Royal Voluntary Service is urging people across the North East to step forward and volunteer at its new network of cafés across five hospitals operated by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.
The charity is launching its iconic volunteer-supported cafés at five local hospitals, with the first two expected to open at the end of October. The cafés will provide patients, visitors and staff with refreshments, food and the friendly face of a volunteer when they visit hospital.
The cafes are located in Roseberry Park Hospital and Flatts Lane Centre in Middlesbrough, and Lanchester Road Hospital, Auckland Park Hospital and West Park Hospital in County Durham.
Royal Voluntary Service is one of the UK’s largest hospital retailers, with volunteers providing hot and cold drinks, food, snacks and a warm welcome to patients, visitors and NHS staff across the country. Profits from its shops and cafés help to fund the charity’s work supporting the NHS.
The new cafes will need a substantial number of people to help run the services, with volunteers playing an important role in making sure patients, visitors and staff receive a friendly welcome.
100 volunteers are needed across the five cafes. The charity is particularly keen to hear from people in and around Bishop Auckland and Darlington, where additional volunteers are needed to help establish the new services.
For volunteers, helping at a hospital cafe can be a rewarding way to support people in their local community. Whether serving refreshments, helping customers or simply providing a friendly face and a warm welcome, volunteers can make a real difference to the experience of people visiting hospital.
Chris Gray, Director of Retail at Royal Voluntary Service, said: “We’re really pleased to be bringing Royal Voluntary Service’s retail services to five additional locations across the North East. As well as food and refreshments, our cafes offer patients, visitors and staff a friendly welcome and a chance to stop for a drink, something to eat and a chat during what can sometimes be a difficult or stressful time.
“We’re now calling for new volunteers from the local community to step forward. Giving just a few hours of your time each week can make a real difference to the experience of people visiting hospital whilst supporting the wider NHS.”
Zion Ayokunnu, a Royal Voluntary Service cafe volunteer, said: “What’s unique about Royal Voluntary Service cafés is the way we serve people. We don’t just give people coffees and snacks, we serve them with a smile and I find that customers, whether they’re hospital staff, patients or visitors, like to stop for a chat.
“To anyone considering volunteering I’d say just take the leap and join in. Not only are you supporting people and your community, you’re supporting your own development and get even more out of it than you’d ever expect.”
No previous volunteering experience is needed to get involved. Volunteers will receive all necessary support and training associated with their role.
Anyone interested in volunteering at one of the new cafés can contact Marie Adlen at marie.adlen@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk or visit GoVo.org
