Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice worker praises volunteer work at facility

A Burghfield woman who has worked at a Reading hospice for almost a decade has highlighted the importance of voluntary work in her organisation.

As part of this year’s Volunteer’s Week, Donna Pople, volunteer coordinator at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, emphasised the great work volunteers do at her workplace.

She is responsible for recruiting and managing the hospice’s team of approximately 50 volunteers, and in her role she also trains and provides ongoing support to those she manages.

Mrs Pople said: “We simply wouldn’t be able to do all the work we do without our loyal volunteers and I want each and every one of them to know just how much we value their skills and support.

“I get so much job satisfaction from the contact I have with so many different people and from seeing how they support our patients. For me it’s much more than just a job.”

Mrs Pople started working at the hospice because, at 20, she witnessed the great care her mother received in a similar facility in Essex before she passed away.

She said: “I don’t know how to explain it, but I just always knew that I would work in a hospice at some point.”

Mrs Pople is always keen to hear from potential volunteers who could join the team at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice to help with gardening, administration work, fundraising and so much more.