Voluntary Services GWH (2025)

14/07/2025

Here is a fantastic opportunity for you to become involved in exciting events held by our Trust Charity Brighter Futures GWH!

If you are perhaps looking for chance to volunteer in your local community but maybe you can't commit to regular / weekly shifts, then your support of our Brighter Futures GWH Team would be very welcome!

10/06/2025

❤️ Brighter Futures CPR-a-thon ❤️

📻 In case you missed it, our Fundraising Community Manager Colby was on BBC Wiltshire this afternoon to launch our CPR-a-thon. A free event, over 12 hours, where we aim to teach as many people as possible how to give CPR correctly.

On Friday 15th August 2025, from 8am until 8pm, we will be at Tesco, Ocotal Way. This free event is open to everyone! There's no need to sign up, simply come along and learn this life-saving skill from trained GWH staff.

You never know when you may need to help save a life &

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

09/06/2025

For us in Voluntary Services, we feel privileged to be supported by many Volunteers at The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and this past week we have had the ideal excuse to make a fuss of them during National Volunteers' Week!

Our patients, visitors and our staff have been helping to celebrate the commitment and contribution Volunteers give to the Trust and we have received some really positive and encouraging comments and feedback in praise of how much of a difference they make.

Thank you very much to everyone who got involved! 😊

08/06/2025

Meet Hannah and Laura, two of our T-Level students who joined our Volunteering program in 2024.

In partnership with New College Swindon , Cirencester College and the Early Careers Team at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Voluntary Services now hosts 'Year One' T-Level Students, offering them invaluable experience of a hospital environment while supporting our patients and staff.

Volunteering at our Trust is not just about learning - it's a chance to give back to the local community. After their first year, T-Level Student Volunteers move into their preferred second-year placements, pending a recommendation from the Voluntary Services Team.

- Hanna:

"Volunteering at Great Western Hospital, providing support to patients and staff is a valuable opportunity for anyone and has been extremely beneficial for me as a Health T-Level student who wants to work in a healthcare setting in the future.

I decided to become a Volunteer here at this hospital to gain experience, learning essential skills that will help me in the future whilst simultaneously fulfilling my desire to help individuals who may be at their lowest point of life.

During my time volunteering, I've especially enjoyed interacting with patients, whether it's chatting with them, offering them a warm drink, or just being someone they can talk to.

It's uplifting to see the positive impact even small actions can have on patients and their families.

Additionally, volunteering has made me build and gain relationships with staff, patients and other Volunteers which has made the experience truly memorable."

- Laura:

"I think volunteering is a hugely rewarding thing to be a part of. I volunteer as I would like to work in healthcare in the future as a paediatric nurse and I am currently at college doing a nursing course so as my placement I chose to volunteer at GWH.

Volunteering is a great way to get a deeper understanding in how a hospital works and greaten communication skills with a variety of individuals.

What I most enjoy about volunteering is how rewarding it can be when you know you have made a patient’s day by chatting to them or even just giving them a friendly smile. Volunteering has been a brilliant opportunity for me to help others and I feel good for even a small difference I can make.

It feels so nice when you see patients extremely grateful to receive a warm drink and a chat to get to know each other to and give them something positive to focus on."

Do you want to be part of something amazing? Click this link* to get started: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

*PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS MONTH, OUR APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE AT 4:00PM ON WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE 😊

08/06/2025

"I visited the GWH on a regular basis while my wife was there, I saw the amazing treatment that she received from all the Staff, including the Volunteers. They were cheerful, helpful and committed.

I later needed something to help fill my life and started to look at volunteering roles. I wanted to be useful, but to the most worthwhile cause I could find. I didn't need to look far, volunteering at the hospital filled my need and their requirements. I applied and was accepted.

It felt like I was welcomed into a family, everyone was friendly, helpful and caring, it didn't feel like work.

I have been at the GWH for a year and found that no two days are the same, it tests my ability to respond and think on my feet. I started one day each week but quickly volunteered for another shift. I now work twice per week and I leave satisfied that I have helped people that really needed helping. A great feeling.

I am a 'Wayfinder' and I am proud to be called that. I don't only tell people the way, I help people to find a way to solve any problems they have when they come to the hospital."

Do you want to be part of something amazing? Click this link* to get started: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

*PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS MONTH, OUR APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE AT 4:00PM ON WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE 😊

08/06/2025

"I feel privileged to be able to volunteer at GWH as a way of thanking the NHS for all the care and good treatment given to my husband over many years, as he endured hip and knee replacements and also heart problems, which eventually led to vascular dementia.

To be able to give my time for no reward other than knowing it helps the hospital is a great pleasure, and the Volunteers Department goes above and beyond to ensure we feel valued and appreciated.

I have met so many good people who also give of their time, and I feel we are all part of one big family."

Do you want to be part of something amazing? Click this link* to get started: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

*PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS MONTH, OUR APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE AT 4:00PM ON WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE 😊

07/06/2025

Discover more about volunteering with us!

For the past few years, we've partnered with Smile Publications to create a comprehensive introductory guide to how to become a Volunteer at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

If you're curious about our service you can find out more with our 'Voluntary Service Matters' booklet.

If you are at the hospital, you can pick up a copy from the Main Atrium or the Voluntary Services Hub. Alternatively you can browse an e-copy of the booklet: www.myebook.com/SmilePublications/swindon/5769/

07/06/2025

Are you a qualified hairdresser or beauty therapist with a passion for supporting the wellbeing of others?

We at Voluntary Services at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, we’re excited to launch our new initiative, ‘Beauty & Uplift Volunteers’, and we’re looking for dedicated individuals to make a positive difference in the lives of our inpatients.

As a Beauty & Uplift Volunteer, you will have the opportunity to help deliver a meaningful service to patients by offering simple hairdressing, hand massages, and hand manicures to our inpatients.

These small contributions will go a long way to enhancing a patient’s wellbeing as well as boosting their self-esteem during their stay in hospital. Your skills will make a real difference helping patients feel more comfortable and confident.

This can be a flexible role, and we need Beauty & Uplift Volunteers Monday to Friday - your support will brighten someone’s day!

A special thank you to Boots UK at Greenbridge, Swindon for their generous donation of goodies to support our Beauty & Hair trollies. Your support helps us as a community to bring positivity to our patients! 💚

We are looking for trained hairdressers and nail technicians to support this service, as well as caring individuals who would love to lend a hand with gentle tasks like hand massages, hair brushing, or assisting with hair washing.

Interested? Get in touch today by clicking https://rb.gy/nlvmez to apply to become a Beauty & Uplift Volunteer at GWH!

07/06/2025

Hospital Radio Swindon – Celebrating 60 Years of Bringing Joy Through Music!

From humble beginnings in 1938 (starting out with just a simple gramophone) to a thriving digital radio station dedicated to lifting patients’ spirits, Hospital Radio Swindon has been a beacon of entertainment and companionship for our patients for six incredible decades!

- Patients, we want to hear from YOU!

A stay in hospital can be a tough time for most, but music can make everything feel that bit better - and that’s why Hospital Radio Swindon want your song requests!

Whether it's a nostalgic tune, a feel-good anthem, or something completely unexpected, we’re here to brighten your day with the perfect melody... and it’s free!

You can listen live to Hospital Radio Swindon by clicking the following link: www.carina.streamerr.co/public/swindonhr

Friends and family can also request a song and a shout out for someone staying in hospital, just email: request@hospitalradioswindon.org

- Why not join the team!

Hospital Radio are always looking for passionate presenters to help them keep the music and conversation flowing. If you love radio, enjoy chatting to people, and want to make a real difference in the lives of patients, get involved today!

Broadcasting from the heart of Great Western Hospital, we’re proud to continue a tradition that started in 1965, overcoming fires, floods, and countless challenges - all to keep the music playing!

Help us celebrate this milestone by requesting a song, supporting their cause, or stepping up as a volunteer!

You can find out more about Hospital Radio Swindon by visiting their website www.hospitalradioswindon.organd you can apply to become a Trust Volunteer by clicking: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

This year is also a very special year for the Hospital Radio Swindon as two of their members are marking significant milestones themselves: Arthur Perkin has been volunteering for the Team for forty years and Ken Hunt has been volunteering for fifty years! Well done to both Arthur and Ken for their amazing contribution!!!

06/06/2025

A Family of Helping Hands!

Last year, Lucy and her two children, James and Katie, joined our Voluntary Team, bringing with them a shared spirit of dedication to supporting those in need.

Since then, they have been making a difference where it matters most: in the Emergency Department and Medical Assessment Unit.

Let's find out more about this lovely family...

- James:

"I joined GWH to gain work experience and to help others. What I most enjoy about volunteering is meeting new people as well as the environment. I have learnt lots of new skills and have loved taking part in training exercises."

- Katie:

"By volunteering at the Great Western Hospital, it has allowed me to become familiarised with the environment in which I aim to work in the future.

Volunteering isn't just about helping others, it creates an environment and community that individuals can be a part of to build new networks and meet new people.

I enjoy the training exercises that I am given the opportunity to complete, I enjoy volunteering as it broadens my knowledge and experiences within the hospital setting.

Additionally, I also enjoy meeting and interacting with new people, which means every volunteering shift is different."

- Lucy:

"I joined GWH volunteer services to help support a family member to gain work experience in a disability confident environment.

I love being part of a great team, I always feel really appreciated by staff , patients and their families. I really enjoy taking part in the hospital training exercises.

Putting a smile on a patient’s face is hugely rewarding."

Do you want to be part of something amazing? Click this link to get started: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

06/06/2025

"I volunteer because it continuously teaches me something new about people, about cooperation, about compassion, and about myself.

In helping others, I am reminded that we are all in this together and we need to remember to support each other.

Life has so much to offer if we remember look beyond ourselves.

For every additional volunteer in society, there will be one more sunshine and one more smile every day. Join the volunteer service team together and help more people in need! "

Do you want to be part of something amazing? Click this link to get started: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

06/06/2025

"I started volunteering during the pandemic as due to the restrictions at the time, it was a way of getting out of the house and meeting and interacting with people. Four years on, I can say it’s one of the best things I have done.

In my weekly 3-hour shift, I have mainly volunteered on Teal Ward as a patient befriender with the odd active responding shift. I have met some lovely staff who have made me feel like one of the team and also chatted to some lovely patients and relatives. And have received some lovely praise and comments about the service we offer from staff, patients and relatives alike. It really does make a difference to patients who may not have many visitors to just have a chat with someone. I have also had shadow shifts with new volunteers which has been fun.

I have recently changed roles and am now a Butterfly Volunteer for our end of life patients and their relatives and am really looking forward to the new challenge and the rewarding shifts that will bring."

Do you want to be part of something amazing? Click this link to get started: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

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