Volunteers’ Week: stories from across Sue Ryder

Join us between 1st and 7th of June, as we say a massive thank you to our incredible community of volunteers who are passionate about supporting people through the most difficult times of their lives.

Throughout the week we’ll be sharing stories from Sue Ryder volunteers on our social media channels, hearing about their experiences and how it feels to be part of a movement to make sure no one faces dying or grief alone.

To help you learn a bit more about what volunteering with us is like, here are Chandra, Roman, Mavis, Max and Linda’s experiences. From supporting our retail teams to caring for our patients and our hospice buildings, they’ve given their time in so many important and rewarding ways.

Every day, Sue Ryder volunteers are making a difference in their communities – giving their time, sharing their skills, and supporting people through some of life’s most difficult moments.

This Volunteers’ Week, we’re celebrating just a few of the incredible people who give their time to Sue Ryder, and the unique impact they make.

After taking early retirement, Chandra decided it was time to give something back locally.

“My dad passed away a couple of years ago. He ran a -charitable eye hospital in West Bengal, India, along with the rest of my family. My grandad started it with just 10 beds, but now we have 250, and carry out 22,000 eye operations a year free of charge. I’m very involved with the charity and doing fundraising for them, so I wanted to use this expertise to give something back to my local community as well.

Inspired by passing a Sue Ryder hospice every day, he began volunteering there once a week – and quickly became a valued member of the team. From serving meals and supporting patients and families, to helping in the gardens and volunteering in a Sue Ryder shop, Chandra has embraced every opportunity to get involved.

He says volunteering has challenged expectations of hospice care, highlighting the positivity and compassion he sees every week.

After a 42-year career in the NHS, Roman was looking for a meaningful way to give his time. Alongside his golden retriever, Stanley, he now volunteers as part of the Pets As Therapy (PAT) programme at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice. Stanley’s calm nature and love of people make him a natural in the role, visiting patients each week and bringing moments of comfort, connection and joy.

“What I love most is the reaction from the patients,” he explains. “It’s great to see the interactions bringing a smile to people’s faces.”

“I like to go to the hospice at least once a week and sometimes at the weekends, when there are lots of visitors. It’s a nice atmosphere at the hospice. The work they do there is very important and it’s a nice group of people. As a volunteer you have to think about how the patients might be feeling and I always check whether someone wants to see Stanley before visiting a room.

“The reason I do this role is because I like to see those positive reactions from people and Stan enjoys all the fuss he gets. As long as he gets a fuss and a little treat, he’s happy!

“Now I’m thinking about doing a bit more volunteering at the hospice, as there are lots of different ways that you can contribute.”

After his wife Angela was diagnosed with a rare degenerative condition, Max Knowles became her full-time carer. As her condition worsened, Sue Ryder supported them both – first through day hospice care and later through hospice at home, helping Angela to stay where she felt most comfortable.

After Angela died in 2017, Max describes feeling “at a crossroads”, unsure how to move forward after losing “half of my sky”. Determined to give something back, he retrained as a counsellor and began volunteering as a gardener, at the hospice that had supported Angel and him.

For Max, volunteering has offered both connection and purpose. Max reflects that, “the gardens are so beautiful and peaceful. When I’m cutting the grass, I can see where Angela used to have her lunch. The faces I see when I‘m there remind me of the good times we had at the hospice.

At the Sue Ryder shop in Altrincham, volunteer Mavis is part of an upcycling team transforming donated items into something new.

Mavis, who has been sewing since childhood, joined the team to develop her skills and give back to a cause close to her heart. Together, the group repair and rework clothing and materials that might otherwise go to waste – creating everything from dresses and bags to homewares.

“I go to the shop every Wednesday morning for a couple of hours (there’s a team of four of us), but I also take materials home to make various things. There’s nothing better than your own sewing machine.

“Anything that isn’t selling or can’t be sold but is of good quality material, Aida will pop in a basket for us to sort through. I work out what I am going to make while I am there, take it home and bring it back finished and ready to sell.”

For the team, it’s not just about creativity – it’s about community, sustainability and supporting Sue Ryder through every item they sell.

Linda, 76, from Peterborough, has been volunteering at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice for 35 years, supporting us since it first opened in 1991.

A former journalist, Linda began by helping raise awareness through media relations, before going on to support fundraising events, something she still does today. Over the years, she has played a key role in organising events and raising significant funds for the hospice.

Linda says: “I’ve always treated my volunteering like a part-time job, giving it the same commitment as if I were employed.”

Volunteering is a family tradition for Linda, with her husband, father, mother-in-law and sons all supporting Sue Ryder in different ways. The hospice also holds a deeply personal connection, after caring for her father.

“After all this time, it feels like a second home,” Linda explains. “I feel a great deal of satisfaction in knowing I’ve been able to help others.”

Reflecting on her 35 years, Linda adds:

When I received the call asking me to help in 1991, I asked, ‘How much time do you need from me?’ The reply was, ‘However much you can spare.” I could never have imagined I’d still be here 35 years later.”

Our volunteers bring compassion, creativity and connection to everything they do – and we couldn’t do it without them.

If you’re inspired to support Sue Ryder this Volunteers’ Week, there are so many ways to get involved as a volunteer.