Barbara and Ian are familiar and friendly faces at the hospice, where they volunteer their time twice a week on the Adult Inpatient Unit. Their role helps create the warm home-from-home environment that means so much to patients and families. Barbara joined the hospice as a volunteer on the adult ward in 2017, and her husband Ian joined shortly afterwards.
From offering patients cups of tea, hospice-made cake, to spending time with them, their role is often about the small things that make a difficult day a little easier.
“When you’re taking someone a piece of cake that the staff have made in the kitchen, and you hear the patients and the family say, ‘aren’t they nice?’, that’s lovely; it really stays with you,” says Barbara.
For Barbara and Ian, some of the most meaningful moments are simply sharing a kind word over a cup of tea; a smile, a listening ear, or a few moments of companionship brings comfort when someone needs it most.
“As a volunteer, when you’re in a patient’s room, it’s like being part of their family, for that little space of time,” says Barbara.
They have both witnessed first-hand the difference hospice care makes. Having had friends cared for at the hospice, they have seen the compassion shown by staff at some of life’s most difficult moments.
One memory that has stayed with Barbara is visiting a close friend who was being cared for at the hospice. She recalls visiting to say good morning and one of the nurses sitting with her, gently holding a mirror so she could put her make-up on and see Barbara.
To some people it might have seemed like a small gesture, but to Barbara it represented everything that makes hospice care so special.
“It meant the world to her,” says Barbara. “She wanted to look nice and feel like herself, and the nurse just took the time to help her. Nothing is ever too much trouble at the hospice.”
Barbara and Ian have seen and been part of countless examples of that care over the years. Whether it is taking the time to chat with a patient, supporting family members, or helping someone feel comfortable and cared for, they say the warmth of the hospice can be “felt in every corner of the building”.
“Everyone is so lovely here, you can’t express it really, you walk through the doors, and it’s like somebody comes and gives you a warm hug. Everybody is so sweet, kind and helpful.”
One memory that has stayed with Ian is visiting a close friend who was receiving care on the ward, “There was a retirement function, and our friend wasn’t able to attend because they were staying at the hospice,” recalls Ian.
So, dressed in his dinner jacket with Barbara in a long dress, ready for the occasion, they stopped by the hospice before the event so their friend could see him dressed up and take a few photographs.
Alongside supporting patients and families, Barbara and Ian bring moments of joy to the ward in unexpected ways.
One memory that has stayed with them involved bringing a little piece of their farming life to the ward. Together with their son, Alister, they arranged for lambs from the family farm to visit patients on the ward. The visit brought smiles, laughter and joy throughout the building, not only for patients and families, but for staff too, “The nurses work so hard,” says Barbara. “It was lovely to put a smile on their faces.”
Their support extends far beyond the hospice too. Together, Barbara and Ian also help manage hospice community collection boxes, helping raise vital funds and awareness across the community.
“We do an average of eight to ten collection boxes a month,” says Ian. “We like doing that.”
Their commitment to supporting the hospice has also brought together their farming roots. One of their proudest achievements was helping organise a concert at the Sands Centre in Carlisle with the Farmers Choir and the Farmers Wives’ Choir for a special evening of fundraising. After months of hard work and planning, the concert raised an incredible £5,000 each for the hospice and Meningitis Now.
Despite giving so much of their time to the hospice every week, they both say volunteering at the hospice has given them so much in return.
“People often thank us, but really we’re the lucky ones.” Says Barbara, “You come away knowing you’ve helped in some small way. Those moments stay with you.”
“You get more out of it than you put in.” agrees Ian.
For Barbara, it is the warmth, hospitality, and sense of community that runs through every corner of the hospice. Ian sums up volunteering in just five words very simply: “the opportunity to be involved.”
“There are so many different ways to help, and you get far more back than you’ll ever expect. Don’t be afraid. Just go in and accept the warmth there, because there is a lot of warmth.” Says Barbara.
