Making a difference with Carole Brooksbank | Talking #TeamCWPT blog

For International Volunteer Day, we caught up with Carole Brooksbank, one of our friendly volunteers ready to greet patients, their friends and family, and staff at St Michael's Hospital café in Warwick. The hospital provides inpatient mental health care and Carole was inspired to start volunteering when a close family member was an inpatient nine years ago.

Carole says: "My favourite thing is the warm welcome I get from staff and patients who are always pleased to see me and grateful for all I do. Chatting to them and showing interest and kindness is another thing I enjoy."

Carole is a part of a team of volunteers, and her responsibilities include opening the café, restocking and welcoming customers. Carole says it is important to be adaptable, listen to people and always be compassionate when you meet new people, whoever they are. Some people take comfort in speaking to the café volunteers, she says: not everyone has money and sometimes a chat is all that is needed.

Volunteering gives me a great sense of my own wellbeing, I leave feeling I have made a difference. I would recommend it to people for that reason. Volunteering has taught me never to judge anyone or assume you know anything about their story. Be kind, don't be difficult, and go out of your way to help.

We'd like to say a big thank you to our volunteers like Carole, today and every day!

If you'd like to join the St Michael's Hospital Café volunteer team, we would love to hear from you. Please email volunteer@covwarkpt.nhs.uk to express an interest.

#TeamCWPT #InternationalVolunteerDay2024