More than three hundred volunteers for LOROS Hospice gathered at Abbey Park Pumping Station on Friday, to receive a huge thank you from LOROS’s CEO and Chair for their hard work and dedication.
The volunteers enjoyed a cream tea and listened to a flute ensemble while they heard speeches from LOROS CEO John Knight and Chair Robin Graham-Brown, who thanked them all for their commitment to the organisation.
“LOROS is very proud of all its fantastic volunteers, numbering an amazing 1,481 in total,” said John. “Their work adds around £2million in value to our service, and we are daily inspired by their enthusiasm and dedication. Our volunteers are very precious to us and it’s great that LOROS can embrace their wide-ranging skills.”
Vera Hewing is LOROS’ oldest volunteer at aged 92. She has been volunteering with the hospice for 18 years, working in the LOROS shop in Syston. “The shop staff are like my family. My husband died a year ago and they’ve been so supportive,” said Vera.
“When people get to my age they say they don’t know what to do. I say, if you can stand up for a couple of hours, you can volunteer.”
Nayna Dattani, 59, has been volunteering for LOROS for 5 years, using her language skills in Gujarati, Urdu and Hindi to raise awareness of LOROS’ services.
Nayna said: “It’s really important people know what fantastic work they do in the community as well as the hospice. I’m really honoured to be part of the team.”
One of LOROS’ younger volunteers is Leanne, 30, who helps out as a home visitor. Leanne said, “I work in a residential home, but there’s no time to sit and chat with patients. Volunteering with LOROS gives me that time and I find it enormously rewarding. “I’m visiting a lovely gentleman at the moment but I’ll have to stop for the summer holidays as I have young children – I asked him if he wanted a different volunteer but he said no, he wanted to wait for me!”
Suresh Popat, 58, has been volunteering for LOROS for six years.
“I started fundraising for LOROS by putting collection boxes in my shops and charging people for plastic bags and donating the money to the Hospice.
“I now raise awareness in the community and attend events like the Leicester Mela and the Loughborough Mela to tell people about the amazing work LOROS does. “People should get involved to help their local community. The service LOROS provides is like nothing else I’ve ever seen.”
LOROS volunteers’ celebration was being held as part of Volunteers Week (1-7 June), a week-long festival to say thank you for the fantastic contribution volunteers make. LOROS is holding a Volunteers’ Fair to showcase the range of opportunities we have available to our volunteers.
Volunteers Fair date: 23rd June 2018 Time: 10:00am - 2:00pm
You have to be at least 16 years old to apply to be a volunteer, application forms will be available on the day.
The event will take place in the LOROS Professional Development Centre (LPDC), LOROS Hospice, Groby Road, Leicester, LE3 9QE.
Our new LPDC café will be open throughout the day serving drinks, paninis, cakes and more.
