Volunteers Week 2025: Meet Alex!
Meet Alex! Alex has been a volunteer at St Joseph’s for over 32 incredible years, making him one of our longest-serving volunteers. Throughout this time, he has supported both our patients and staff in many different ways.
Alex decided to volunteer with us after his stepfather died at the Hospice in 1993. Back in the 90s, our Hospice looked very different to how it does now, and Alex’s role then was very different too!
Initially, Alex used to volunteer every Sunday on our wards under the supportive guidance of Sr. Frances who was Head of Nursing at the Hospice. Part of Alex’s role was to make the beds on the wards. He was taught how to make the beds with hospital corners, and that the opening of the pillow was always on the left-hand side of the patients head. He was only ever shown this once but he was never corrected, so he assumes he was hopefully doing it right!
Over the years Alex’s role, like the Hospice has changed, from supporting patients at mealtimes to accompanying them on outings outside the hospice to places like Blackheath. Alex also helps our patients by bringing them to spend time in our peaceful Hospice gardens or attending Mass.
These days Alex supports St Joseph’s ward staff in his weekly role. Carefully organising the stock delivery items such as gloves and medication. Due to the pandemic, Alex couldn’t come in and volunteer for a while but he said when the opportunity to come back came around, he jumped at the chance!
Alex has met many of our patients, staff and volunteers over his 32 years at St Joseph’s. Everyone from our local patients to members of staff who were evacuated from the Island of Monserrat in 1997 and worked at the Hospice for a short time.
For Alex volunteering has become a way of life. He says he feels like he has gained a great deal from his volunteering work at the Hospice, it has given him more humility, a feeling that he is very much part of a team and something much bigger. Alex contributes greatly to St Joseph’s and to the local community. A truly heartfelt thank you to Alex from all of us at the Hospice, we are unbelievably grateful for all of your hard work and kindness.
“Volunteering is the most important thing one can do for oneself. At the hospice volunteering is fun and its’ all about teamwork” says Alex
How can I volunteer?
It’s National Volunteers’ Week this week (2nd-8th June), so what a great time to start thinking about volunteering! There are so many ways that you can support St Joseph’s Hospice.
If you’d like to find out more about volunteering with us, please call 020 8525 6032, email volunteering@stjh.org.uk or visit www.stjh.org.uk/volunteer for more information.
