Peterborough mum and daughter make volunteering a family affair by supporting people needing care

Sue Slaughter (68) and Carla Slaughter (40) give up their free time one day a week together as volunteers on the inpatient unit at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Longthorpe.

Sue has been walking the wards, supporting inpatients and their families for four years, and Carla was so inspired she decided to join her there this year too.

Sue said: “When I retired I came along to an open day at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice to have a look round as I had never been to a hospice before. While here I picked up a volunteering information leaflet and as I started reading it I thought ‘this is something I would like to do’.

“I had a quick chat with a nurse and she said ‘please do come join us’, so I did and I have not looked back since.

“I love it here and I look forward to my volunteering day so much. I love everything about it. Quite often when I tell people about my volunteering role at the hospice they ask me ‘why do you do that for? It must be all doom and gloom’. I respond by telling them that I defy anyone to be here less than 15 minutes and not hear any laughter.

“The atmosphere here is just so supportive. I have made some lovely friends with fellow volunteers and staff. Sue Ryder is my second family. I can’t praise the place enough - when I go home. If I feel I’ve made a difference to someone, I leave with a smile on my face.”

Carla added: “Mum always comes back from her volunteering sessions at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall on a high. On the mornings she leaves to go the hospice I would say ‘have a good day, mum. But I know you will!’

“Mum roped me into helping out with some admin work last year. I’d also been in a couple of times while she was volunteering and I could see how she was helping to make a difference. I thought ‘this is something I can do too’.”

Carla joined her mum for her first volunteering shift on the inpatient unit in January. Following her first day Carla said: “To be honest I was excited and didn’t really know what to expect, but I soon got into the swing of things with mum by my side. We’re really close. We’re used to doing a lot of things together and have a really strong bond. We have made a really good tag team pair!”

Sue is encouraging anyone who would like to find out more about volunteering to come along to the hospice. “Staff here really look after you as a volunteer,” she said. “While volunteering, everyone is here for you and you really do get back as much as you give. If I go home and I know I have helped make a patient or a family member smile or laugh that day, it makes me feel happy too.

“The other day a patient and I had a sing-song to some music. It made him smile. It made me smile.

“Back in the summer I helped a patient get around our beautiful gardens to pick some flowers to pop in their room. She said to me ‘thanks so much, that was so special to me’. Very often it is the smallest things that can make the biggest difference.”

The hospice is asking local residents whether they can make their extra day count this year by coming along to their ‘take the leap and volunteer’ drop-in session on Saturday, February 29.

People can pop into the hospice in Thorpe Road for a cup of tea or coffee and an informal chat with current hospice volunteers and staff. There are a variety of opportunities at the hospice to suit all ages and stages of life and match different talents.

The hospice’s volunteering drop-in takes place between 10am to 1pm and there will also be the chance to bag a bargain at the £3 or less retail sale organised by the onsite Sue Ryder shop.

To find out more, contact Tina Parkinson at the hospice on 01733 225927 or email [email protected].

You can also browse volunteering opportunities at: www.sueryder.org/volunteer.

For more information visit: www.sueryder.org/thorpehall.