Longfield Hospice is urgently seeking volunteers to help across all areas of the hospice in Minchinhampton, out and about in the community or in its charity shops.

A spare three hours a week is all it takes to develop a new social circle and spend time doing something fun while developing new skills - while making a huge difference across Gloucestershire.

Longfield has a wide range of volunteering roles - there is something for everyone:

• Would you like to be a van driver? Out and about across this beautiful county making sure Longfield's shops are getting all the stock they need.
• How about being a patient driver, enabling someone to get to the hospice?
• If shopping is your thing or you want to channel your inner Mary Portas, Longfield's 20 shops across the county need you to help customers find that special purchase.
• Or you could be a volunteer based at the hospice itself, supporting activities including cooking, gardening and painting. For anyone who's super organised or has a good eye for detail, the hospice is also looking for volunteer administrators.

If you can find some regular time each week to volunteer, the hospice promises fun, new friends, new skills and the simple joy of knowing you are making a huge difference across Gloucestershire.

Longfield Community Hospice is a charity and relies on voluntary donations to provide the much-needed care and support to patients, their families and loved ones.

Head of retail Laura Owen emphasised the crucial role volunteers play, stating that some shops struggle to open on certain days due to the shortage.

Laura added: "Our volunteers are a vital part of our shops, all ages and backgrounds get involved in helping customers, designing shop windows and making sure our stock is out on the floor and ready to buy.''

Chrissie from Cirencester not only works in the Dyer Street shop but helps run a fundraising group for Longfield.

She said: "It is a great way to make friends and be social. Everyone in the shop here is lovely and friendly. If you can just spare three hours a week, that's all I do, that's perfect.

"You're helping people - I really like clothes, so I can go on the floor and help people find what they want. If somebody's on their own, widowed, divorced, and needs company, this is the perfect place. It's rewarding, it's fulfilling, and it's good to feel useful.

"You meet lovely people from all walks of life. What makes me come back is the camaraderie between the team of people either at the shop or in our fundraising group."

Richard, who volunteers at the hospice for the Wellbeing Centre, said: "The reward for volunteering is in the volunteering itself. The participants of the two men's groups I've helped with have come together, some as complete strangers, and formed instant bonds of camaraderie and friendship. They feel a sense of comfort and belonging in the safe space that Longfield provides, which enables them to share their feelings. It's very refreshing knowing that I have helped to create that experience.'

Longfield CEO Clare Davis said: "I am humbled by how much our volunteers give to us. It is a special community to be a part of and I can't thank everyone enough for giving their time, support, and skills to enable Longfield to deliver the essential services to the people who need us most.

"Volunteers are so important to every single part of Longfield, from our retail operation through to our care services and our fundraising. We need volunteers to help with services at the hospice from welcoming patients to activities, to helping provide home cooked meals to driving patients to and from the hospice. There are so many ways you can get involved.

"Every volunteer becomes part of the team at Longfield, knowing they are helping to make a difference to local people who need our help."

When you become a Longfield Hospice volunteer, you are not only helping the hospice to continue caring for local people living with life-limiting conditions, and their families, you're giving yourself the opportunity to learn new skills, grow in confidence, and make life-long friends.

You will receive lots of training and support to help you thrive in your new role and be immediately welcomed into the wonderful community of existing volunteers.

If you'd like to volunteer with Longfield Hospice but are unsure which role would be the best fit, please get in touch to discuss the different opportunities in more detail.

For volunteering opportunities contact: volunteering@longfield.org.uk 

You can apply online to become a volunteer here: www.longfield.org.uk/working-with-us/volunteering/ 

If you're unable to gift your time to help the hospice, you can help by donating pre-loved items to sell in their charity shops or you can become a regular giver to the hospice. See the website for details.