Volunteer news- March 2025

This spring LOROS has partnered with five local solicitors to offer free Will writing clinics here at the Hospice from 24th-28th March 2025.

These clinics provide a safe space to discuss your wishes and create a simple Will or amend your existing one for free. If you would like to book an appointment please visit loros.co.uk/willwriting.

As you will have heard recently, gifts in Wills are an absolutely vital income source for LOROS, providing on average 25% of our income.

We are also pleased to be able to share with you all our new LOROS Gifts in Wills video, this is part of an integrated fundraising campaign to boost legacy income. Watch now and see how many familiar faces you can spot!

The video has been shared on our Facebook page and we encourage you all to please like and share it far and wide.

You can find out more about giving a gift in your Will at loros.co.uk/giveagift.

"Back in 2005, my dad, Fred passed away whilst at LOROS as a result of his bone cancer. Then in 2017, my mum, Rose, passed away in the Hospice too following ovarian cancer.

 I do my volunteering on a Monday, firstly going on to the ward to help out with breakfast. Then after breakfast, I help out in the wellbeing group, where patients come along and take part in different activities. The sessions range from card making, painting, gift making and all sorts of weird and wonderful things in between. The patients can choose to participate if they want to or just sit, have a cuppa and chat to socialise with others. 

During the morning session I help out with refreshments and help prepare their lunches before an activity in the afternoon. The activities really can be anything and recently have ranged from a visit from zoolab (a reptile group who bring along various reptiles for you to hold) or a visit from a local choir and we have a sing along afternoon, or simply a mindfulness session to relax.

Alan Birchenhall who is one of our LOROS patrons often comes along to visit the ward and puts a smile on so many faces. It can make a day so special just by having a chat with someone like “The Birch“.

I also help out the Fundraising Team at many events including the Annual Lunch, Memory Light Trail, The Big Day Out and the big one this year Stomp Round Leicester, which I’m very much looking forward to; it’ll be a great spectacle. 

A few weeks ago, I was invited along with Emma from the Fundraising Team to The Leicestershire Golf Club to be part of their “drive-in” day at the club, as both of the captains have chosen LOROS for their charity for 2025.

I’m a golfer too, and back in 2021 I chose LOROS as my chosen charity during my year as Lady Captain at Birstall Golf Club. We raised over £2,400 that year which was really humbling. 

Being part of the LOROS volunteers is so rewarding, I always look forward to Monday mornings to go along to the hospice and help out."

We have been provided details for staff and volunteers to receive walk in vaccinations. The NHS roving healthcare unit is offering the free walk-in vaccinations for eligible people. The vaccinations available are: flu, RSV, pertussis and MMR. Some of the dates have already passed but there are a few dates in April if you are interested!

You will have received communications via email about Rob’s weekly update sessions hosted online via Microsoft Teams. These briefings will be every Wednesday from 12-1pm where you will have a chance to learn more about the changes we face as a charity. We would like to encourage all volunteers to join and if you are struggling to access links online, you are welcome to join us at the Hospice where will provide access to the live sessions.

In the meantime, please feel welcome to discuss and share any thoughts within your department, our volunteering team or with a member of the senior leadership team.

All volunteers should have received an email on Tuesday 25th February with the meeting link on it. If you are having difficulty accessing this please contact the Volunteering Team.

Abbey Park Café

Kelly Pusey started with LOROS in July 2024 as Café Manager for our café based at Abbey Park. The team was small where she was managing the café only with paid staff and bank staff. Since then, Kelly has managed to recruit six new volunteers and a further two are starting this week!

Kelly said: "It is a great pleasure to see the volunteers working as part of the team there and we are looking at supporting a couple of them to achieve their level 2 in food safety this year as we feel this would show our commitment to them and show how valued they are to the café and LOROS."

Well done to Kelly and a big thank you to all of our new volunteers in the café as this is all contributing to making the café a more profitable venture for LOROS.

This + That

A massive thank you to Ilene at This + That who weekly delivers 30+ single lottery tickets. We all can’t thank her enough for all her efforts in achieving this. Well Done to Ilene and all the volunteers who have put so much time and effort in over the past few months to keep the shop a thriving success in the town centre!

Oadby

After the devastating fire in our Oadby shop a few weeks ago, we would like to recognise the team in Oadby for pulling together and supporting each other and LOROS, despite having no shop to volunteer in. We are overwhelmed by the dedication of the volunteers offering to help out at other locations where needed.

£1 sale

We just want to give a big shout out to the volunteers who helped in making the £1 sale such a success. We took nearly £700 on the day and will holding another one again soon. Watch this space!

We are always looking for further opportunities for volunteers to receive more face to face training and we have a variety of dates to attend Equity and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) training. We encourage you to book a place and take part in some interesting conversations. The sessions will last for one hour and be interactive - it would be good to see as many volunteers as possible attending.

Wednesday 12th March @10.30am in Seminar Room 1

Monday 7th April @ 2.30pm in Seminar Room 1

Tuesday 8th April @ 2.30pm in Seminar Room 1

Wednesday 9th April @10.30am in Seminar Room 1

Wednesday 30th April @10.30am in Seminar Room 1

There will be more sessions in future months and they will be offered across different times and all weekdays (weekend or late sessions can also be arranged if there is demand). Spaces are limited for each session so please email Jackie Newcombe as soon as possible to request a place and she will confirm if there is space available.

In the meantime, If you have any questions about the training or concerns and issues in attending, please reach out to Jackie directly.

Introducing the Stomp Round Leicester Tusk Force!

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

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!

Are you feeling inspired to join the Tusk Force? Visit stomproundleicester.co.uk/volunteering to find out more and register your interest or get in touch with us at volunteers@loros.co.uk

You may receive some information from our volunteering team about training over the next few months. We are updating all of our volunteer records and notice that some volunteers are due to receive a refresher in certain modules. Please keep a look out in your email inbox and give the volunteer team a shout if you have any queries or need any additional support to complete the training.

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! 

• 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. 

• Home visiting volunteers needed in Coalville 

Supporting the emotional and mental welfare of patients and their family in their homes is a vital part of this role. Home visiting volunteers provide companionship and support as well as respite for carers.

• 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 the Hospice.

• 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! 

• Retail volunteers needed  

Uppingham Road Furniture shop, Hamilton and our This + That store 

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

• Polytunnel and gardening 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!  

We also need volunteers to join our gardeners helping to maintain the beautiful grounds around the Hospice! 

Last week we had volunteers join us for a chat over cuppa, it was a chance for people to learn more about what their fellow volunteers did and hear fascinating stories about each of their journeys to LOROS. Pauline, one of our Polytunnel and retail volunteers, said she really enjoyed the experience and hoped she could meet more volunteers helping to "knit us all together". 

We hope you can join us for the next one on Thursday 3rd April at 10.30am at the Hospice.  

Please confirm you are coming by emailing us at volunteers@loros.co.uk  (just to make sure we have enough biscuits)!  

Every Wednesday 12-1pm: MS teams sessions with Rob

3rd April 10am -12pm: Volunteers’ cuppa at the Hospice 

30th April 10am -11.30am: Coffee with Rob and discussion about assisted dying and LOROS