Volunteer news- June Pin Board

Volunteers’ Week kicked off with a memorable annual BBQ event dedicated to our volunteers, graced with perfect weather that set the tone for a fantastic evening. Witnessing the gathering of over 200 volunteers from LOROS coming together to celebrate was truly heart warming!

Long service awards 2025 

At the event, we had the privilege of presenting the Volunteer long service awards, acknowledging remarkable dedication spanning from 5 years to an impressive 35 years! The unwavering commitment and enthusiasm of our volunteers continue to be a boundless well of inspiration. 

With a total of 1200 volunteers, quantifying the impact you make can be a daunting task! However, we were able to calculate an astounding saving of over £3 million! It’s not just about the time you give, it’s the profound impact of your actions, from comforting patients to engaging with customers, supporting people through grief, fundraising, assisting with administrative tasks, tending to our gardens and cultivating fresh produce for our patients, and that’s just a snippet of what you all do! The breadth of your contributions is truly remarkable.

Margaret Wheeler: 35 years service

Louise Wright: 30 years service

Gillian Cartlidge: 30 years service

Throughout the week, we have been encapsulating these significant impacts through a compelling statement board, the responses so far have been overwhelmingly positive, underscoring the profound effect our volunteers have at LOROS and the wider community.  

We've put together a video of just a selection of our volunteers sharing how many years they've volunteered at LOROS for. This is just an incredible amount and really shows the dedication of our volunteers!

Ishvar has been fundraising and volunteering for LOROS for 21 years, and is also a LOROS ambassador. Here's his story.

Ishvar’s connection with LOROS began back in 2004 when he and his wife Kamla, took part in Walk on the Wildside. They both enjoyed the walk so much they agreed to do it every year. Very sadly just two days later Kamla discovered she had 2nd stage cancer and died just 9 months later. Ishvar followed his wife’s wishes of completing the walk, every year for 20 years, raising money for LOROS in her memory.  

“She was so happy on that walk, she really enjoyed it. Sadly, she never completed a second walk so I took it up in her memory and from 2004-2023 I completed 20 walks in 20 years, raising around £20k too, with lots of friends and family walking with me.  

I applied to become a LOROS volunteer but was told I should wait a while longer after my wife’s death, and finally started helping on the Broadening Horizons project in 2012, where I used my community knowledge and Gujarati language skills to reach out to different communities and raise the profile of the Hospice.  

Part of the need to connect with different communities is that there are a lot of myths around hospice care. Lots of people are afraid of LOROS. People think that if you stay on the ward they’ll take your property away to pay for it. Some of them don’t know what a hospice is, let alone heard of LOROS. It’s really important we keep going with the LOROS events for these communities.  

In 2005 when my wife was ill, she was cared for on the LOROS inpatient ward for two days. My daughter and my son in law came to visit and they said ‘this place is amazing’. They gave my wife a choice and she wanted to be in her own home so they looked after her there until she passed away.  

I feel good at how much I’ve given back. When she was ill my wife told me, she wasn’t worried about our children, as my two daughters and my son are all married and got houses and good jobs, but she was worried about me. Me and my wife were never apart. We were together for 37 years, I met her when she was 14. She was worried about me and told me ‘you must find something that keeps you going’. So, for 20 years I did the walk in her memory. LOROS have kept me going.  

Volunteering really gives me a boost. I was so impressed with LOROS care, I wanted to help. So I became a ward companion, where I chat to patients on the ward. I remember I spoke to a lady who was busy writing and she asked me for some more paper so I went to buy some from the shop. She asked me what my name was and when I said Ishvar she asked what it meant. I said it means ‘god’ in my culture. She said yes you are a god, because you’ve given me what I needed. The following week she was still there and we had a good chat.  

I was so amazed that such a small thing as buying some writing paper made such a difference, made her so happy. Making a difference to someone who’s dying is a wonderful thing. It’s a privilege to be a tiny part of their journey – that’s the reason why I’m happy to come and help LOROS.  

I’m lucky to be a part of LOROS. My friend says ‘LOROS is lucky to have you’ so it works both ways!” 

We're delighted to share that we have partnered with DMU as the University offer a 'making a difference from campus to community module'. This is the first time that students will be able to earn credits towards their degree course while volunteering. 

The pilot module will be offered to students on DMU's Business Management Studies course, and will see the students spending time supporting LOROS. This volunteering module marks the beginning of an exciting new two-year partnership LOROS.  

Volunteering Manager at LOROS, Rayhana Brydson, said: "We are incredibly excited to be working with DMU on this innovative volunteering partnership. We are passionate about creating exciting opportunities for students where they can enrich their academic studies with real experience and be rewarded for their time with credits towards their course- we hope they choose to return once they've completed their modules and the value of volunteering has a lasting impact."  

DMU will also be our official volunteer partner for our Stomp Round Leicester art trail, coming to the city this summer with lots of great opportunities to make a difference!  

Margie volunteers at our Uppingham store and is affectionately known as the ‘Bag Lady’.  

Margie has volunteered for nearly 9 years as was part of the team who worked in the original Uppingham store before moving to the large one we have today. 

When Margie was little she used to like playing shops and teachers, she went on to become a teacher and is now retired, but she is loving playing shops again! 

Margie loves the interaction with the customers, the buzz of a sale and working for such a great cause. Now retired, volunteering gives Margie a weekly routine and purpose and she loves being part of the Uppingham team. She said “ It’s an important part of my life “. 

We are in need of volunteer 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  

QRBS: Weekend volunteers   

Uppingham: Sunday Volunteers 

 Wigston: Monday 10am-3pm, Saturday and Sunday

Uppingham Furniture: Every day

Pullman Road: Monday 12-4.30pm, Tuesday and Friday

Narborough Road: Saturday and Sunday

Glenfield Shop: Monday, Tuesday and Friday

Glenfield Warehouse: Friday and Monday

On behalf of Andrew Stant, Interim Chair, Board of Trustees

Earlier last month we sent you communication to let you know that Rob Parkinson has decided to step down from his role as Chief Executive at LOROS and will leave the organisation in the near future. 

Camilla Barrow will assume the role of Interim Acting Chief Executive and will lead the Senior Leadership Team as they continue to address the financial challenges that lie ahead. The recruitment process to replace Rob will begin in forthcoming months which will be led by the Board of Trustees.  We would like to express our thanks to Rob for his hard work and commitment to LOROS.  

Many of you will have seen our Elephants at the hospice or some of our social media content. From14th July until 21st September, Leicester will be inspired by a mammoth art trail parading through its streets, parks and open spaces. 

40 beautifully designed giant Elephant sculptures and 82 Baby Elephants will Stomp Round Leicester in recognition of LOROS’ 40th anniversary, taking trail goers on a journey of discovery past the city’s well-known icons and hidden gems.  

Every giant Elephant on the trail has been designed by talented artists from the local area and further afield and sponsored by a business and the Baby Elephant sculptures have been adopted and decorated by schools and community groups as part of our exciting Learning Programme. 

How can you get involved? Join the Tusk Force!

We are looking for some ele-fantastic volunteers to join the herd! Are you looking to get involved in something innovative and exciting this summer?

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. 

Our café is crucial to so many visitors who come to visit loved ones on the ward. Our café volunteers don’t just serve refreshments, often they are the first friendly face off the ward and check in with visitors while they may be taking a break from visiting family or friends. A big thank you to all the volunteers for helping us to open the café when we can.  

We would like to try and open the cafe all 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 cafe should be open from 11am – 7pm. Please get in touch if you would like to be that friendly face in the café!  

We also need to recruit volunteers in other areas, so please check out the list of volunteering vacancies below.

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 the 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 our Stomp Round Leicester events we have many events to get involved in from Twilight to the Run Leicester Festival, check out our event volunteering page for how you can get involved.

Bag packers and charity tins 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 newsletter in Retail updates 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 approaching, 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!