Children’s Hospice South West needs volunteers

Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW), which runs Little Harbour children’s hospice in St Austell, has been celebrating the work of its dedicated community volunteers while searching for more to join.

A few weeks ago the hospice ran its annual Friends Group Conference. This event gave various members of Little Harbour’s fundraising team and care team the opportunity to thank community volunteers from Cornwall, Plymouth and the surrounding areas for their hard work. They were also updated on the focusses of the charity for the next year.

CHSW has volunteers which are part of Friends Groups in many local areas, these groups organise community fundraising events, attend events on behalf of CHSW and help to raise money and awareness of the charity in their local area.

Zoe Partridge, Community Fundraiser for CHSW said; “Our Friends Group Conference was a chance to thank some of our volunteers for all the time and dedication they give to the charity, representing us in towns and villages across the area. However, our volunteer numbers are dwindling, and we would love to recruit some more people to lend a hand. The hospice supports children from across Cornwall and Plymouth which is why our local volunteers need to cover the same area. Volunteers are crucial in helping us to support as many people raising money for us as possible and in turn raise awareness and donations to keep Little Harbour running.”

CHSW is looking for community volunteers to join Friends Groups in and around the Plymouth area to do a range of tasks representing the charity, from collecting collection tins, attending events with a stall, going to cheque presentations and being a local point of contact. There are opportunities for regular volunteers as well as more casual opportunities, whatever suits you most.  Even an hour every couple of weeks in your local area could help the charity greatly.

CHSW would be grateful to hear from anyone with some free time on their hands who would like to get involved and help towards raising the £3 million a year that the hospice needs to keep running.

Over 130 local children and families are supported by the hospice which opened in 2011. Little Harbour provides short breaks, respite, palliative care, end of life care and bereavement support to children with life limiting illnesses and their families.

If you would like to speak to someone further about the volunteer opportunities, please call Zoe Partridge on 07500 081971 or call Little Harbour on 01726 871800.