Voluntary Services GWH

25/10/2025

Volunteers of Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have returned to the Swindon Intermediate Care Centre (SwICC)!

HCRG Care Group took charge of the services and management of the SwICC building - which is located on the hospital site - in April this year and as a result, sadly our Volunteers were no longer permitted to offer their help there.

Volunteer feedback after visiting SwICC was frequently positive and so often came from the immediate feeling that the time they spent in support of patients and staff in SwICC had been rewarding and worthwhile. Knowing just how much our Volunteers appreciated this placement opportunity, we explored what could be done to allow them back again.

Last month an agreement was reached through a Memorandum Of Understanding between our Trust and the HCRG Care Group which granted permission for our Volunteers to return!

Vanessa LeMenager, Matron of SwICC has this to say:
"HCRG Care Group are so pleased to welcome our wonderful Volunteers back to SwICC. Their support means so much to us, and we truly value everything they do.

They help with meals, chat with patients, keep people company, restock supplies, and always bring a big smile. These small acts make a huge difference, not only to our patients but also to our busy teams, who are so grateful for the extra support.

Our Volunteers are an important part of the SwICC family, and we couldn’t do it without them. Thank you for the time, kindness, and energy you bring with you each day – you really are invaluable."

In addition to providing assistance on both Forest and Orchard Wards, Volunteers also help staff to deliver physiotherapy and rehabilitation to patients in the purpose-built gymnasium. Returning Volunteer, Chris and 'new-to-SwICC' Volunteer, Michael, both give their time each week in SwICC to support the physio teams.

Thank you so much to everyone who made this happen! 🥰

We will be recruiting again in February 2026, so if you are interested in joining our Team of Volunteers please keep a look out for our posts!

07/10/2025

For the next few weeks we will be selling a selection of Spooky Chocolate Orange Covers – with Chocolate Orange included – Mini Pumpkin Keyrings and other delightful goodies! Items have been made and donated by Volunteers (and / or members of staff’s mums!).

All proceeds will go towards the Voluntary Services Charitable Funds account. Funds are used to pay for things like your Long Service Awards and help contribute towards those essential Volunteer refreshments!

Please note that we can accept payment for items by cash and / or card from Monday to Friday between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

You can find us at the Voluntary Services Hub on the Lower Ground Floor of the Brunel Treatment Centre opposite Cafe Blue.

04/10/2025

A truly lovely post from Dinky Ponies. We are so, so, SO lucky to have the support from Sarah and her Team and yesterday's visit is up there as being one of the most fulfilling. 🥰

Thank you Sarah and thank you Poppy for coming to see us again! Big thanks as well to all those within the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that help us make these visits happen!

05/09/2025

02/09/2025

We are so very fortunate that Sarah of Dinky Ponies continues to find the time each month to come and spread joy to our patients and our staff at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Today's visit saw Sarah bring along a new handler for Poppy!

Big loves and our sincerest appreciation to Craig Revel Horwood and Jonathan for making the trip to join Sarah today - a fun time was had by all! 😀

Today’s Dinky adventures with the fabulous Craig Revel-Horwood.

Thank you for joining us Craig and spreading the Dinky magic round Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with Voluntary Services GWH

More to share of our visit later x

01/09/2025

Have you got some free time and would you like to help support the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We are currently recruiting for Trust Volunteers. Why not come and join our friendly team? Applications now open!!!!

Volunteering at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an ideal opportunity for you to try something new whilst helping people in your community. Volunteering is also a fantastic way to get hands-on experience in a busy acute hospital whilst providing valuable support to our patients and staff.

We have a duty to recruit and place our Volunteers in a way that ensures safety for all concerned so we welcome applicants who are over 16 years of age and can commit to a minimum of three hours a week for at least six months.

If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer, we have a lots of different opportunities available in patient facing and non-patient facing roles.

To find out more and apply please click the following link: https://bttr.im/x40xd

Please note: Applications will close on Wednesday 10th September at 4pm.

If you have any questions or require further information, please get back in touch.

We wish you the very best of luck with your application!

Voluntary Services Team

07/08/2025

Have you got some free time and would you like to help support the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We are currently recruiting for Trust Volunteers. Why not come and join our friendly team? Applications now open!!!!

Volunteering at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an ideal opportunity for you to try something new whilst helping people in your community. Volunteering is also a fantastic way to get hands-on experience in a busy acute hospital whilst providing valuable support to our patients and staff.

We have a duty to recruit and place our Volunteers in a way that ensures safety for all concerned so we welcome applicants who are over 16 years of age and can commit to a minimum of three hours a week for at least six months.

If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer, we have a lots of different opportunities available in patient facing and non-patient facing roles.

To find out more and apply please click the following link: https://bttr.im/x40xd

Please note: Applications will close on Wednesday 13th August at 4pm.

If you have any questions or require further information, please get back in touch.

We wish you the very best of luck with your application!
Voluntary Services Team

07/08/2025

14/07/2025

Here is a fantastic opportunity for you to become involved in exciting events held by our Trust Charity Brighter Futures GWH!

If you are perhaps looking for chance to volunteer in your local community but maybe you can't commit to regular / weekly shifts, then your support of our Brighter Futures GWH Team would be very welcome!

10/06/2025

❤️ Brighter Futures CPR-a-thon ❤️

📻 In case you missed it, our Fundraising Community Manager Colby was on BBC Wiltshire this afternoon to launch our CPR-a-thon. A free event, over 12 hours, where we aim to teach as many people as possible how to give CPR correctly.

On Friday 15th August 2025, from 8am until 8pm, we will be at Tesco, Ocotal Way. This free event is open to everyone! There's no need to sign up, simply come along and learn this life-saving skill from trained GWH staff.

You never know when you may need to help save a life &

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

09/06/2025

For us in Voluntary Services, we feel privileged to be supported by many Volunteers at The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and this past week we have had the ideal excuse to make a fuss of them during National Volunteers' Week!

Our patients, visitors and our staff have been helping to celebrate the commitment and contribution Volunteers give to the Trust and we have received some really positive and encouraging comments and feedback in praise of how much of a difference they make.

Thank you very much to everyone who got involved! 😊

08/06/2025

Meet Hannah and Laura, two of our T-Level students who joined our Volunteering program in 2024.

In partnership with New College Swindon , Cirencester College and the Early Careers Team at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Voluntary Services now hosts 'Year One' T-Level Students, offering them invaluable experience of a hospital environment while supporting our patients and staff.

Volunteering at our Trust is not just about learning - it's a chance to give back to the local community. After their first year, T-Level Student Volunteers move into their preferred second-year placements, pending a recommendation from the Voluntary Services Team.

- Hanna:

"Volunteering at Great Western Hospital, providing support to patients and staff is a valuable opportunity for anyone and has been extremely beneficial for me as a Health T-Level student who wants to work in a healthcare setting in the future.

I decided to become a Volunteer here at this hospital to gain experience, learning essential skills that will help me in the future whilst simultaneously fulfilling my desire to help individuals who may be at their lowest point of life.

During my time volunteering, I've especially enjoyed interacting with patients, whether it's chatting with them, offering them a warm drink, or just being someone they can talk to.

It's uplifting to see the positive impact even small actions can have on patients and their families.

Additionally, volunteering has made me build and gain relationships with staff, patients and other Volunteers which has made the experience truly memorable."

- Laura:

"I think volunteering is a hugely rewarding thing to be a part of. I volunteer as I would like to work in healthcare in the future as a paediatric nurse and I am currently at college doing a nursing course so as my placement I chose to volunteer at GWH.

Volunteering is a great way to get a deeper understanding in how a hospital works and greaten communication skills with a variety of individuals.

What I most enjoy about volunteering is how rewarding it can be when you know you have made a patient’s day by chatting to them or even just giving them a friendly smile. Volunteering has been a brilliant opportunity for me to help others and I feel good for even a small difference I can make.

It feels so nice when you see patients extremely grateful to receive a warm drink and a chat to get to know each other to and give them something positive to focus on."

Do you want to be part of something amazing? Click this link* to get started: https://rb.gy/nlvmez

*PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR THIS MONTH, OUR APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE AT 4:00PM ON WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE 😊