Hospice volunteers honoured for decades of sterling service
June 8, 2011
Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has honoured the contribution of its dedicated volunteers with a special awards ceremony for those who have given many years’ service.
Birmingham St Mary’s Long Service Awards took place in the charity’s Pearce Suite conference centre, named after the Hospice’s founder Monica Pearce, on Friday, June 3, as part of Volunteers Week from June 1 to 7.
Among the 50 people being honoured were: Selly Oak shop volunteer Millie Milton, aged 92, who has given 30 years’ service; catering assistant Michael Price, aged 78, who has served food prepared by the Hospice’s kitchen to inpatients for 14 years; and Gladys Hale, aged 81, a volunteer at the Kings Heath shop for 10 years.
The ceremony was organised by Voluntary Services Manager Sharon Harkin, with the awards being presented by Deputy Lord Mayor Len Gregory and Birmingham St Mary’s Board of Trustees Chairman Judi Millward.
Sharon said: “The event went fantastically well and I think the volunteers really enjoyed themselves.
“We have calculated that between them, the volunteers being honoured had given up nearly a thousand years of their time to make the care provided by Birmingham St Mary’s possible. They are truly remarkable – they are not just the backbone of the organisation but the heart, we simply could not do it without them”.
“Each volunteer was given a certificate and a star badge to mark their achievements, which we think hit just the right balance between saying thank you and watching carefully how we spend our precious income.”
Volunteer Millie Milton said she thoroughly enjoyed giving up her time to help the Hospice.
“After my brother Albert’s partner Joan was cared for by the Hospice, we just knew it was a special place and we wanted to do something to help. We’ve been volunteering for 30 years and involved with the Hospice’s shops since the first one opened over 25 years ago. The Hospice has become a very important part of our lives and we love being involved,” she said.
Hospice volunteer catering assistant Michael Price added: “My role is to serve food to patients and I started volunteering as a way of giving something back after beating prostate cancer. I find it very rewarding, particularly seeing patients in the Inpatient Unit going home after staying there.”
Gladys Hale who has volunteered at the Kings Heath shop for 10 years, was honoured for her decade’s service.
“I love volunteering because it gets me out of the house, enabling me to meet new people. It’s for a very good cause too,” she said.
Friday’s event was the second such ceremony to honour volunteers at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, the previous one taking place five years ago.
It was one of a series of celebrations organised by the charity, which cares for people with life-limiting illnesses from Birmingham and Sandwell. Currently 422 people volunteer at the Hospice.
Volunteers Week is an annual event, between June 1 and 7, centred around inspiration and celebration aimed at raising the profile of the fantastic work of volunteers up and down the country.
Pictured at the awards ceremony are (from left) shop volunteers Margaret Brown, Millie Milton and Albert Milton.
