Key points
- Volunteering in a charity
- Working with people who are terminally ill
- Working with patients who have palliative care needs
LOROS is an independent charity, established in 1977 to provide a hospice service to people within Leicestershire and Rutland. The Hospice has thirty one beds in Leicester, a Day Centre in Leicester, just outside the City, and a Hospice at Home team based at the Hospice but managed by the Health Service providing support to patients and their families anywhere in the county. In addition there is a Family Support Service and a Clinical Nurse Specialist team who provide support to patients and families both in the hospice and at home. Patients are referred from both hospitals and GPs. The funding for the Hospice is approximately 40% from the NHS, with the remaining 60% coming from fundraising. The majority of patients (95%) have cancer, while the remainder have other chronic illnesses.
LOROS has much support from the local community and employs 320 staff in total, in roles such as nursing, multidisciplinary healthcare, professional management, administration, maintenance and the charity shop managers who manage volunteers who contribute to fundraising. There are approximately 300 volunteers at the hospice, 60 at the Day Centre and 400 who work in the charity shops.
Within the hospice the main reception and shop (selling confectionary, newspapers etc) are open from 8.30.a.m. to early evening 365 days a year, staffed by volunteers. In addition, volunteers provide a range of other support which include
- Reception, Telephone and Shop
- Manning a snack bar for patients and visitors
- Assisting in the laundry of patients’ clothes
- Driving
- Hairdressing and beauty treatments
- Bringing in dogs to pat
- Specific support in some clinical areas
- Flower arranging
- Administrative assistance in the Finance Department.
- A Complementary Therapy Volunteer who provides support to staff.
- Chaplaincy Volunteers who are recruited separately as part of the multi-faith Chaplaincy Team.
All volunteers are over 18, apart from those on specific work experience schemes. Although there is no upper age limit, all volunteers need to demonstrate a degree of fitness.
LOROS will not recruit volunteers within two years of a major bereavement. At any one time a number of volunteers are inactive due to personal circumstances. In these cases the Volunteer Organiser will maintain contact with the individual by phone and by sending the volunteer newsletter, enabling individual the option of returning to LOROS if they wish.
Most volunteers receive basic induction training which includes
- Food Hygiene
- Fire Safety and Security
- Clinical Issues
- Types of patient
- Family dynamics
- What to do with media enquiries
- Confidentiality (all volunteers sign a confidentiality agreement)
Volunteer drivers also receive Occupational Health Screening from the local hospital. Volunteers in certain roles are checked with the Criminal Records Bureau and those who are working in the snack bar receive training for Food Hygiene Certificates.
Travel expenses are paid to drivers for LOROS journeys and free drinks are provided whilst on duty. A party is held each year for volunteers, at which representatives of the Board of Trustees and the President attend, Long Service Awards for those volunteers who have completed five, ten or more years are presented at this time.
LOROS was founded by local voluntary effort and would be unable to provide the same level of service without the commitment, energy and enthusiasm of the current volunteers.
For further information contact:
Beryl Chapman
Volunteer Organiser
LOROS
Groby Road
Leicester LE3 9QE
0116-231-3771
