Each year, Dorothy House Hospice Care takes part in National Volunteer Week; a week dedicated to celebrating people doing extraordinary things to improve communities across the nation. The week highlights the enormous contributions that volunteers make every day and at Dorothy House, their exceptional efforts make the hospice the outstanding place that it is in the community.

Perhaps you have visited the headquarters in Winsley or one of the Outreach Centres in Peasedown St John or Trowbridge; you will know that Dorothy House is an inspirational and unique place. Or maybe you have shopped at one of our retail shops dotted throughout our 700 square miles, where over 700 volunteers work who are dedicated to raising money to provide care for their community.

Across Dorothy House the calibre of volunteers is exceptional; they are dedicated, skilled and passionate individuals who make a difference to hundreds of lives in our community every day. Without the support of our 1,111 Hospice and Retail volunteers, Dorothy House would not be able to function. Last year, volunteers gave over 183,000 hours of their time to Dorothy House.

Following a recent Volunteer Satisfaction Survey completed by nearly 500 volunteers 93% of respondents were either Satisfied or Very Satisfied with their overall experience of volunteering with Dorothy House. Additionally, 93% of volunteers would recommend volunteering with Dorothy House to other people.

Further feedback underlined the benefits volunteers experience in their work, including; "Enabled me to meet new people and make new friends", "Given me the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile", and "Helped me feel good about myself."

With over forty varied roles across the Hospice, there is always something to inspire and challenge. Steve Dale, Head of Volunteer Services, expressed, “We are astounded by the quality of people that volunteer across the hospice. With so many options for the giving of one’s time, it’s a privilege to have volunteers that are so truly passionate. They understand the importance of our place in the community and in return, we invest in them. Investing in Volunteers (IiV) is the UK Quality Standard for volunteering in the UK and we have proudly held the IiV accreditation since 2006. It ensures that the quality of our volunteer programme remains high and it demonstrates our commitment to volunteers and to volunteering.”

Hospice volunteers are ordinary people, of all ages and from all walks of life, with an extraordinary love and a passionate concern for others. They contribute to the overall well being of our community, one person at a time.

This year Dorothy House Hospice Care celebrates a very special birthday - 40 years in the community. This would not be possible at the level of services we provide, impacting the number of lives we touch each day, were it not for the astounding support of our current volunteers, and the thousands who have dedicated their lives in the past. The staff and directors of Dorothy House are heartily grateful to each volunteer and wish to express their tremendous thanks.

If you have been thinking about giving some time and have been putting it off or just haven’t got round to it, National Volunteers Week is a perfect time to take action. Visit the Dorothy House website to find out more about current opportunities or contact the hospice to share your interest with the Volunteers Services and discover how you can make a real difference in your local community #whenitmattersmost.