The volunteers keeping Warrington Hospital healthy

There are more than 300 volunteers on record for the hospital, and over 100 of them are considered to be 'active.'

Warrington Hospital has a variety of roles that can be performed by volunteers, including the 'wayfinder' service, gardening roles, hospital radio, discharge lounge, and the patient advice and liaison service.

We spoke to six of the volunteers who are helping to keep the hospital ticking over.

• Mike - Wayfinder

Mike has volunteered at Warrington Hospital for five years now (Image: Newsquest)

Mike Shaw has volunteered at the hospital for five years now, and is one of the first faces that patients and visitors will see.

Working as a 'wayfinder,' Mike ensures that help is on hand to guide people to where they need to go in the building.

He said: "I do this for the look on people's faces when they receive help.

"I wanted to do something useful in retirement, and I saw a notice in the Daily Mail about volunteers in hospital.

"I made a few enquiries, and then I was given some training - what to do in emergencies, and how to handle wheelchairs."

Mike added: "People sometimes can't believe that they get the help, they're so grateful."

The wayfinders have flexible rotas, which allow shifts to be picked up or dropped with no hassle, it works around the volunteers.

• Pam - Gardening

Pam has been tending the gardens at the hospital for a number of years now (Image: Newsquest)

Having retired from a healthcare profession, Pam Pollard's volunteering is not patient-facing, but is by no means unimportant.

Pam works to assist the employed gardener - but given that he has to cover Warrington and Halton, he needs some assistance.

She has been with the hospital since 2015, and is one of the longest-serving volunteers at the hospital.

Maintaining the gardens at the hospital is vital for patients' rehabilitation, as well as being able to provide a well-kept space for patients, staff, and visitors to spend time in.

Pam said: "When I retired, I began volunteering to keep the gardens at my mum's care home - then I moved over to the hospital.

"What do you do when your family has grown up?

"I needed the structure, and I've done everything when volunteering - abseiling, bag-packing, you name it."

The gardens at the hospital have been used in the past during the treatment of patients in the Intensive Care Unit, as well as patients who have suffered a stroke - the difference in environment can make a world of difference to patients, Pam says.

• Tony - Patient advice and liaison

Tony can be found in the PALS office, behind the main welcome desk in the hospital (Image: Newsquest)

Dealing with conflict and complaints comes naturally to retired teacher Tony Weetman.

Now a great-grandfather, Tony has been the recipient of the hospital's annual 'Volunteer of the Year' award for his dedicated service to the hospital.

One member of staff even joked that they forget Tony is not a full-time member of staff, as he has been at the hospital for nearly seven years.

Tony said: "I had been retired for four or five years, and there comes a point when you can only cut the lawn so many times.

"This keeps my mind active, and my past teaching experience gave me the skills to do this job."

Tony volunteers within the PALS department at the hospital, which offers on-the-spot confidential patient advice and support, while helping to resolve issues - though the PALS system does not replace the office NHS complaints procedure.

• Keith - Radio General

Keith has worked at the radio station in the hospital for nearly 50 years (Image: Newsquest)

Warrington Hospital veteran Keith Inman has been volunteering at the hospital since January 1974.

Operating from his radio studio, Keith helps to oversee the hospital's radio station: Radio General.

In the past, Keith has provided coverage of local events, as well as Warrington Wolves fixtures, which keeps patients up to date with goings on that they may miss during their stay in the hospital.

He said: "I was always interested in the radio, so volunteered here in 1974.

"I just enjoy doing it - it's something I wanted to do as a child, and now I have the opportunity to do it; as well as helping the station to run and survive."

Keith says a key part of his role is involving the community: "I engage with the patients, and there are a lot of opportunities to volunteer - as well as get some radio training, too."

• Alan - Discharge lounge

Alan is a member of the family in the lounge (Image: Newsquest)

Clocking up over 1,700 hours of volunteering, Alan Petley joined the hospital's volunteer team four years ago, after his wife passed away.

She was cared for in the hospital, and she 'demanded' that he take up a volunteering role somewhere after she died.

Alan said: "I didn't want to sit in a charity shop, so I began volunteering here.

"I'm in five days per week - we bring patients in here when they're well enough to leave hospital but are waiting for transport, or for the pharmacy to prescribe medication.

"We bring them tea and coffee, as well as biscuits and sandwiches - we make them comfortable."

One of the big concerns that patients have in the discharge lounge is their own lack of money, but Alan says this is not a concern, as the drinks and food provided are free for the patients.

He continued: "Patients can be in here for two or three hours waiting for the pharmacy to have their medication ready.

"This isn't a job to me, it's a pleasure."

One member of staff in the discharge lounge said that Alan's love for his job, and for the patients, is as if he is in a salaried position.

• Carol - Fundraising

Carol helps to co-ordinate fundraising efforts for the hospital (Image: Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Carol Baker has volunteered in a number of capacities at the hospital over five years.

Her roles have included patient simulation, readers' panel, gardening, and 'Project Wingman,' which involved ensuring that hospital staff members were fully looked after during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, however, her main passion is fundraising for the charity.

Carol organises fundraisers such as tombolas, as well as coordinating the knitting groups that provide blankets and hats for the neonatal wards.

She said: "Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose and I feel like I am contributing to the hospitals - I love feeling part of the team.”

• How can I volunteer?

Warrington Hospital is always looking for keen volunteers, of any age, and would never discourage anyone from applying for a voluntary role.

To find out more about applying for one of these roles, or to find out about other roles available, you can visit the volunteering website at: https://volunteer.whh.nhs.uk/

Or you can contact the team at: whh.volunteers@nhs.net or via telephone on: 01925 662855