My name is Eileen and I am a Ward Helper at West Middlesex Hospital. The main focus of this role is to provide companionship. I help prepare patients for their mealtimes and assist them during their meals if needed.
As a volunteer on the ward, I feel very much part of a team and really appreciated by the patients and staff.
I chat with the patients while I clear their tables ready for mealtimes. I fill water jugs and sanitise their hands in the meantime. We talk about many different topics and I encourage them to enjoy their upcoming meal.
I will sit and talk to patients who might be anxious about their upcoming treatment or operation. One day, I was with a man whose wife had died recently and I spent time listening to how things had changed for him. Even small things I do for patients can have a hugely positive impact on their stay in hospital.
I recently spent time with a patient who wasn’t eating. We talked about the food that she liked and I gently encouraged her to eat. I was very surprised by her positive response and how my encouragement resulted in her drinking and eating more. That gave me such a good feeling.
I really like to think that the patients appreciate my support, as they give positive feedback. It is very rewarding to be a volunteer on the ward.
Nargas Hashem
Narges began her journey with us as a volunteer—and is now a part of our Phlebotomy team. Watch her story to see how she is determined to develop.
Bethany (Maternity)
I first began volunteering in 2021 at the age of 17, as part of my Level 3 Health and Social Care course.
My journey started as a ward helper, supporting staff within the hospital environment by serving food and beverages, engaging in conversations with service users, and assisting wherever I could. This experience gave me my first real insight into the workings of the healthcare sector and the high standard of care expected within it. It was through this role that I began to develop confidence in my communication and teamwork skills.
After two years in that role, I transitioned to the Queen Mary Maternity Unit, where I became a postnatal volunteer. Midwifery has always been a passion of mine, and this opportunity allowed me to care for mothers and their newborns, support families during those precious early moments, and assist staff by ensuring the unit was well-stocked and prepared. Volunteering in maternity deepened my understanding of the importance of compassion, empathy, and respectful care—core elements of high-quality maternity services.
These roles were instrumental in helping me develop a wide range of skills and values essential to healthcare, including the 6 Cs. Moreover, these experiences taught me the importance of the duty of candour—being open and honest when things go wrong—and the need for accountability and responsibility in everything we do. Even as a volunteer, I understood that every action I took could influence someone’s care experience.
Now, as a first-year student midwife at West Middlesex Hospital, I feel incredibly proud to be part of such an amazing team of midwives. My goal as a student midwife is to ensure that every woman is listened to, advocated for, and empowered with the information they need to make informed choices—so they can have the most positive and supported pregnancy and birth experience possible. Volunteering played a crucial role in preparing me for this path. It shaped my values, developed my clinical awareness, and gave me the confidence to pursue my passion.
Nada Ibrahim
I have been a volunteer since August 2024. I have studied pharmacology. I came to London as a refugee from Eritrea in 2023. I found that I had so much time on my hands and decided to become a volunteer to meet and talk to people to improve my English language.
I was made to feel so welcome with the Volunteering team in Chelsea, as I was nervous about starting something new. They found me a volunteer position in the inpatient pharmacy based on my studies, and this means a lot to me because I am doing what I love. Little things like paperwork, arranging medicine shelves and learning how to use a robot to insert medicines. I found this so rewarding. I also continue my volunteer work as a responder in guiding patients to their clinics and talking to them. This aspect made me confident and speak fluently.
I have started talking to some patients in the hallways, especially the elderly, who are nervous and afraid of missing their appointment, and I try to calm them down. I have become able to distinguish the lost from a distance. There are some patients who do not like to ask anyone. The best way is to smile and offer my services to them. Patients are anxious while they are in the hospital. A lot of smiles on their faces solve the problem. The staff in the pharmacy and volunteering department are so nice. I feel they value the work I do for them.
Being a volunteer makes me feel good that I can give a little smile back to their faces.
I think volunteering is amazing, you speak to so many different types of people. It makes me feel proud. I thank you for letting me spend my time helping others.
Shelagh
I have been a volunteer at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital since July 2023. I was a Responder first, but became interested in volunteering in A&E, have been a registered nurse and midwife until I retired in 1997. The staff are very welcoming and patients are pleased when I offer my help.
"I am 88 years old and I would say to anybody who is considering volunteering - you are never too old to volunteer. You meet a lot of very interesting people and it is great to belong to such a lovely bunch of people in purple."
