Meet Ray…
At Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre we have 400 volunteers who form part of our ‘Primrose People’ and support us 365 days a year with everything from driving to sorting donations in our shops. We are lucky to have volunteers that stay with us for many years including Ray who you can meet below.
The next ‘Primrose Person’ we are going to be hearing from is Ray Carver, previous client, volunteer, and supporter of Primrose Hospice. We asked him about volunteering with us and why Primrose Hospice is important to him. You can listen to or read his words below…
In 2007 Ray’s wife, Gill, was diagnosed with bowel cancer, she had several different treatments but unfortunately her cancer came back and they were told it was terminal.
Gill was supported by Primrose Hospice through Complementary Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and various groups. In 2009 she was admitted to The Primrose Unit at the Princess of Wales Hospital where she peacefully died.
“After Gill died, I was supported with Complementary Therapy and bereavement counselling, which was amazing. I just can’t say how good it was and to walk through the door to happy and smiling receptionists, even though you’re grieving you just feel relaxed as soon as you walk through the door.”
Ray wanted to give something back to Primrose Hospice and having just retired, volunteering gave him the opportunity to help patients and families access much needed support from Primrose.
He has been volunteering with us for 14 years in a huge variety roles including; everything from driving to now volunteering with our Family Support Team and on The Primrose Unit. Ray has even recently completed his 400th visit to The Primrose Unit!
“Suddenly, I had reason to get up because I was driving somebody in so they could access support from Primrose Hospice. I got so involved in doing lots of different things because I wanted to do anything I could to help. If I could give just one person as much help as I received, that’s worth millions. You can’t put a price on it.”
At Primrose Hospice we provide care and support to 1,400 people every year in North East Worcestershire. This simply wouldn’t be possible without our ‘Primrose People’ – people like Ray.
From every volunteer, patient, staff member and fundraiser, everyone plays a vital part in ensuring Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre can continue to provide the free and vital support to our community in their time of need.
Ray volunteering at The Primrose Unit
“You’re all part of the team, you’re all one of the cogs in this big wheel that brings everything together. You need your drivers, your complementary therapists, your counsellors and all the volunteers. Everybody might only be one little part, but every little part makes the whole circle complete. That’s why we’re so important as a whole organisation because it helps people to get through that bad period and come out the other side.”
Our volunteers, like Ray, provide us with over 2,000 hours of support every month. Which saves Primrose Hospice over £266,500 every single year. We want to support more people living with life-limiting illnesses and families experiencing bereavement. We have a huge variety of flexible roles that can fit around your skills and current commitments. If you could help click here or contact Jo our Volunteers’ Manager.
Contact our team:
T: 01527 871051
Published 18.10.23
