Posted on: 3 December 2021
To mark International Volunteer Day, 5 December 2021, we want to celebrate and give a very special thank you to all CNWL volunteers who do so much for our patients, carers and staff. We thank you everyday, but today we want you to know how special you are and how much you mean to us.
The United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) coordinates International Volunteer Day on 5 December every year to recognise and promote the tireless work, not just of UN Volunteers, but of volunteers across the globe.
Every day, volunteers selflessly bring their time, skills, and experience and share them with our staff, patients and carers.
CNWL has over 160 volunteers supporting 46 teams in 36 different roles… and the numbers are growing day by day.
Nuria de Miguel, CNWL Volunteer Services Manager, said:
“Since I started in my role, I have never stopped being amazed at the dedication, enthusiasm and skills our volunteers bring. Our volunteers are encouraged to bring themselves whole to the role -they enrich the lives of our patients, carers and staff, and we learn so much from them! I’d like to thank them today for that in this special occasion”.
Below are some of the remarkable achievements of CNWL volunteers over the past year:
- Enabling patients to take part on online therapy sessions by supporting them with digital skills
- Some volunteers becoming CNWL staff members, enabling “Volunteer to Career” pathway
- One community, Bay 20 and Beautiful People projects as a clear example of service users becoming the volunteers leading those projects
- Engaging with local communities and supporting residents near to CNWL officers in Kilburn during July’s awful floods
- Providing practical and emotional support to CNWL patients and carers
- Supporting teams in their work, from admin site to driving parcels and goods
To find out more about volunteering and how to become a volunteer, visit our web page.
Thank you messages from CNWL staff to our volunteers
Linda Guerrero, Check in and Chat manager said:
“A MASSIVE thank you to all the Check in & Chat volunteers that provide their time, energy and love of helping people to support CNWL patients and their very deserving carers. Each week you give hope, care and a shoulder to lean on. You empower Check in & Chat’s clients to talk freely, explore problems and often to see a way forward – step by step. You inspire us.”
Cate Latto, One Community lead:
“Our volunteers supporting the One Community work have been a dream come true, working with Nuria and her amazing team we have been able to bring Beautiful People to all 8 Wards at St Charles, lifting peoples spirits and self esteem and making connections that support people from Hospital to home, we have several service user volunteers who want to bring the One Communtiy work to patients on the ward as it meant so much to them in their recovery and our One Community at Bay 20 Fridays are a joy with our mix of volunteers and crew. Thank you to all our volunteers with the One Community movement, as I always say .... You Rock.”
Our Volunteer Team also had their work recognised by winning the Helpforce volunteer Awards for two of our projects – Check in & Chat and St Pancras Rehabilitation Unit Befrienders
Photos of Mariana, St Pancras Rehab Unit Befriending and Virtual visiting volunteer and Kirsty Chesnutt, receiving a Mayor of London thank you card, part of their campaign: 10,000 Thank Yous, which aims to give a personal thank you card to our most committed volunteers, letting them know the value they bring to our organisation.
