A big warm welcome to Fiona!
We’re delighted to welcome Fiona Ward to the hospice as our new Volunteering Manager! We introduce you to her here in this lovely blog in which Fiona shines a light on why she is so passionate about hospice care and what she hopes to bring to her new role. She expresses a heartfelt thankyou to all our amazing volunteers for all that they do, and she says she’s looking forward to meeting our volunteer teams very soon!
An exciting time
“I’m delighted to be joining Rowcroft at this exciting time! Rowcroft has already given 40 years of great service and has ambitious plans to do much more.”
Fiona’s background
“For the last ten years or so I have been working in the charity / community sector in Totnes running a variety of projects, most of which have relied on volunteers.
“Before I moved to Totnes I lived and worked in London as a consultant and was lucky enough to spend some years in San Francisco too, managing change projects within large corporations.”
Experience that Fiona brings to the role
“I have learned some useful things about the rewards and challenges of volunteering, including from my own experiences as a volunteer – and there is always more to learn! I find the best starting place is to listen and then to work together to agree priorities and build on what has already been achieved. And to look for ways to join things up whenever possible!
“Sadly, I recently lost my younger brother to cancer and directly experienced the value of the local hospice support where he lived – their reassurance, kindness and professional care made an awful time more bearable for him and our family.
“So, I am bringing a deep appreciation for the importance of this work; a curiosity about how volunteers can make an even bigger impact in and around Rowcroft; and some experience of turning visions and ideas into reality.”
Fiona’s message to our volunteers
“I’d like to say hello and I look forward to meeting you and hearing more about your own Rowcroft story – what brought you here, what you give and what you gain from your volunteering, how it feels to be part of Rowcroft – and I’m especially interested to hear any ideas and suggestions that might make your experience even better.”
An extra big thank you to our volunteers!
“This week is our annual Volunteers Week. It’s an important time as it gives us another chance to say a heartfelt thank you to our volunteers for everything – for all that you do and the way that you do it. I look forward to meeting you over the next few months, getting to know you and offering support where I can.”
Why our volunteers are so vital
“Our volunteers do an enormous amount of essential work, without which the hospice could not function. The financial value of this contribution is significant, and it means that Rowcroft can use its limited resources to serve even more local people.
“Volunteers bring a wide range of skills and life experience along with their care, warmth, and positivity. This variety enriches the Rowcroft organisation and helps broaden our appeal and ability to relate to different people.
“Plus, with many conversations they have back at home and in their neighbourhood, our volunteers help make sure that the local community is more aware of Rowcroft and the amazing range of services on offer.”
The future
“To meet Rowcroft’s ambition to support even more local people, we will need more volunteers and some new roles will be developed to support even more hospice services and areas of operation. These roles will emerge from discussions with staff and current volunteers as part of a process I will be coordinating over the next few months.”
Further information about volunteering
If you’d like to find out about the many different ways that you can volunteer with Rowcroft, then please see our volunteers page. If you’re interested in joining Rowcroft as a volunteer, or would like more information, please email Fiona at volunteering@rowcrofthospice.org.uk or telephone Fiona on 01803 210852.
Blogs from other volunteers:
- Let’s raise a cuppa to Judith (hospitality volunteer)
- The hidden stars of the hospice – Dee Smith
- A journey from architecture to nursing through the pandemic
Please also check out our current volunteering opportunities.