Most of us have probably had a cup of coffee or a cheese roll in a League of Friends cafeteria in an Oxford hospital.

Oxfordshire has many hospitals, ranging from the John Radcliffe and Children’s hospitals, to the Churchill, and the Nuffield Orthopaedic in Headington.

All of these are supported by the League of Friends – active volunteers aged from their teens to over 80. Approximately 50 volunteers manage the JR cafeterias alone, which are open Monday to Friday from 9.30 or 10am to 4pm.

However, volunteers arrive much earlier to prepare refreshments for the day. The proceeds from these refreshments contribute towards buying vital pieces of equipment for each of the hospitals. Just some of the items that the League of Friends volunteers help to purchase for the John Radcliffe Hospital are:

  • Vital Signs LX1 Monitors for the Neurosciences Department.
  • Training videos for the Head and Neck Cancer Special Surgery Unit.
  • A special light sensory room for the Children’s Hospital.

“We are always on the lookout for volunteers to join us in the League of Friends cafeterias. I’d appeal to anybody who has at least a half a day a week to spare to get in touch. It’s a lovely atmosphere, and people make lots of friends”, said Christine Goundry, Volunteer Co-ordinator for the Oxford John Radcliffe Hospitals Trust.

Margaret Hughes, Vice President of the Churchill Hospital League of Friends, agrees. “The new Oxford Cancer Centre at the Churchill Hospital is opening in April, and we will certainly require additional volunteers,” she explains.

So if you feel you would enjoy volunteering in the bustle of a busy new hospital site, and you can spare a couple of hours a week, why not contact Miss Hughes for a chat? You can contact her on: 01865 771945, or email her on: lof-ch@orh.nhs.uk Here are some comments from existing volunteers there, some new, and some who’ve been there for years:

“I volunteer to give something back to the community that I live in”.

“I do it for the companionship and to have a good laugh. We always have a good laugh!”

Hilary Daffern, of the Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital League of Friends, added: “Research also tells us that volunteering doesn’t just provide a benefit to the patients, but is good for you as well. Volunteering can improve your health by raising self-esteem, reducing blood pressure, combatting social isolation, and reducing the impact of stress - which augments the body's immune system.”

For younger people aged18 and above, volunteering can also be of benefit by enhancing their CV; opening doors for career opportunities; helping them to develop personal skills increasing and their base of work experience for future employment To find out more about volunteering at the Nuffield Orthopaedic email: league.friends@noc.anglox.nhs.uk or telephone: 07749 849 413. To volunteer at the John Radcliffe League of Friends, call 01865 234802.

  • If you wish to contribute to this column, email Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action at voluntaryvoice@ocva.org.uk