Children's hospices celebrate the contribution of 104 long-serving volunteers

Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith children’s hospices have held a series of celebrations to mark the outstanding contribution of 104 supporters who have donated between three to 30 years of volunteering.

The hospices have more than 600 regular volunteers who donate their gift of time to do everything from running the charity’s shops and fundraising, to helping in admin roles and keeping the hospice gardens looking beautiful.

Special awards were presented this year to volunteers who had donated three, five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service to the charity. They were delighted to meet two of the children helped by the charity – Esmay and her parents Kim and Richard at Hope House, and Matilda and her parents Michelle and Pete at Tŷ Gobaith.

Chief Executive Andy Goldsmith said that every single volunteer helped children with life-threatening conditions to live their best life, whether that was helping to promote the services of the hospice to reach more children, helping to care for the children, or helping to raise the money needed to provide the care.

Vice chair of trustees, Barbara Evans, who presented the awards with the chair of trustees, Steve Henly, said she had been volunteering for 34 years.

“In the early days we had a dream of what the hospice could be and of how we could help local children,” she recalled.

“Now we have two hospices and 14 shops and are able to help hundreds of children and families. So much of that is down to the hard work of our volunteers and I can’t thank you enough for helping our dreams to come true.”

Award Recipients

Bridgnorth shop: Carol Duffield, Nathan Whatmore (both 3 years) Jacqui Howells, Judith Bensley (both 5 years)

Church Stretton Friends Group: Anita White, Hazel Humphries (both 5 years) Daphne Rankine, Sue Jones (both 15 years)

Church Stretton shop: Colette Gwyn, Sue Edmunds (both 3 years)

Ellesmere Friends Group: Anne Wignall, Debbie Hayward, Karen Ward (all 20 years)

Fundraising Volunteers: Cathie Davies, Lee Eyes, Lynn & Phil Hirst, Rebecca Forster, Sue Hannah, Susan & Peter Maiden (all 3 years) Dawn Williams, Kelly Clarke, Shaun Rogers (all 5 years) Barry Fergus, Bryan Williams (both 10 years) Lynda Jones (15 years) John Matthews (25 years)

Hope House Administration: Diane Jones (5 years)

Hope House Gardeners: Cath Mercer, Margaret Baines, Marion Jones (all 3 years)

Llandrindod Wells Friends Group: Pat Harrison (15 years)

Llanfyllin Friends Group: Annette Griffiths (25 years), Audrey Jones (30 years)

Ludlow shop: Amie Mitchell, George Bradley (both 3 years) Ann Moody (15 years) Hazel Smout (20 years)

Oswestry Events Group: Iola Evans (20 years)

Oswestry shop: Helen Morris (3 years) Gwyneth Morgan, Lin Kilty (both 10 years)

Shrewsbury Harlescott shop: Wendy Payne (3 years)

Shrewsbury Oteley Road shop: Karis Hulme, Kathy Rivet, Sheila Rayner, Susan Howells, Wendy Foster (all 3 years)

Trustees: Supriya Kapas (3 years) Phil Inch (30 years)

Welshpool shop: Anne Kester, Kath Vernon, Pearl Norton, Shirley Bonsall (all 3 years) Adam Richards, Gavin Foreshaw (both 5 years) Denise Corke (10 years) Shirley Craig (15 years)