Bradford Teaching Hospitals is appealing for people to help run the Trust’s tea bars as part of its celebrations for this year’s national Volunteers Week which runs this week (1-7 June).
A series of events at the Trust are marking the vital contribution of its volunteers and highlighting the difference they make every day to patients, staff and the wider community.
Head of Volunteering, Clare Bancroft, said:
Volunteers play a unique role across our hospitals, helping to improve patient experience, reduce anxiety and support people to access services.
Volunteers’ Week is all about recognising and celebrating the volunteers that we have across the country and here in Bradford.
We want to celebrate our volunteers who do a variety of roles across the Trust, whether it’s directing people around hospital, providing a listening ear or serving tea in the tea bars, you make such a difference to our patients and families and it’s so appreciated.
This week the Trust is also appealing for more people to come forward and help run the hospitals’ tea bars.
It’s an opportunity open to those from all backgrounds across a wide range of ages.
Clare continued:
Helping to run the tea bars at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) and St Luke’s Hospital is an important role which includes serving drinks and snacks to patients, visitors and staff, while being part of vital fundraising teams.
Our volunteer-led charities, the Friends of BRI and Friends of St Luke’s, are well-established small charities who raise funds for the hospitals by running the tea bars and stalls.
We are specifically looking for volunteers who can commit to a regular rostered shift each week, who may have specific skills and experience they would like to share to support the running of our tea bars. Alternatively, there could be people who would like to gain skills and experience in the NHS, or it may simply be that someone would like to give something back to the NHS and make a real difference to the experience of our patients.
Whatever a person’s reason for volunteering, we will ensure they have all the training they require and support them on their volunteer journey with us.
Applications are welcomed from a wide audience, to reflect the diversity of the city’s communities. Applicants must be committed – for a minimum of six months – and can give their time regularly, on a weekly basis at one of the hospitals tea bars, usually a morning or afternoon. They must be punctual, honest, and reliable and have a friendly and approachable manner. No prior experience is necessary as training will be provided.
While people need to be 18+ years old for most volunteer roles, there are some opportunities suitable for 16+ years old.
For more information about the tea bars and all the current volunteer opportunities, please visit https://www.bradfordhospitals.nhs.uk/our-people/volunteering/