Volunteer news

What is Stomp Round Leicester?

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. 

This month, one of our Area Managers, Fiona Knapp, had a chance to have a chat with Jean Williams. Jean volunteers at our Biggin Street shop in Loughborough! 

1. Name, age, where are you from? 

"I am Jean Williams. I am 85 years old and I am from Jamaica but I’ve lived in the UK since I was 19."

2. How long have you been volunteering with LOROS? 

"I have been volunteering since July 2022."

3. What type of volunteer work do you do at LOROS? Can you describe a typical day for you? 

"I come in to steam the clothes at the Biggin Street shop. This is my main task but I do hang clothing, tidy the shop floor and I even tidy the kitchen when there is no steaming to do."

4. What motivated you to start volunteering? 

"I starting volunteering in London when I retired and not long after moving to Loughborough I lost my husband so after I had grieved for him, I needed something to keep me busy. I started shopping in the local charity shops and especially the LOROS one. S-J who was the manager at the time was so friendly and we used to sit and chat then she asked if I was ready to start work and I said no to start with but she persuaded me to start volunteering and the rest is history!"

5. What does volunteering at LOROS mean to you personally? 

"Giving back! I have never really had much and what I have had, I have had to work hard for. As a Christian person I believe to give back and help people."

6. What do you enjoy most about your role? 

"The people I work with, they are very helpful and friendly really like a family. We are all here for each other."

7. What skills or personal qualities have you developed through your volunteer work here? 

"People skills, things are forever changing so I am adapting and learning the younger generation’s ways and language!"

8. What would you say to anyone thinking about volunteering with LOROS? 

"You need a bit of dedication and you must love the work and the people you work with, it’s a job that needs your full attention and is really worthwhile."

A big THANK YOU to Jean for all the years she has dedicated to supporting LOROS, we’re very lucky to have you in our team! 

As part of Volunteers’ Week, we want to celebrate YOU and all the support that you provide!

Championed by the Rapid Relief Team, we will be hosting our BBQ thank you event on Monday 2nd June 2025 from 4pm -7pm at the Hospice. We also thought it would be great to have a larger crowd of staff and volunteers to cheer fellow volunteers who will be receiving long service awards this year. We can’t wait to meet you all there! Follow the link below to sign up.

Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers. Launched in 1984, this initiative has been running for over 40 years, providing organisations and communities a platform to thank current and past volunteers for their invaluable efforts. The campaign highlights the diversity and unity of volunteer work across the UK.  This year’s celebration runs from Monday 2nd – Sunday 8th June, although we will have thank you messages and displays over the month of June too. 

We have boxes of our events booklets that need distributing to shops, businesses, community centres, GPs and other places of public engagement. The areas we need help to distribute are:  

• Glenfield 

• Groby 

• Hinckley 

• Blaby 

• Ashby 

• Loughborough 

If you are able to help and can collect a box from the Hospice, please get in touch with Raina Hussain from our Fundraising Team or get in touch with our volunteering team! 

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 Leicester Tusk Force  

There are many different volunteer roles that we need 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 Round Leicester merchandise and much more!

Event Fundraising Volunteers 

We have lots of events planned over the next six months and will need your support to make each event a cracking success- so even if you only have time to dedicate a day, you can register to support us for whichever event you fancy! Follow the link below for our upcoming event volunteering requirements.

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 raffles, all support hospice care. 

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! 

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. 

We receive many requests from schools to take part in career days, encouraging children to also think about volunteering – they would love to hear from volunteers like you! 

Mock interview support at Rawlings School, Loughborough

We have had a request from Rawlings School in Loughborough for volunteers to support students by helping with mock interviews: 

" For the afternoon we are looking for volunteers to help with mock interviews, we believe your participation would greatly benefit our students. The mock interview sessions are scheduled from 1pm to 1.45pm and 2pm to 2.45pm We will provide a complementary lunch at 12.15pm, followed by a briefing at 12.50pm.

These mock interviews will offer students practical experience with the interview process, helping them understand what makes a successful interview and how to impress potential employers. We also plan to include time for feedback and reflection during the session. No prior preparation is required, as we will provide a template of questions and a feedback form on the day. 

Our students greatly benefit from interacting with professionals from the world of work, and we would be immensely grateful if you could spare some time to support them through these interviews."

If interested, please contact Stacy Munday or give the volunteering team a shout! 

Retail volunteers needed  

Volunteers are needed at 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 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! 

Unfortunately, the last coffee with Rob session planned for 30th May was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We will provide further details for the next session soon.  

The weekly Teams calls with Rob, discussing the financial position at LOROS have also been cancelled until further notice.  

Monday 2nd June: Volunteers’ week annual BBQ celebration and long service awards (4pm-7pm) 

Thursday 5th June: Volunteer cuppa in the LPDC café (10.30am-12pm)