Butterfly Volunteers shortlisted for Who Cares Wins award
Congratulations to the Anne Robson Trust and our Butterfly Volunteers, who have been shortlisted in the national Who Cares Wins Awards. The awards, organised by the Sun newspaper, honour and celebrate outstanding contributions and excellence in healthcare across the UK.
The Anne Robson Trust, who work in partnership with us to run the Butterflies Volunteers service, is shortlisted as one of the top three health charities in the awards, reflecting their commitment to providing compassionate care and support to individuals facing the end of life, and their families.
The charity was founded by Liz Pryor in memory of her mother, Anne Robson, in 2018 and currently works with 18 Trusts to establish a dedicated end-of-life volunteering service providing emotional and practical support, making a significant difference to patients and their visitors.
The charity was nominated by Peter Harrison, 79, when his wife Christine was cared for and subsequently died following a stroke. The volunteers supported Peter and Christine here during the last days of her life in April 2022.
“Christine went into a coma which she never came out of,” said Peter, who was married to Christine for 53 years.
“If I stayed too long in the hospital it would have been too much for me. You can’t be there 24/7. I could go for two or three hours a day. It was a relief to know there was more than me talking to her, to have other people able to say comforting things.”
Our Butterfly Volunteer Service was established in 2019 and we currently have 31volunteers here.
“Nobody likes to talk about death or dying, but it’s the only certainty in life,” said Caroline Stevens, Butterfly Volunteer Co-ordinator.
“Our volunteers go in with empty hands and with no agenda. Sometimes families are grieving and you often find that a volunteer can break down those barriers between staff, patient and families. Just offering a cuppa and a chat can be therapeutic.”
The awards will be hosted by Davina McCall and broadcast on Sunday 24 September at 6.30pm on Channel 4 and All 4.