233 volunteers who give up their time to help local hospitals have been thanked by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust with a special Christmas party.
An army of volunteers of all ages support East Surrey Hospital in Redhill and the other services run by SASH. Their help includes welcoming patients and visitors, collecting post, running the bookshop, litter picking, maintaining the gardens and fish tanks in waiting rooms and administrative support.
Several individuals were recognised for their personal contribution to the hospital including Mary Gilborson who supports patients with dementia, Alison Cass who volunteers at East Surrey Hospital’s emergency department and a group of volunteers who provide an information point in the hospital. They were presented certificates by SASH medical director Dr Ed Cetti.
Michael Wilson CBE, chief executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We have had a very successful year at SASH and our amazing volunteers are an enormous part of that. We are extremely grateful for everything they do and are proud to have them as such an integral part of our team.”
David Vincent, head of resourcing and talent said: “We have been developing and expending the way we use volunteers over the last 12 months and Joy Matthews, Volunteers Manager has been busy developing new roles that make a positive impact on our patients. SASH also promotes volunteering as a way of accessing employment for those that have had difficulty in previously gaining work.”
