National Volunteers’ Week takes place from 1 to 7 June every year and is a celebration across the UK of all the contributions volunteers make within their community.

Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has a wide range of volunteers supporting its services including Mental Health services, Prisons and Local Engagement Forums. 

On Wednesday 7 June some of our HSCP volunteers attended a Volunteer Glasgow event at Maryhill Burgh Halls. The event showcased a range of volunteer opportunities in North West Glasgow.

At the event Fiona Moss, our HSCP’s Head of Health Improvement and Equalities, presented certificates and thanked our volunteers for all their invaluable and dedicated efforts in supporting the services we provide. The volunteering roles are very diverse.

Fiona said: “Volunteering activity has made an important contribution to the delivery of our services across Glasgow. I’m delighted to welcome the volunteers here today to express my thanks for their support. I would also like to thank them on behalf of our patients and their families who tell us how much the volunteers support helps them.”

Claire Cunningham, one of our volunteers who attended the event, has been a volunteer at Gartnavel Royal Hospital Glasgow for five years.

Claire said: “While volunteering I’ve been a therapet handler, hairdresser, cafe worker and even Santa Claus!  I also undertook multiple NHS courses in mental health and training in suicide prevention and I’m now volunteering at the hospital with high dependency patients, with severe mental illness.

“Currently I assist an arts volunteer where I encourage patients to participate in activities that they thoroughly enjoy. I love volunteering, in that it’s just wonderful to be able to help those in need. I would strongly encourage anyone to become a volunteer at any level doing any work for the NHS. It’s most rewarding giving your time to others in need of stimulation. I find that the patient’s stress levels are greatly reduced just by simply being encouraged to participate in any activity, and this assists greatly with their communication difficulties.”

Volunteering opportunities are available at http://www.volunteerglasgow.org/