To round off the end of National Volunteers’ Week, please read our latest case study (attached), which focuses on Patient Support Volunteer, Roger Murr, who started volunteering with us in February.

Where do you volunteer?
I volunteer in Oncology at Maidstone Hospital.

Tell us more about the volunteer role…
The role is about supporting patients and their relatives. I talk to our Oncology patients and their relatives, answer any questions they might have and just try to be there for them. Sometimes I act as a buffer between the patients and the staff – if a patient is upset about something, they can use me to moan at rather than the staff and I try and help them.

How often do you volunteer?
I volunteer on Mondays and Thursday from 9am to 2pm. I’m always willing to come in to help the staff out when they need me to.

How long have you been volunteering here?
I’m the new boy here – I only started in February.

What did you do before?
I was in the Police for 22 years before I retired in
1993.

Why do you volunteer?
I really enjoy the human interaction and meeting lots of different people. I have felt a sense of belonging since the very first day. The staff amaze me, they are so helpful and welcoming.

Why do you volunteer at a Hospital?
I had some appointments here at the Hospital and it just felt right. I have volunteered at Medway Hospital some years ago.

Do you volunteer anywhere else?
No.

What advice would you give to anyone considering
volunteer work?

I would suggest looking into volunteering as much as you can to find out what’s involved. If you can, arrange for a visit – maybe another volunteer can talk to you about what it’s like. The application can be a bit long but hang on in there, it’s worth it in the end.

If you would like more information about Volunteering at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospitals please contact annemarie.stevens-swain@nhs.net or call 01622 224719.