neighbour too (the role I originally applied for back in 2019) and this is about providing a listening ear and identifying how they a person can improve their life by finding activities they may enjoy, as well as finding purpose in their life.

I enjoy volunteering at Princess Alice Hospice as it offers flexibility, and the training and support is excellent. That’s why I’m now doing two roles! If anyone was to ask me about volunteering at the Hospice, I would say ‘do it, and don’t be put off by the word ‘hospice’’. It is supporting people towards the end of their lives but is such a positive place. We help give control to the person, giving them confidence together with the supportive environment at Princess Alice. It is very rewarding knowing you have made a difference to someone’s life.

Senior Staff Nurse Lisa came to nursing later in life, following years of working  in other roles including payroll and childcare, though undergoing surgery at the age of 19 did sparked her initial interest in nursing.

Lisa began studying at university in 2010, following years  of working in other fields prior to this. In her final year  as a student nurse, Lisa’s last placement was with the Hospice: “I was living in Hersham at the time and I arrived as a student nurse in April 2013 for 12 weeks. I live in Chessington now and I’ve been here ever since. I loved my placement and believed I found what true nursing was all about. Princess Alice is the most amazing place to work as a nurse and I feel truly proud and privileged to be here.”

Lisa attributes this to the support of her colleagues, and the unique approach that the Hospice takes to delivering personalised, end of life care. But at times, it has felt difficult to provide that same care under the cloud of COVID-19: “COVID has put a few barriers in the way of how we normally work. Having to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) means our patients and families can’t feel our touch properly as we hold their hand for comfort and support. Wearing masks has made us more aware of smiling with our eyes, but we’ve missed talking easily to patients and families. We’ve missed lots of things: the Christmas Day carol singers on the ward, our amazing volunteers serving tea and cake, just the general ‘hubbub’ of families and friends visiting. We’ve had to restrict our visiting policy in line with government guidelines, which we’ve all found really tough – I had to explain to a patient that his best friend wasn’t allowed to visit. Creating the best experiences for people at the end of life is at the core of everything we stand for, but still we’ve managed to host a wedding blessing for a father we cared for and we’ve all become good with FaceTime, connecting relatives and friends with their loved ones on phones or iPads.”

Despite the challenges, Lisa feels lucky she was able to continue working throughout the lockdowns, saying that “here on the In Patient Unit (IPU) we are closer than we were before, we’ve become one large support bubble.” With the ‘COVID cloud’ continuing to hang over everybody, Lisa feels that the IPU is now starting to look a little less tired – ‘just like me’ – and is hopeful that people can start to feel more hopeful about the days ahead.

Along with her team colleagues, Lisa has just returned to a refreshed work environment, following the two week closure of the IPU whilst it underwent essential maintenance, eco-friendly upgrades and refurbishments. During this time, the team was asked to take one week of annual leave and spend the other being redeployed to different departments within the Hospice, including our fundraising, community engagement and retail teams: “It was a great opportunity to learn how the other departments work. It’s made me appreciate how much we all rely on each other too, we literally couldn’t continue to care for our patients if our colleagues and fundraisers didn’t continue to raise funds to support our work. The support we receive from our local community is really overwhelming and we are all so grateful.”

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Please give us a little background about yourself

I’m a freelance health economist and health services researcher. I’ve been a non-executive director of NHS Trusts and a consultant to various pharmaceutical companies and NHS bodies. I enjoy cycling, including taking members of a blind cyclists’ club on my tandem. You might also find me supporting AFC Wimbledon, and in the Princess Alice Hospice Man Shed, doing some woodcarving with friends.

Why did you volunteer for PAH?

I saw an ad in the Guardian! It asked for people to volunteer as a trustee, and I thought I’d be able to bring some useful and interesting experience. I don’t have any personal connections with the Hospice, but I’ve always been interested in the hospice movement, and I was keen to learn how Princess Alice Hospice fits with the NHS.

What is your role(s) and what are your main responsibilities as a volunteer?

As a trustee I sit on the Board, of course, and also on three committees – Audit; Clinical Strategy and Governance; and People and Communities. A good spread which means I get a wide view of the work of the Hospice.

I’m also a Compassionate Neighbour. This means I’m paired with someone in the community, who has connections with the Hospice. They might be nearing the end of their life, and perhaps lonely or socially isolated. I meet them once a week to offer companionship, emotional support, a listening ear. This might be over a cup of coffee, or during a walk.

What volunteering challenges have you encountered?

I suppose the biggest challenge is overcoming my fear that I might not get it right! This is probably quite a common worry  –  and I’m very grateful for the Compassionate Neighbour (CN) training and the support of the CN network.

Any heart-warming moments?

In a way, this is the flipside of the previous question. I’ve enjoyed being able to get to know people I would otherwise never have had the chance of meeting, and building a relationship over a few weeks.

Of course, over the last year Covid has meant that, like everyone, I’ve had to adapt to meeting people over Zoom. Not ideal, but better than nothing – and it’s made the emergence from lockdown especially meaningful.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with Princess Alice Hospice?

I really appreciate being associated with the Hospice  –  it’s an organisation to be proud of. I’ve also learned a lot about different ways of looking at bereavement.

What would you say to anyone considering volunteering for Princess Alice Hospice?

Go for it  –  don’t be afraid! You won’t be thrown in at the deep end in whatever role you opt for  –  you’ll have appropriate training, and there is an enormous amount of support, so you never need to feel alone.

“I started working at Princess Alice as a junior doctor in January, expecting to move to another setting in March, but coronavirus has meant there have been none of those planned rotations.

“I feel thankful to be working here at this time though. Despite everything that’s happened, I haven’t had to change the way I care for my patients, although when I’m wearing my PPE mask, it can be harder to communicate and convey empathy through facial expressions.

“In the early days of the outbreak, it was worrying when we didn’t have enough PPE, but the local community was amazing and thankfully we now have a good supply. In March I tested positive for the virus myself, which meant I was forced to self-isolate at home, where I live with my Mum. To be honest, I was more worried about her and I felt guilty about risking her health, but fortunately she has remained well. The impact on families has been particularly difficult to see. We’ve had to impose strict visiting restrictions, which can make it harder to get to know and support families of patients in our care: difficult conversations are far better face to face than over the phone.

“Everybody has been so supportive, both here at the Hospice and out in the community, and with everything going on it’s been as good as it can be. There are days when I go home, and I’m just quiet, I don’t have the strength to talk about it to my Mum, but I’m taking each day as it comes and I’m glad to be here.”

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Members of the team

‘’We’ve continued to visit our patients in their homes, some who have been coronavirus-positive,  and it’s really shown me how much our care is needed at the moment. For people caring for a partner or family member at home, social distancing has meant they no longer have their usual family network of support, which adds a lot of pressure. Early on, our community showed their support by providing food parcels for us to take to those who couldn’t get to the shops. Local sewing groups have been making gowns and scrubs for our ward staff and we’ve had masks and goggles donated from local schools and companies; the support has been amazing and has helped keep us safe.

“Wearing PPE masks has been difficult for some of our patients, they can feel like a barrier between us – especially for those who are deaf and rely on lip reading. We’ve had to ask family members to relay what we’re saying sometimes, which slows down our care and can make it feel less personal.

“Like most of my colleagues, my family has been very worried about me coming to work, but they understand why I need to be here. We’ve had to stick to really strict routines around showering and changing clothes before I spend time with my two young children at home. But I feel very lucky to work with such a close-knit, dedicated team, we’re all doing our bit, doing our best. I feel it is an honour and a privilege to look after patients at their most vulnerable and that families trust us to do so.’’

To support us by making a donation click here.

”My name is Patti Owen. In September 2013 my dear husband Nigel died at the Hospice after a three week stay. The care Nigel was given was fantastic and his own words when he got there were, ‘I am so pleased and grateful to be at Princess Alice.’ The care was extended to my four children and myself and we were able to stay with him 24/7.

After Nigel died, the support I received was incredible with phone calls, bereavement sessions, walk and talk and then an invitation to join the Hospice choir. I would never have got through that time without the wonderful support I was given.

I felt I wanted to give back a little of my time to say thank you to PA, so I joined the Dovetail group and a lot of fundraising events – and after two years, a walk and talk leader and the early bereavement cafe.

Through all these groups I have made so many very caring friends and in the last four years have been on holidays with 3 groups. Volunteering was my saviour and I know without that it would have been a much harder road to climb, so my very grateful thanks to Princess Alice Hospice.”

Sarah

Before Covid 19 hit the UK I had been a compassionate neighbour to a lady who lost her husband last year and needed a friendly person to talk to.  We would go out for a walk and talk through her worries and concerns.  We have adapted our walk to now doing a video call once a week so that she still has my support and a chance to talk.

I am now also writing to an elderly gentleman who is in a residential home and who doesn’t have any family. I send him cards and letters to give him a little something to hopefully look forward to and bring a smile to his face. I am also doing shopping and getting prescriptions for a lady on palliative care who lives around the corner from me.  Her daughter, who is unable to leave her house, rings me with a list and I pop it round to her Mum where a nurse will take it in.

In times like these, I feel a lot of people are going above and beyond helping others and being caring and compassionate neighbours.

Lynne

I chose to be a Compassionate Neighbour for the Hospice in order to help community members who would value some additional support.  I was matched after lockdown was implemented and so whilst undertaking regular calls I have yet to meet my Community Member in person!  Nevertheless, through regular contact we are slowly getting to know each other and given the difficult times many are currently facing, it is rewarding to know that in some small way my regular calls are helping someone whose social circle has been  impacted as a result of lockdown.

I am a textile artist and when the full horrors of what was in store for us and the shortage of PPE became apparent I realised I could use my textile skills to help. I started to make face masks and drawstring bags for the NHS and carers using fabric from my own stash – and when I ran out I asked my neighbours for donations of duvet covers, sheets and bedding they no longer wanted. I have since joined the Epsom and St Helier Scrubs Group and make scrub caps for them, as well as making face masks for the staff at Princess Alice Hospice, GP Surgeries and friends.

I enjoy sewing so making PPE has made me feel useful and has given me a sense of purpose throughout the coronavirus crisis.

Alyson joined Princess Alice Hospice as a Volunteer Gardener 18 years ago, when she found herself with some spare time while her children were at school and wanting to do something to help her local community. Alyson is now an established part of a team of 15 Volunteer Gardeners who manage our beautiful gardens around the Hospice; their weekly activities include planning and planting different areas, as well as mowing, weeding, watering and keeping everything in order.

During the coronavirus situation Alyson has continued to come to the Hospice each fortnight to help with the most necessary tasks and to keep garden as lovely as possible; ‘It’s a marvellous place of peace and care,’ she says, ‘the time I spend each week in the Princess Alice Hospice garden is the piece of my week that always raises my spirits.’

Families and friends of patients often come outside to chat to her about the lovely grounds; as Alison says, ‘I am a keen amateur gardener so I take great delight in volunteering in a garden that benefits other people.’

Alyson also speaks very highly of her fellow volunteers: ‘Our gardening team is fantastic and I consider them all to be personal and valued friends as well and as volunteering colleagues! All the staff here are exceptional and Princess Alice Hospice is a fantastic place!’

“Mum, can I have a go at that?” is a refrain heard by parents of youngsters keen to have a go at doing things grown-ups do.
Family volunteering at Princess Alice Hospice means youngsters aged seven and over can now support the charity by helping alongside their parents or carers in various roles.

One parent who’s grabbed the opportunity to encourage her 10-year-old to try something new and take on some responsibility, has found it’s a win-win situation.

Angela Grimes both works at the Hospice and volunteers at events – accompanied by 10-year-old Fred, who lends a hand under the watchful eye of his Mum.

“I’ve done quite a bit so far,” said Fred, who goes to school in Banstead. “I helped at the summer fete – setting up the stalls, working alongside grown-ups.”

He’s particularly keen on helping the facilities team, who make sure the events at the Hospice run without any technical issues. He’s also turned his hand to helping at the annual Towpath Trundle and Light Up A Life events – fetching and carrying and making sure the events are all set up to run smoothly.

Angela said: “It really is a great way of us spending family time together, being busy – and volunteering for the Hospice means Fred knows his contribution is doing something positive in the community.

“It’s helped him gain confidence and learn life lessons in a pleasant environment – being part of the ‘backroom’ team at events gives him a great boost and sense of achievement.

“He’s gained experience of mixing with people of all ages – and made friends with a number of people who he’d never have otherwise had the chance to meet.”

Volunteering Manager Vanessa Hill said she and her colleagues had become aware that families would welcome the chance to volunteer as a group and be an active part of their local community.

She said: “Volunteering as a family can be a fun leisure activity – for example helping at fundraising events such as the Santa Fun Run.”

Fred and his Mum will be at this year’s Santa Fun Run, helping set up and hand out Santa suits, then act as marshalls to guide runners around one of the 5km courses.

Vanessa said: “We need more family volunteers like Fred and Angela at the Santa Fun Run. Other suitable roles which we’re very keen to see families doing together, are Community Fundraisers and Compassionate Neighbours.

“Community Fundraisers do things like distributing leaflets locally, as a family liaising with local shops and businesses who have collection tins – collecting them and returning them to Princess Alice Hospice.

“We also need Compassionate Neighbours – again, done as a family, to visit a person locally and provide social support by chatting, going for walks, playing games, having a cup of tea and so on.”

The family volunteering scheme is designed with the volunteers’ safety at the forefront.

Vanessa said “Children have to be seven and over and must volunteer with a registered family member. To volunteer as Compassionate Neighbours there will be a training programme and interview process to be completed.

“The young people would never be expected to undertake any of these roles on their own; we expect their adult family member to be with them at all times.

“We want to recognise the contribution and commitment young people make, embed volunteering and be the start of their relationship with Princess Alice Hospice.”

Martin Osborn, Hospice Facilities Manager, said: “I think it’s a great idea to involve younger family members in volunteering at the Hospice events; extra pairs of hands are always welcome and it offers a chance for children to gain confidence and experience of helping others in a practical way.

“Fred had been a delight to work with and is always welcome in our team.”

The time commitment for each role varies – some are one-off events while others ask for a regular commitment.

Each adult family volunteer can be accompanied by two young volunteers from their family.

To find out more and discover the opportunities opening up now, contact the Volunteering Team at [email protected] 01372 461856. For Santa Fun Runs volunteering, visit https://www.pah.org.uk/santafunrun/about-us/volunteering/

One of the most unusual volunteer roles among the many at Princess Alice Hospice, has been held for more than a decade by Leo Tye. Leo – short for Leonora – is a volunteer buyer, meaning she sources items for the Hospice shops, which might not otherwise be available via donations.

Over the years Leo has sourced a diverse range of products including greeting cards, telescopic umbrellas, jewellery, scarves, woolly hats & gloves, cushions, rugs. She has also worked closely with the Man Shed team for several years to create our own exclusive Christmas tree decorations. She has a team of volunteers to cord up the decorations with our distinctive red & white cords.

Now more than 15 years retired from a career as a John Lewis buyer, she has an eye for suitable items and is skilled in negotiating the best deals from suppliers in order to offer good value at the Hospice shops.

Leo is also the driving force behind the Own Brand range of the Hospice’s popular Christmas cards. With the selected supplier, she chooses the designs & makes any amendments to improve the images. She also ensures the chosen supplier meets our Own Brand requirements for responsible sourcing and visits the factory to check production.

All the cards & envelopes are entirely recyclable having eliminated plastic and glitter. She’s managed to do this without having to raise prices so the cards cost the customer the same, and are kinder to the environment.

She researches the latest styles and popularity of theme, market prices and puts together a range of cards to suit people’s budgets from basic to luxury.

The annual process starts in the November of the previous year – so this autumn sees her gearing up for Christmas next year.

“The theme of peace and joy is eternally popular,” she said. “And we always have cards to appeal to all denominations.”

Sales are buoyant, she says – underlined by the fact that the Hospice shops sell thousands of packs of Christmas cards between them.

“The job is very rewarding, and I am part of a fabulous team,” says Leo, who’s been based at both the Hospice in Esher and the Retail Hub in Hersham.

If you would like to view our range of Christmas cards and make an order, please click here

Jenny fits in her role as bereavement support volunteer alongside a very busy life in retirement and has found not only deep satisfaction from the work, but enduring friendships as well.

Jenny  has lived in Shepperton for about six years – where she moved to be closer to her two sons and their families, after her husband, Jim, died in 2013. Married for 50 years, they had been enjoying retirement in Norfolk for 20 years. After her husband’s death, Jenny’s brother David also died – which she said was “very hard”.

“I felt the need to make a new life, and at the same time be a little closer to my sons without being a burden to them,” she said. “They are both around an hour away which works well for us all.”

Settling in to her life in Surrey, she met someone who already volunteered at the Hospice – and who suggested she might be interested in a bereavement support role.

The main aim of the role is to provide bereavement support to bereaved families and friends after the death of patients who have been under the care of the hospice.

Jenny’s varied career in performing arts and then teaching and as a social services children’s adviser, had honed her people skills and provided experience that would prove invaluable in her volunteering role.

She said: “In my social services job – as under-eights adviser to nurseries and childminders – it was essential to be non-judgemental, a skill that is sometimes needed when working with clients.”

She went along to an open evening at the Hospice: “I was very impressed by the whole atmosphere.

“Having in the past been involved in all sorts of events, mainly to do with my children’s schools, Scouts and so on, I felt that a change of direction would be interesting and rewarding.”

Jenny’s initial work was as a telephone volunteer – which she started after a short training period.

“You do this from home, at a time to suit yourself,” she said – which fitted in very well with her other regular activities. She’s a keen dog walker and bridge player, also finding time to fit in a psychology course, amateur theatre and travelling.

“Generally we were asked to contact around 10 clients a month and feedback was given at a monthly meeting,” she said. “This was a gentle start over a period of about a year to what became a pathway to the fascinating, sometimes challenging route via the more intensive training to become a member of the 1-1 support team.”

She felt ready to move on to another role – bereavement support volunteer, based at the Hospice itself in Esher.

“The training took three months – a whole day each week with an obligation to write quite an in depth journal at the end of each session,” she said. “It was necessary to have an interview before being accepted on to the course, plus one at the end before I was accepted on to the team.

“The course was intensive and challenging, but hugely stimulating and enjoyable .We got to know each other in considerable depth. Friendships were made, many of which continue today.”

She finds the supporting structure behind the role very reassuring.

“We get huge support, advice when it’s needed and ongoing training, which is really useful.

“As volunteers we are very well looked after and are made to feel valued,” she said.

Jenny said that, as bereavement support volunteers are expected to support a minimum of three people at a time, life can get busy; however appointments are made at mutually agreeable times, so it is possible to work round other commitments.

“We see people in the early stages of bereavement, sometimes overwhelmed by their grief – or maybe taking on too much on a daily basis to cover or hide their pain,” she said.

“It is extremely rewarding when a client begins to see a chink of light in their darkness; also witnessing their sense of relief that much of what they are experiencing is normal.

“We cannot offer solutions or wave a magic wand, but we can help them find their own way down what can be a very bumpy road.”

There are challenges as a 1-1 supporter. Some families have very complicated histories and ongoing issues, and sometimes clients wander away from the central issue of their particular loss.

Jenny said: “It is therefore important to keep them focussed.

“While empathising with clients it can never be about us.

“Over a period of 12 sessions we are privy to very private and personal information about people, but we have to maintain boundaries. This can occasionally be difficult.”

She said clients appreciate the opportunity to sit in a quiet room with someone who is completely impartial and non-judgemental – that anything they say is totally confidential.

“They come on a weekly basis if possible and they appreciate that it is their time and that they can be completely open and honest about their feelings,” she said

Bereavement support volunteers are expected to attend regular remembrance meetings where relatives can look at their loved one’s name in the Book of Remembrance. Jenny does every other month.

She’s also looking forward to an additional role at the Hospice; accompanying a new Pets As Therapy dog, which she already looks after regularly and which has been assessed and accepted as suitable.

For more information about the volunteering roles in Bereavement Support at Princess Alice Hospice, contact the Volunteering team on 01372 461856 or email [email protected]

Alison and Stuart were childhood sweethearts who moved to London from a small village in the north east of Scotland in 1982. They intended to stay for two years, but Alison is still here. Being away from all her family made Stuart’s diagnosis all the more difficult. Stuart was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, which started as a small mole on his leg, in 2001. Over the next 18 months the cancer spread and by Christmas 2002, he was unable to walk. The cancer had also spread to other areas in his body, including his brain, changing his personality.
“Stuart became very angry at being unwell and decided not to tell his family in Scotland the full extent of the cancer. They knew he was ill, but were unaware of how ill he really was, which put incredible pressure on me, but I knew it was Stuarts way of coping.

Whilst I could do whatever I could to help in a practical way, I felt I couldn’t help him with his emotions. I was also feeling overwhelmed and worried about our two sons, Iain and Alex who were only nine and 12 at the time. After having to call an ambulance on 27th December just to get him in to bed, Stuart was referred to the Hospice. An appointment with his consultant at St Georges Hospital on January 3rd 2003, told us both that Stuart had already lived for nine months longer than was expected, so we actually left that meeting in quite good spirits knowing that we’d had more time together. Stuart was still very angry though, the Chaplaincy Team at the Hospice visited him regularly and with all the positivity of the staff he came into contact with, they helped him to lose his fear and accept what was happening, he then became peaceful and content. ‘The boys began to spend a lot of time at the Hospice and were always welcomed and chatted to by staff and volunteers. They never felt scared and when Stuart died on 14th January, the boys were supported by the Bereavement Team who helped them enormously.

They wouldn’t talk to me for fear of upsetting me and I knew they were keeping it to themselves, so the support they received was invaluable. In the years that followed, I went back to work, but my youngest son Iain really struggled, thinking his mum wasn’t coming home every day. I called the Hospice to see if they could point me in the right direction in terms of some help for him and before I knew it, the very same bereavement counsellor was on my doorstep. I couldn’t quite believe that after two years, the Hospice would still support us. They never abandoned us. What they did for us was above and beyond what I would have expected. I knew then that I would do something for the Hospice, but I didn’t know what or when.

Then in December 2018, a neighbour of mine was admitted and I came to the Hospice to visit. I felt then that I could come back and offer my help in return for all the help the Hospice gave me and my boys and so I applied to be a volunteer and was accepted. Now I am an Ambassador and Community Fundraiser and get involved in all sorts of volunteering ranging from organising collecting tins for local shops and GP surgeries to speaking to children at local schools about the Hospice and the care it provides. I never know what I am going to be asked to do and I really like that. When I was working in London, I was part of a large team and I am now part of the Hospice team. I enjoy it so much.”

Retired project manager Fiona Bath has used her working life skills in a variety of roles since becoming an events project co-ordinator volunteer for Princess Alice Hospice.

Having spent the final 11 years of her employment in property development and refurbishment projects – spending countless hours driving all over the country – she decided to decompress for a few months before taking up any new pursuits.

Her first forays into active retirement have been to take up yoga, walking, going to the gym and starting a three-year garden design diploma course.

“I love gardening and wanted to keep my brain active,” she said.

It was yoga that led her to Princess Alice – via a fellow yoga student who is a garden volunteer at the Hospice’s Esher base and who recommended she give volunteering a go.

Fiona, who lives in Epsom, had often driven past the building on her daily commute – she once worked for Air Products in Hersham. She knew about the Hospice because friends and colleagues had been cared for there over the years.

Having checked out the volunteering opportunities on the website, Fiona was attracted to the events project co-ordinator role because it requires an array of the skills she has learned and developed during her working life.

She added: “It offers a variety of things to get involved in, doesn’t require regular commitment and you can dip in and out as much as you wish.”

After a simple recruitment process, Fiona became a member of the Community & Events Team.

She has since joined in or helped organise a host of events and activities at the Hospice and further afield, meeting dozens of new people and expanding her experiences.

Her first foray into events was to co-host a get-together at the Hospice, for a group of fundraising walkers at Easter. This has been followed by joining cheer stations for the London Marathon and Ride London, contributing to the Towpath Trundle and Summer Fete with this year’s Santa Fun Run already penciled in.

She was tasked with handling the summer fete live music bookings, co-ordinating the performance timetable, liaising with the bands and performers, and drawing up a layout for the fete.

Her project management background came in very useful, as she found herself within her comfort zone in a different setting.

On the day, apart from her responsibility for the music offering, she said she also found herself pitching in and helping out in other roles as and when – which she admits was thoroughly enjoyable, if a little tiring.

“I roped in my husband, Paul, as well – popped him in a Hospice tee-shirt, and we spent a lovely day. By the end, we were ready for home, but having really enjoyed ourselves along the way.”

The highlights of volunteering for Fiona are the variety of the roles, the flexibility, ability to undertake some of the admin side at home in the evenings or weekends – which means she doesn’t compromise any of her leisure or learning activities.

“Overall, the satisfaction of having made a difference is a great feeling,” she said.

>>>> The events project co-ordinator role has a few criteria to consider, for anyone thinking it might suit them to take part.

Desirable skills and personal qualities:

• Experience of event organising/project management
• Trustworthy and reliable
• Friendly and approachable
• Passion for the Hospice and good knowledge of the services we provide
• Outgoing and willing to be ‘hands-on’
• Good knowledge of the services we offer
• A commitment to our values of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect and excellence

For more information visit https://www.pah.org.uk/join-our-team/want-volunteer/volunteering-roles/

It was while working on his own allotment that Richard came across an ideal opportunity to volunteer for the Hospice. Last autumn the Hospice had acquired an overgrown allotment  and was looking for someone to help bring it back to life. Having recently become ‘semi’ retired, the timing was perfect for Richard to become the Hospice’s first allotment volunteer.

“It just happened by chance,” says Richard. “I’ve now got more time to do different things. I knew about the Hospice because my mother-in-law passed away there 15 years ago, so it’s also a way I can give something back.”

Alongside his own allotment, Richard has been working on the Hospice’s allotment for two hours every Saturday, clearing it and getting it ready for planting. “I’ve had my allotment for many years,” he says, “and it’s really good for your mental health. I had a stressful job in the past and it’s been a great place to escape to.” The intention with the Hospice allotment is to make it a successful growing project with sessions for people with life-limiting conditions, those who are caring for them and people who have been recently bereaved to come together to support each other and share a love of gardening. Richard says: “They’ll be able to do as much or as little as they want – whether that’s chat, do some strenuous digging, some light weeding or pick and eat some of the produce.”

Richard has now been joined by two other allotment volunteers. “It’s very rewarding,” he says, “and it’s enjoyable meeting new people.” He would certainly recommend the role: “If you’ve got the time, it’s a way you can give something back while doing something a bit different too.”

“I see the relief on people’s faces when we arrive”

Becca, a former intensive care nurse, is now a night nurse for Princess Alice Hospice. Her job is intense, demanding and very rewarding.

The night nurses provide much more than medical care. Night-time can be frightening when someone is nearing the end of life. Nurses like Becca can make it a little easier, by settling the patient and just being there when needed. That might mean giving them medication, changing a dressing or reassuring them about a symptom that’s worrying them. Or sometimes just sitting with them, so they know they’re not alone. In many cases, they’re granting a patient’s dearest wish – to spend their final hours in the comforting, familiar surroundings of their own home.

“Not long ago, I was called to sit with Jay. During the latter part of the day, he had deteriorated rapidly, and his wife Naina was worn out. She’d injured her back caring for her husband and was extremely concerned about his welfare. The couple’s teenage sons were at home and needing support too.

When I arrived, Jay’s symptoms were quite severe, so I gave him pain relief to settle him and then monitored his medication during the night to ensure he was as comfortable as possible. After talking to the family, I sat in the room next door while they stayed by his bedside. I popped my head around the door regularly, to check everything was ok. At one point, his wife got into bed beside her husband for the last time. Reassured by my presence, she managed to grab an hour’s much-needed sleep.

Although being with patients and their families at such a critical time is a privilege, it can sometimes take its toll emotionally. But making a difference to local people, like Jay and Naina, makes it all worthwhile.”

Following our support to Jay, his family sent this lovely message:

“From the moment Becca stepped into our home I felt a huge sense of relief…I felt I was not alone. Rebecca was kind, gentle, reassuring and very professional. She had an amazing sense of calmness about her and an ability to comfort without being intrusive. For that night, I was able to be Jay’s wife and not his carer. I was able to fall asleep next to him, with my arms wrapped around him, in the knowledge that he was being cared for and was in safe hands with Rebecca watching over him. For that time, I will be forever grateful to her” – Naina

Lizzie has a career that keeps her very busy, so she helps out at the Hospice on an occasional basis, filling in gaps wherever she can. One day she wouldn’t miss, however, is Christmas Day, which she has spent volunteering in the Hospice coffee shop every year bar two in last ten years. “It’s such a lovely day,” she says, “it’s like being part of one big family. And the Christmas dinner is amazing!”

She first came across the Hospice in 2002, when her father was cared for there, but it was several years later before she decided to volunteer. She started volunteering in the coffee shop but has also worked on reception as well as in the wards. Lizzie is the founder of the events and PR company Halls and Halls, so her time is limited. “I can’t commit to regular volunteering,” she says, “like being a driver for instance, but I like doing the filling-in roles.” It’s a very different world too: “I work in a really pressurised industry, whereas here it’s all about the people. No one ever says no to anyone, it’s a very kind environment.”

Christmas Day at the Hospice is particularly special, but also on a personal level for Lizzie. “My dad’s name is in the book of remembrance and we hang a dedication to him on the Christmas tree,” she says. “There is a gentleman who comes in every year for a cup of tea before his Christmas dinner – it’s become a tradition – both his parents were cared for at the Hospice  and then one year he came in with his girlfriend, then a few years later, he appeared with his twins. We’re all part of a journey.”

How busy it is on Christmas Day depends on whether many of the patients have been well enough to go home. Either way, Lizzie stays for the day, only returning to her family in the late afternoon. “I feel very special,” she says “my family are so supportive. It’s very grounding working here and you value your family more. You’re much more thankful. Life is about building memories and being kind.”

During the year, Lizzie meets relatives and also patients, particularly when she is volunteering on the wards. “I love interacting with the patients,” she says. “One lady said all she wanted was a gin and tonic, which I got for her. I’ve never experienced such a rewarding feeling in my life. To see her face, and her family’s face (they didn’t know she could have one). She held on so tight to that glass! It was so wonderful to be able to do that one thing for her.”

Lizzie also appreciates how hard it can be to be a relative coming into the Hospice. “I listen to their story,” she says. “Just taking five minutes out of your day to ask ‘how are you doing?’ is important. I hope I give some value back, some normality in their day.”

Would Lizzie recommend volunteering at the Hospice? “One hundred per cent!” she says.  “I feel valued, informed and part of a community. If you want to give something back, do it for something as amazing as the Hospice. It’s not a morbid or sad place as some people might think. It’s about making memories for people and ensuring they have a good end-of-life. There are so many different roles and the Hospice couldn’t run without its volunteers.”

From shop Volunteer to Sales Assistant

Living in Twickenham, Natalie has always been aware of the Hospice’s role in the community but when the local shop moved to bigger premises, she says: “It looked so beautiful. I’d always been interested in volunteering and I fancied working there.” As both a volunteer and now a staff member at the shop, she’s a proud part of a team that ensures the shop is always looking its best: “If there’s even a hanger hanging the wrong way round, we’re on to it!”

Now in her early 40s, Natalie spent 20 years commuting into the City, before stopping work to spend time with her younger son before he started school. She began volunteering at the shop in 2016, for one morning each week, while also managing her own freelance legal pa company. “My career has been very office based,” she explains, “so I’ve loved being out and about with the public. I’m a sociable person and this gives me my ‘fix’!”

As a volunteer, Natalie worked on the till, as well as keeping the displays looking good and sorting through the jewellery and bric-a-brac. A favourite part of the role for Natalie is talking with the customers, donors and fellow volunteers and staff in the shop. “There are volunteers who’ve been here for 20 years,” she says. “It’s amazing how they’ve dedicated their time to the charity, and they are such lovely people.” Many of the customers have personal connections with the Hospice and hearing their stories and how highly they value the Hospice’s services clearly motivates Natalie. “The more positive feedback you hear from them,” she says, “the more proud I feel working for the Hospice.”

Recently Natalie chose to take on a part-time employed role as a Sales Assistant, working three days per week. She explains: “With my freelance business I could work my own hours but I was actually looking for more routine. I’d been made to feel so incredibly welcome as a volunteer and it’s such a lovely shop, so when the vacancy came up, I didn’t want the opportunity to pass me by.”

One of her main responsibilities is to take in and sort through all the very many donations they receive. “That can be a little overwhelming sometimes but we receive some amazing items,” she says. “We make sure we’ve always got beautiful things on display – we have themed displays, for example for the royal wedding and Father’s Day – and that the shop is kept neat and tidy.”

It’s clear that Natalie loves working at the shop – so much so that she’s persuaded several of her friends to start volunteering there too. “I feel very lucky to work here with such an amazing team” she says.

From charity shopper to volunteer

Maureen, 67, describes herself as a ‘charity shopper’ and she has been supporting her local Hospice shop in Egham for many years. Now she’s standing on the other side of the till as a volunteer and is loving it just as much.

Maureen had been considering volunteering for some time and started at the shop shortly after retiring two years ago. She says: “It was the shop or nothing. I don’t drive and this is only a 20-minute walk away.” She spends an afternoon there each week, more if needed, mostly working on the tills but also putting clothes out. “I’m a social person, a bit of a chatterbox,” she says, “so I enjoy meeting the customers.”

Although Maureen has no personal connection with the work of the Hospice, her brother was in a hospice in Toronto, Canada. “I know they do a fantastic job,” she says. “And it does make me feel good to volunteer. It’s a very happy shop and great fun. I could write a book about the shop – the regulars, the camaraderie among the staff and volunteers and the loveliness of the manager! If anyone is thinking about volunteering and has a spare couple of hours, I’d say just do it!”

Maureen gave her time recently in a different way when she was emailed asking if she could help support the Hospice stand at her local fete. “It was a very interesting experience,” she says. “We were inviting people to write on a card things they wanted to do before they die and pin it on a board. Some people scurried past and others chatted but didn’t fill out a card. I spoke with one family and the children, whose grandad had passed away in a hospice, all filled out cards. I’m exceedingly glad I volunteered there.”

“I love every minute of volunteering!”

Ask Alison about her volunteering work for Princess Alice Hospice over the past three years and she has to think for a moment. She has done so much for us, it’s quite a long list. “At first I helped at events like the London Marathon, manning the Cheer Station and meeting and greeting the runners. Then I started to help out the Fundraising team in the office, doing research, stock taking and general admin.”

As time went on, Alison got more involved. “I’m now the local coordinator for Staines and Egham which means I distribute collection tins and leaflets to shops, pubs, cafes and clubs. And because of my teaching background, I was asked to become an Ambassador for Princess Alice. I give talks to organisations and clubs mainly. Recently I spoke at a golf club dinner telling the members how the money they’d raised for us is spent.”

“We got amazing care – it was a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Like many volunteers, Alison wanted to give something back for the care her husband, Les, received from Princess Alice. “Les wanted to stay at home so we had a home nurse and an occupational therapist who were brilliant. But when he got more poorly, he had to go into the Hospice for two weeks. The care was amazing – they looked after me, my kids, the whole family.”

“Towards the end Les made it clear he wanted to be at home. So they moved heaven and earth to make it happen. Equipment arrived, we had round the clock care and Steve, the Hospice chaplain, arranged for a Roman Catholic priest to visit. And when Les died, Steve led the funeral service, making it inclusive for everybody just as he had wanted.”

“I’ve made lots of friends.”

Alison enjoys the works she does for us. And there’s been another benefit. “I meet lots of new people. In fact, I met my two best friends through volunteering. It’s been a win-win situation for me.”

All volunteers at Princess Alice are trained and supported in the work they do. “There is generic training about working for the Hospice but also specific training for your role. I’ve always felt respected and valued for what I do.”

“I’ve even got my dog, Millie, to volunteer!”

Volunteering has changed Alison’s life. She’s been given new opportunities and the chance to meet new people. She would recommend volunteering for Princess Alice to anyone. “It’s so rewarding and whatever your skills, there’ll be a role for you.”

Alison is such a great ambassador for us that she’s even roped her family in to help. “My daughter ran the Marathon for Princess Alice. And even my dog, Millie, has got involved. Every other Tuesday she comes to the Hospice with me to work as a Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog. She loves meeting the patients and families and being made a fuss of.”

“It’s the most life affirming thing you can do.”

In year 13 at school and with A levels to study for, Serena didn’t have a lot of time to spare. But as she was hoping to study medicine, she was really keen to get some experience caring for people. So she was delighted to be offered the opportunity to volunteer for four hours a week at Princess Alice Hospice.

“I worked as a ward support volunteer. So I’d do things like restocking the ward supply cupboards and the patients’ personal cupboards,’ says Serena. “Then at dinner time I’d help deliver the food. It was very rewarding because the patients really appreciated it.”

“I think the key thing is to have valuable time with people.”

As time went on, Selena was allowed to help with basic patient care, helping them use the toilet, making sure they were comfortable in bed and doing mouth care for them. She really enjoyed this one to one contact with the patients.

“They love to reminisce and share their wisdom with me. Being with people at their most vulnerable was a privilege. Once I spent three hours of my shift just sitting with a lady because she was feeling sad. I gave her a hand massage and it really seemed to calm her down.”

“It confirmed my career choice so it was a very positive experience.”

Working at the Hospice confirmed Serena’s choice to go into medicine. “I surprised myself how strong I was. Now, knowing that I can cope with it, I feel a duty to do it.”

It has also helped her secure a place at medical school. “Being able to talk about my experience at the interview helped. I was able to demonstrate how I’ve grown.”

Serena also liked the fact that she has come out of her experience with something to show for it. “As part of my placement, I had to fill in a workbook which recorded all the things I’d done. At the end I was awarded a care certificate qualification which is amazing.”

“Whatever you do will help people. Just go in there and do what you can.”

Work experience at the Hospice isn’t just for people thinking about careers in medicine. It can benefit anyone. Serena’s advice? “Having the chance to help people is very special.  So don’t be scared. You never have to do anything you don’t want to do. It made me a more caring person, a better person.”

“Every day is a learning day because each patient is different”

Martin has been at the Hospice for six years now. He works on the inpatient unit, giving personal care to patients nearing the end of their lives. It’s very different from his previous job as a manager, but Martin has no regrets. “My happiness is more important than money“ he says, “I enjoy coming to work every day.”

As a care assistant, Martin has a lot of contact with the patients. He washes them, helps them eat and drink and talks to them. “You feel that you’ve achieved something. You’ve made sure that their last days are comfortable and pain free.” It’s a very special relationship and Martin feels privileged to be part of it. “There are special moments when they hold your hand or say thank you – and it’s a real thank you. I thank God I can do this job.”

“Sometimes it’s not about words – it’s just being there for them”

Does it take a special kind of person to do this job? “You have to care. That’s the most important thing. But you also need to be sensitive and intuitive – and a good communicator, because we spend a lot of time talking to patients.”

Martin feels especially privileged to be with a patient in their last moments. Some patients have no family and so a member of staff will sit with them as they pass away. “We talk to them and hold their hand so they know we’re there. And after they have passed, we go on caring for them, washing them, changing their nightgown and brushing their hair – it’s about giving them dignity and respect.”

“No matter who I work with, we’re all working to the same high standard”

Like many of the staff, Martin considers himself lucky to work at the Hospice. He really values being part of a team where everyone is dedicated to delivering high quality care. “We’re not miracle workers. But we treat each patient as an individual and give them great care tailored to their needs.”

Martin says he and his colleagues are well supported and trained for the job they do. “All healthcare assistants are mentored for the first three months and we all take a qualification to prove we have met the standard that’s expected. I’m a mentor myself and it’s really rewarding to help someone else on their journey to becoming an outstanding carer.”

“There’s always something positive in every day”

Heather has spent most of her nursing career in palliative care. Why? “I like the fact that you have a relationship with your patients and you’re with them to the end.”  Today, we’re lucky enough to have her working as a bank staff nurse in our inpatient unit. She loves her job, because she knows that she’s making a difference every single day.

“We all have the same goal – very good care”

One of the things Heather really enjoys is having the time and resources to care for the patient and their family. Much of her time on the IPU is spent helping to relieve and manage symptoms. Sometimes getting things under control can take a while, but it’s so satisfying when she succeeds in making a patient comfortable again.

Heather also works in the day hospice. “The patients love coming. They see their friends and it’s a really happy, positive atmosphere.”

“We look out for each other”

Heather really values being part of a team who care about and support each other. “It’s very friendly here,”  she says,  “and we’re really well supported with regular supervision and what we call ‘reflection’ sessions to talk things through. That’s so important in this job.”

But it’s not all about work. The Hospice is also a very sociable place where strong friendships are made. Staff from all departments enjoy getting together for quiz nights and the community choir.  We also support staff by offering flexible, family-friendly working hours – which, as a busy mum, Heather really appreciates.

Care that goes beyond nursing

Our staff always go the extra mile. And Heather is no different. Last Valentine’s Day, one of her elderly patients on the ward mentioned that he was sorry he wouldn’t be able to give his neighbour a card as he normally did. Heather helped him buy a card from the Hospice shop and delivered it to the lady on her way home from work. Like much of what we do, it was a small thing but it meant so much.

“I just wanted to give something back”

Fiona is a full time teacher. But every other Saturday you’ll find her serving tea, coffee and cake to patients on the inpatient unit of Princess Alice Hospice. Why does she choose to spend precious spare time working with us?

“My Grandad was supported by the Hospice. The nurses came to care for him at home and they were always very helpful to my family who took care of my Grandad. I just felt that I wanted to give something back to them.”

You just need to be calm and caring and have a good sense of humour

“Working on the In-Patient Unit is so different to my job and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I wasn’t left on my own. I shadowed another lady for quite a while before doing the rounds on my own.  Can anyone do it? I think you have to have initiative and be able to judge whether it’s ok to go into a room. You need to be calm and take everything in your stride. And it helps if you can make people laugh.”

Your visit can be the little pick-me-up that someone needs

Fiona has found working at the Hospice really rewarding. It’s a place where the smallest thing can make a big difference. So coming along with a cuppa and a friendly smile when someone’s feeling a bit down can really lift their mood. The patients appreciate the fact that, as a volunteer, she has chosen to be there because she cares.

And it’s not just the patients she helps. Often she’s welcome company for visitors when the patient is asleep or unresponsive. She even enjoys interacting with our canine visitors. “I love it when people bring dogs to visit – I’m a huge dog lover and it’s another way that I can connect with the patient and their visitors.”

Everyone can make a difference – so give it a go

“Working at the Hospice has definitely changed my perspective. I think it’s made me more grounded. I really enjoy the work and being part of the Hospice team – it’s like a little family. We support each other and if you ever feel the need to talk, someone will be there to listen.”

“If you have spare time and love working with people, you’ll find working at the Hospice really fulfilling. It’s great to go home knowing that you have lifted someone’s day with just a cup of tea, a slice of cake and a little chat.”

Like most 17 year olds, Twaisha Kapoor, was hoping for a volunteering opportunity that would be useful and rewarding. In Princess Alice Hospice she found everything she was looking for – and more.

Twaisha is studying for her A-levels and hoping to study medicine. So she was keen to find out first-hand what it’s like to work in a medical environment. After her interview at the Hospice, she was delighted to be offered a role as a volunteer serving tea and coffee to patients on the inpatient unit.

“I like talking to people and making them feel better”

Twaisha really enjoys her time on the IPU. She’s always loved talking to people and volunteering at the Hospice has helped her develop her communication skills. Ward volunteers like Twaisha have the time to talk to patients and she never feels rushed or under pressure. And her age has been a definite plus, “Most patients are quite elderly and I think they like having someone young around.”

Twaisha’s time at the Hospice has made her even more certain that a career in medicine is for her. Inspired by our doctors and nurses, she’s thinking she might also like to specialise in palliative medicine.

“It definitely helped that I had first-hand experience in a care setting”

Competition for places at medical school is fierce. But Twaisha is lucky. She has just been offered a place in London. She believes that volunteering at the Hospice helped a lot. “Princess Alice Hospice is very well respected. The university trusted their opinion – if I was good enough for the Hospice, I was good enough for them.”

“You really feel you’re part of the team”

Doctors and nurses everywhere work in teams. And at the Hospice, Twaisha has seen for herself how important this is – and has loved being part of the team. “Right from the start, everyone was so welcoming. I felt accepted straight away,” she says, “And I got cards from everyone at Christmas!” Would she recommend volunteering at Princess Alice? Definitely. “I find it really rewarding to go there. You’re doing something nice for the community and it doesn’t take much effort.”

“You get more thank yous than in any other job”

When Jana first qualified as a doctor, she never imagined that one day she’d be working in palliative medicine. But working as a senior house officer in a hospital oncology unit, she found that one of the shining lights was the palliative care team.

“Palliative medicine is different. It’s all about the patient”

Now after eight years working in hospices (three and a half years at Princess Alice Hospice) Jana can’t imagine doing anything else. “I make a real difference here,“ she explains, “because you focus on what people and their families want, rather than the medical agenda. We have a different relationship with our patients and I find that very rewarding.”

Most of Jana’s day is spent outside the Hospice. After a morning meeting with colleagues to discuss her patients, she goes to see them in their homes or care homes. There she is often called upon to help control pain and other symptoms.

Often, she will be called upon to talk to patients about their condition and help them come to terms with their situation. “People can often feel very upset and even angry about what’s happening to them. One great thing about working in a hospice is that we have the luxury of time and resources, so we can give people really good care and support.”

“I’m very lucky to work here”

Another thing Jana really appreciates at Princess Alice Hospice is working in in a large team of highly skilled experts. It’s also a very caring and supportive environment, where people are generous with their time and knowledge. She has learnt a lot from her colleagues and now she is sharing her skills and experience with others.

“It’s not easy but it’s rewarding”

“The people we help are in a difficult, stressful situation – and so are their families. But that’s why the job is so rewarding,“ says Jana. “By helping control someone’s pain or enabling them to keep mobile, you make a huge difference to their quality of life. I know that every day I’m doing something useful – that’s why I love my job.”