News and blog
Latest news and blogs from Sue Ryder.
For journalist or media enquiries, please contact our press office.

The power of volunteering
Bluebell Smith, Volunteer Manager (Healthcare and Fundraising), discusses how volunteering has shaped her life, the friends she has made, the perspective gained, the enduring reminder this has given her of the kindness of others and the amazing work of our volunteers.

'I honestly enjoy my job so much it doesn’t feel like going to work every day’
For Sharon Wotherspoon, it was the start of a whole new career when her children volunteered at their local Sue Ryder shop. That was six years ago and Sharon is now Shop Manager of Sue Ryder’s Mengham shop on Hayling Island.

Silence is deadly: stigma attached to 'the D-word' means Brits are missing out on a better death
Whilst Brits know how they would spend their last days on earth, few are preparing for them, our new survey has revealed. As a result of this, we are calling on the nation to start talking about death.

“Just making someone smile, however briefly, is a lovely feeling.”
Patient support volunteer Susan Clark has been volunteering her time on the wards and in the kitchens at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice in Leeds for almost 40 years. Here, she outlines what her role involves and what the hospice is really like.

"It was an absolute thrill to be nominated to attend the Royal Garden Party. I got to see the Queen looking lovely in her pink suit!"
Pat McClelland, Lead Volunteer at our Airedale Shopping Centre charity shop in Keighley, West Yorkshire, was among the guests invited to Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Annual Royal Garden Party in May.

“Dust off your bike and join us so that Manorlands can be there for more people like Chris.”
When she lost her husband Chris to cancer last October, Miki Mitchell was devastated. However, through it all, our Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice was there to provide support and now, one year on, Miki is supporting them – bringing with her 100 entrants to Manorlands’ annual Bronte Sportive cycling event.

A shout-out to the therapy dogs of Sue Ryder (and an alpaca too)
To round off National Volunteers’ Week, we want to celebrate the furry, four-legged volunteers who work so hard to brighten the days of our patients, residents and families – not forgetting their humans!

It’s time to get it right for people with neurological conditions in England
People with neurological conditions in England are being let down by the very health and care systems that are supposed to be supporting them – that’s the finding of our new report Time to get it right, writes our Policy and Public Affairs Manager (England) Duncan Lugton.

Over 15,000 people with neurological conditions are being placed in nursing homes for the elderly, our shocking report reveals
Our new report, 'Time to get it right' published today, gives a comprehensive picture on how people with neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease and acquired brain injury are being let down by health and social services in England.

"Volunteering at the shop made me feel accepted and useful"
Having recently moved to the Derby area, Elizabeth Meakin found that volunteering at her local Sue Ryder charity shop was the perfect way not only to meet people and boost her confidence but change her career.