For Helen, volunteering at the Hospice has become a defining part of her life. A former maths teacher who taught in Kenya, Hong Kong and later Boxmoor, she first came to the Hospice 27 years ago and is now one of our longest-serving volunteers.
Helen has taken on a remarkable range of roles, from helping with volunteer admin tasks to managing our shops in Highfield, Abbots Langley and The Marlowes. Later, Helen moved into other roles including collecting shop takings, archiving Gift Aid and sorting donated stamps. She now carefully organises all of the stamp donations that arrive from shops and supporters. The role perfectly suits a lifelong passion for stamps passed down from her grandfather.
Her expertise has helped raise significant funds, with rare finds including at least five Penny Blacks, twenty Two penny Blues and other valuable stamps. “In my mind, I have to do £10,000 a year. That’s what I aim for,” she says. Yet for Helen, volunteering is about much more than fundraising. “I get a lot more out of it than I put into it,” she reflects, describing the many friendships and sense of belonging she has built over three decades. She believes there is a place for everyone at the Hospice. “There’s always something that suits you,” she says.
Her story is a testament to long-term dedication, adaptability and the many different ways volunteers help sustain hospice care and connect deeply with the community they serve.
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