New Milton Oakhaven 2020

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Oakhaven Hospice Autumn Supplement 2020

www.oakhavenhospice.co.uk

Oakhaven Volunteers: the gift of time

Oakhaven Neighbours: a friendly face and a helping hand

Hospice Neighbours is a community-based and volunteer-led service that provides practical support and companionship to Oakhaven Hospice patients and their families. Neighbours get involved with a variety of things. From taking the dog for a walk, light shopping and gardening, picking up prescriptions, or simply providing companionship to a patient or their carer. When you are living with a life limiting illness the world doesn’t stop and all the little, but important, household tasks still need doing. In response Neighbours provides an extra pair of helping hands and a listening, compassionate ear. ‘J has become so much more than a ‘Neighbour’ over the years; a friend and I would be lost without her. I look forward to her visits and our chats putting the world to rights and even through these difficult times, J has looked out for me. Nothing is ever too much!’

If you have a little time each week to spare to support someone locally, we’d love to hear from you. As a caring person this offers you a really flexible and rewarding way of offering time and we are, of course, on hand to support and guide you in your role, following your training. “They are small things, but to the family they can make a huge difference. Just like everyone, my life has been touched by cancer, and it is a good thing to know that I can give something which is worthwhile and may just make life a little easier for those who have a much bigger fight on their hands. Helping others makes me happy and gives extra meaning to my life too”. Becoming a Hospice Neighbour will give you the opportunity to make a real difference to the quality of life of others within your own community, and become part of a team of valued and dedicated volunteers.

Where would we be without our volunteers? We simply couldn’t exist without their amazing support. The time given to Oakhaven is invaluable. Our volunteers come in all shapes and sizes, ages, backgrounds and abilities. What they do have in common is passion, energy, reliability, patience and being great being team players. Our volunteers are an extension of the Oakhaven family and you will find a lovely team driving the mini bus or transporting patients, welcoming visitors in our reception areas, maintaining our beautiful grounds, supporting Oakhaven Wellbeing at the Coates Centre, helping out in the Day Hospice, carrying out many administrative duties, looking after our patients and families on the Inpatient Unit, being a Neighbour in the community and of course helping in our nine retail shops across the area. “I think that I benefit from volunteering at Oakhaven Hospice more than Oakhaven benefit from me volunteering! It is a wonderfully friendly

“Being a part of this wonderful team is an amazing experience and I would certainly encourage anyone who has a few hours to spare to consider helping Oakhaven. There are so many opportunities to volunteer in many areas” Volunteering your time for

environment and a really uplifting experience to be a part of the excellent service that it provides.” “I volunteer because Oakhaven gave me great strength during my wife’s last days. For which I am eternally grateful”

Oakhaven Hospice can make a big difference – both for you and the hospice. If you think this this could be you please contact Kathryn Marsh. Volunteer Services Coordinator 01590 646447 kathryn.marsh@oakhavenhospice.co.uk

For further information please contact sara.thomas@oakhavenhospice.co.uk