Volunteer Roles


How do volunteers help? In many ways. Volunteers help with patient care and transport alongside hospital staff. These volunteers are recruited, trained and managed by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust but are still welcome members of Friends of Airedale. A large number of volunteers work in the shops and cafes and others are involved in communications, fundraising.

Main Entrance

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The hospital shop is located in main reception, and sells a variety of goods to patients and visitors. The shop is organised on a roster basis and is open seven days a week.

Outpatients Cafe Shop

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The cafe is located in outpatients’ and sells a range of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and fresh cakes, to patients, staff and visitors. The shop is open five days a week and is operated on a roster by volunteers.

Ward Trolley Service

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Provide a range of sweets, drinks and toiletries on the wards. It operates from Monday to Saturday on a rota.

Guides and Information

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Guides help to direct patients and visitors to wards, clinics and other departments and provide this service five days a week.

Chapel Services

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Volunteers help to take patients to the services which are held in the hospital chapel on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, or volunteers visit wards on either a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning collecting names of patients who would like to attend the chapel service.

Help is always needed to share in playing the organ for the chapel services.

Spiritual care

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Chaplaincy assistants help to provide spiritual care to patients on the wards.

Flowers for Chapel & Reception

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Fresh flower arrangements are provided for both areas on a weekly basis and are funded by the charity.

Breast Feeding Support

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New mothers are always grateful for the support of volunteers.

Clothes for Dignity

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A team of volunteers provide a vital service in providing outdoor wear to patients who have arrived in hospital with only their night attire so that they can go home in warm clothes. The service has been extended to A&E department where patients have come in through an accident.

Fundraising

Various fundraising activities are always taking place. If you would like to organise an event let us know

Patient Feeding

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Volunteers help patients who have some difficulty at mealtimes or who may need some encouragement to eat,

Pet Therapy

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Volunteers bring in their trained dogs for therapy for the patients. This is a very specialised area of volunteering.

Befriending

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The volunteers work on the elderly wards, providing informal companionship to patients. It is primarily concerned with providing a sympathetic ear and an opportunity for a friendly chat.

Administration

Our busy office handles all charity administration and finance.

Communication

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Friends of Airedale maintain social media in the form of Facebook page and Twitter account. We also have online donation pages and the website.