Volunteer news- July 2025

A mammoth public art event Leicester will never forget!

Stomp Round Leicester is a public sculpture trail that will leave a BIG impression! For 10 weeks, from 14th July, 40 beautifully designed giant Elephant sculptures will stampede through Leicester’s streets to commemorate LOROS’ 40th anniversary. 

Each of these gentle giants have been painted by an artist as part of a fun, free, family friendly art trail around our wonderful city. 

Accompanied by our mini-herds of Baby Elephants, painted by young people and local community groups, we will celebrate the 40 years that LOROS has been caring for our community in a stunning parade of colour and creativity. 

Expect to be taken on a journey of discovery through the city’s well-known landmarks and hidden gems as you set out to find all our Elephants. Pick up a trail map or download the app to aid you on your journey. 

You can find out more about the trail and the Elephant sculptures below. More information will be available from 14th July when our giant Elephants stampede into the city to accompany the Baby Elephants.

We are still looking for some ele-fantastic volunteers to join the herd! Are you looking to get involved in something innovative and exciting this summer? Then you’re in the right place. 

We have a range of volunteering opportunities to get involved in from looking after our precious elephants, providing key information to the public about our trail and supporting at some of our events. Whatever it is you’re interested in getting involved in, there’s something for everyone. Even better, it’s an opportunity to boost your CV and gain new skills and experiences! 

Follow the link below to complete the Tusk Force expression of interest form and the Volunteer team will be in touch. 

As many of you know, LOROS is going through a significant period of change due to ongoing financial challenges. We have had to make some very difficult decisions to safeguard the future of the charity. 

One of those difficult decisions is the closure of our Volunteer Home Visiting service. This will take place over the coming weeks, and we’re committed to supporting our volunteers and patients through this transition. Our volunteers have been the reason the service was such a huge success and it is a service we are very proud of. 

Although this chapter is ending, we hope our Home visiting volunteers would like to continue within other roles at the hospice. If you have been affected by this and would like to discuss what alternative support you may be able to offer, then please give us a call and we can arrange to have a chat about the other volunteer opportunities we have in more detail.

26th July @ 7pm at the King Power Stadium 

Throwing it back to the decade when LOROS was born, this year’s theme is Glow Back to the 80s! The 80s were all about flashing neon lights and bold fashion - from funky accessories to shoulder pads and big hair. We’re bringing that electric energy to the streets, turning the city into a retro party to celebrate 40 years of LOROS that you won’t want to miss. 

Join us as we take to the streets of Leicester, soaking up the sights of the city as part of our flagship 10k sponsored walk. This year is extra special as we celebrate our 40th birthday! 

Walk and fundraise like an 80s superstar

In 2025, we're aiming to smash the incredible £560,000 raised by Twilight Walkers in the last five years. It's time to go full-on 80s and make this our best year yet! 

By setting up your JustGiving page and fundraising, you can make a huge difference to terminally ill patients and their families across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. 

That's why we’re challenging all our Twilight Walkers to raise £50 in sponsorship. Relive the 80s magic by dressing up as your favourite movie character, pop star, or anything in between, and make a real impact. Every walker who raises £50 or more will be entered into an exciting prize draw.  

There is still time to sign up if you'd like to! Entry is £20 until 19th July after which online registration closes and you can sign up for £30 on the day.

Not walking? Please support us with volunteering roles on the day!

If you're not planning on walking and can spare a few hours on this date we'd really appreciate your support in making this event a huge success! If you can help please email our fundraising team.

Meet Oluwagbemisola Ademibuyam, affectionally know as ‘Gold’.  

Qarisma Osman, Area Manager for LOROS said: 

"Gold is currently studying her masters in Project Management at De Montfort University. She is from Nigeria and loves volunteering with us. She saw the poster in the window for volunteers and wanted to help out in the community. She is volunteering in the Narborough Road shop. She likes the staff in the shop and enjoys speaking to customers, the shop is only a few minutes’ walk from where she lives and she enjoys walking there. She has enjoyed meeting new people at the shop, she likes doing an assortment of jobs when she is in, from being at the till to sorting clothes and brica in the sorting area. She has never worked in the retail sector before and says volunteering here has really helped with her communication skills.  

We are so lucky to have so many talented young people join our team at Abbey Park Café and at This+That on the High Street. A few weeks ago, DMU came to LOROS to interview some of the students from their Leicester Campus who volunteer with LOROS. 

Eisha Kamat, a 2nd year Computer Science student and volunteer at This+That said: "I came to volunteer so that I could gain more skills and meet different people- I love it here and didn’t realise there was so much more I could get involved in."

Nnana Uchendu volunteers as a ward companion, he provided this very heartfelt quote about why he decided to join us:

 "I chose to volunteer with LOROS after the painful experience of not being able to stay by my father’s side during his final moments, something I deeply regret. Though I can’t change the past, being a ward companion at LOROS has allowed me to be present for patients and their families during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. It’s a privilege to offer comfort, whether through a conversation, a smile, a cup of tea, or simply sitting beside someone who needs company. Volunteering here has helped me grow emotionally and professionally, improving my communication, empathy, and teamwork skills, supporting my postgraduate studies in Mental Health and Wellbeing. To any DMU student considering volunteering, I’d say: bring your heart, be open to learning, and trust that every small act of kindness matters. The LOROS team truly understands the demands of student life, and they’re incredibly kind and flexible in supporting volunteers to give their time in a manageable and profoundly fulfilling way". 

We have over 650 volunteers in our retail shops and we love to shine a spotlight on what they do and the impact they have in supporting shops to raise vital funds for the Hospice.

We are in need of volunteers in the following shops to help on the till and process donations: 

Ashby- Friday and Saturday

Devonshire square- Every day PM  

Coalville kids- Every day

Humberstone Kids - Every day

Kibworth- Every day PM  

Queens Road Bookshop- Saturday and Sunday 

Uppingham- Sunday volunteers 

Wigston- 10am-3pm Saturday and Sunday

Uppingham furniture- Every day

Pullman road- Monday 12pm-4.30pm

Narborough Road- Saturday and Sunday

Glenfield shop- Monday, Tuesday and Friday

Glenfield Warehouse- Friday and Monday

Thank you to everyone that has shown an interest in volunteering in the café, we have managed to recruit a few more new volunteers but still looking to try and open the café every weekend during visitor hours. We are calling out for volunteers to come and help get this up and running. We have different shifts available from late morning to early evening. The café should be open from 11am – 7pm. Please get in touch if you would like to be that friendly face in the café! 

Very often, we get local schools asking if we can deliver a short talk in one of their assemblies or to a group of students. It’s always lovely to have volunteers talk about their experiences of LOROS and the support they provide. Last month, Steve, our Volunteer Transport Driver, went out to Oxley Primary School to deliver a short talk, the children really enjoyed the morning and the teachers sent us great feedback too,  

“Please, may I thank you for sending Steve to us. He was an absolute delight and a true warm gentleman. He spoke wonderfully and from the heart. The children were so engaged and had brilliant questions, which he answered in such a great manner. He really is a natural.  

Thank you also for everything you did to organise this too, it's really appreciated that the children can see and hear from a charity they raise money for. It makes it more real for them." 

We often have requests for LOROS to deliver a talk, or have a stall at an event, if you have a warm approach and would like help us out with a talk like this, please get in touch with the volunteer team and we can introduce you to Stacy Munday, our Community Engagement Co-Ordinator focusing on schools and young people.

We are looking for additional volunteers in the following areas, you may be doing a lot already! But please share with family and friends who may be interested in joining our volunteer team! 

Join our Stomp Round Leicster Tusk Force  

There are many different volunteer roles that we are desperate to fill for this event to be a success, from being a part of the trail, guiding and speaking to the public, helping us to maintain the elephants, helping in our This +That store with the STOMP merchandise and much more! 

Event Volunteers  

In addition to Stomp Round Leicester events we have many events to get involved in including the Twilight Walk and Run Leicester Festival. Check out our event volunteering page

Bag packers and charity tin collectors 

We are looking for volunteers from all over the county to help collect tins from businesses and shops and replace with empty tins. 

Bereavement support volunteers needed in Market Harborough 

Making a huge difference to those who are grieving for a loved one by listening and empathising with their loss. It enables LOROS to have a wider reach in the community and to demonstrate its values around care and compassion. 

Event scratch card and raffle ticket seller 18+ 

We have many fundraising events planned for the year and LOROS Lotteries provide a regular and stable source of income for the Hospice. The weekly LOROS Lottery, ‘Support and Win’ scratch cards, and seasonal Raffles, all support Hospice care. 

Café volunteers 

We are still looking for volunteers to help to keep the café open over the weekend, having a warm drink and refreshments is essential to visitors visiting loved ones on our ward. 

Mascot performer 

Fancy getting into costume and being Lionel, our mascot? We have many fun events in the community and schools and need volunteers to fill the costume! 

School assembly speakers 

Are you an enthusiastic speaker that can engage with young people? We need volunteers to help us get out into the community talking to the next generation about hospice care and how to support us.  

Retail volunteers needed  

Please check the retail updates section above for specific shops that are looking to expand their volunteer team. 

Our volunteers are essential to the running of our shops, it’s fun and an opportunity to meet people- no day is the same! 

Polytunnel volunteers 

With spring and summer in full swing, we have opportunities for people to join us in the Polytunnel- growing vegetables that are used in our kitchens to prepare delicious meals that make their way onto the patient wards!  

And we also need volunteers to join our gardeners helping to maintain the beautiful grounds around the hospice! 

School event volunteering opportunities

Badgerbrook Primary School LE8 6ZW

Saturday 6th September 2025 – 2 volunteers needed

10am – 3pm

Community Fun Day

We are looking for one or two enthusiastic volunteers to hold a stall which will offer the public to take part in fun table top games. Volunteers will need to be confident in talking to children of all ages and to encourage them to take part in games. Arrival time to set up is 9am and all equipment will need to be collected from the Hospice either the Thursday or Friday before the event. A float will be available for the day. Once the event is finished all money and equipment must be returned to the Hospice

Captains Close Primary School – LE14 3TU

Saturday 20th September 2025 – 2 volunteers needed

10am – 3pm

Community Fun Day

We are looking for one or two enthusiastic volunteers to hold a stall which will offer the public to take part in fun table top games. Volunteers will need to be confident in talking to children of all ages and to encourage them to take part in games. Arrival time to set up is 9am and all equipment will need to be collected from the Hospice either the Thursday or Friday before the event. A float will be available for the day. Once the event is finished all money and equipment must be returned to the Hospice

Greystoke Primary School LE19 2GX

Saturday 4th October 2025 – 2 volunteers needed

10am – 3pm

Community Fun Day

We are looking for one or two enthusiastic volunteers to hold a stall which will offer the public to take part in fun table top games. Volunteers will need to be confident in talking to children of all ages and to encourage them to take part in games. Arrival time to set up is 9am and all equipment will need to be collected from the Hospice either the Thursday or Friday before the event. A float will be available for the day. Once the event is finished all money and equipment must be returned to the Hospice