Dee, Hospitality Volunteer, Inpatient Unit

“Day to day there’s such a lovely atmosphere – everyone is so kind”

Dee is one of our many amazing volunteers who donate their time to help with hospitality around our Inpatient Unit in Torquay. Rowcroft’s fabulous hospitality volunteers work with our Catering Team by serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and drinks to patients; and together they ensure that everyone is left feeling content.

“I have seen so many wonderful things happen whilst I have been volunteering here,” says Dee. “Like when the staff managed to create a beautiful wedding day for a patient and their partner. It was really lovely to witness. But even day-to-day, there’s such a lovely atmosphere – everyone is so kind. Everyone at Rowcroft works so hard to make sure that every patient receives the best care possible, and I am so pleased to be able to say I am part of the team.”

Alongside offering home cooked meals and warming drinks, Dee is able to offer an array of alcoholic beverages from Rowcroft’s drinks trolley to those who may enjoy a relaxing tipple!

“It’s great to help patients feel as relaxed as possible,” says Dee. “Being able to offer patients their favourite tipple when times are feeling difficult, it can lighten everyone’s spirits and can help make them feel that little bit more comfortable.

“When I am volunteering on the ward, my day can vary. But I can be sure that my day will consist of a few things: taking the drinks trolley around to patients, serving patients their lunch and after that taking our hot drinks trolley around for patients and their visitors if they would like one. I find that most patients are really surprised that we have an alcoholic drinks trolley and also very pleased that it comes with no cost to them. When patients share this with their loved ones, they find it hard to believe until they’ve seen it.”

Our amazing volunteers who deliver these roles on our Inpatient Unit really do help to create a comforting and welcoming atmosphere for patients and their families.

“To be able to take on a volunteer role such as mine, you simply need to be a patient, caring person. I like to treat the people that I meet, how I know I would like to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot. I think that helps me along the way.”