Each year the first week in June marks Volunteers Week, a time to thank volunteers across the country for the amazing contributions that they make.
We are fortunate to have 304 people volunteering in 40 different volunteer roles across NHS Borders. Sadly, at this time, we have suspended our volunteering programme for the safety of our volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We would still like to take this opportunity to thank all our volunteers and celebrate their contributions and the support that they provide to our services.
From our mealtime volunteers who ensure patients have an enjoyable mealtime by preparing areas for the arrival of meals and chatting to them, to our drivers who bring patients in to the hospital for treatments, our volunteers really go the extra mile and contribute massively to our teams.
Joanne Forrest, Voluntary Services Manager at NHS Borders, said, “We are extremely grateful for our volunteers and their continued support, we really appreciate the time they give to support staff and engage with our patients and their families.
“There has been a remarkable growth in the number of people who volunteer with us over the past couple of years, but there are still opportunities to recruit new volunteers. If you would be interested in finding out more please get in touch with me by emailing joanne.forrest@borders.scot.nhs.uk
“Volunteering is two-way and many volunteers speak of the benefits to themselves as individuals for instance gaining valuable new skills and experience, boosting their confidence and making new friends. It can also be rewarding just to know that you are contributing to the wellbeing of Borders people. Our volunteers are all invaluable assets to our organisation and we look forward to welcoming them back and also welcoming new volunteers to the team as soon as it is safe to do so.”