Volunteers needed to help support vital work of St Joseph’s Hospice
St Joseph’s Hospice in Liverpool is looking for volunteers to help support the centre’s vital work in providing end of life and long term care.
St Joseph’s is one of the oldest hospices in the country, initially founded in 1962 by Francis Aloysius O’Leary MBE (1931–2000) a Roman Catholic priest and missionary who founded the St Joseph’s Hospice Association, an international network of hospices known as Jospice. Archbishop Vincent Nichols, a cousin of Father O’Leary, is current president of the Jospice organisation.
Father O’Leary was born June 18 1931 in Crosby, Liverpool, England, the youngest of three children. At the age of 11, he entered the seminary of Mill Hill Fathers at Freshfield. He later attended seminaries at Burn Hall, County Durham, and St Joseph’s College in Roosendaal, Netherlands. Father O’Leary was ordained on 8 July 1956. After earning a post-graduate degree from Glasgow University in 1960, he was posted to Pakistan.
He was assigned as a missionary in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. In 1962, while attending to a sick woman, he realized the need for a hospice care facility. In 1964, he opened the first hospice in Rawalpindi. After receiving advice from Mother Teresa, he obtained loans and donations to establish more facilities.
Father O’Leary established several hospices in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras and Guatemala. He also founded three facilities in England.
The Thornton hospice opened in 1974 and each year provides care and support to over 200 people with life limiting conditions from within the West Lancashire, Sefton, Liverpool and Knowsley areas.
The hospice has 31 patient rooms providing high quality end of life and long term care and is situated in 12 acres of beautiful woodland. Its nurse-led service helps create a home from home environment for our patients and provides ongoing support to their families. Clinical activity is supported by in-house NMP (non-medical prescriber) nurses, a visiting GP and a local network of specialist clinical support.
Volunteers support hospice staff in a wide range of roles both at the hospice – such as receptionists, gardeners, patient buddies, administrators and ward clerks – as well as out in the community – fundraising and working in St Joseph’s charity shops.
The charity currently has volunteer vacancies in the following areas:
To support the work of th fundraising team within a specified local area, helping to raise income and awareness of St Joseph’s Hospice. A car is useful for this role, but not essential. It’s all about making good connections with local businesses and community groups.
Shop volunteers are needed in the Aigburth, Breck Road, Formby, Netherton and Walton Vale shops. A variety of roles are available to suit your experience and availability. Volunteers join the shop teams for many different reasons – whether it be to support the hospice, to explore a passion for sustainable fashion or vintage clothing, to gain work based skills, or to meet new people.
Receptionist Volunteer (hospice based)
St Joseph’s receptionists are a welcoming face and first point of contact for potential patients and visitors to the hospice, providing a comprehensive reception and administrative service on a voluntary basis to support the smooth running of the hospice. Much of the role is telephone call handling, so a good telephone manner is required.
To find out more about any of these volunteering roles, please contact Siobhan McLoughlin, Volunteer Co-ordinator, on 0151 932 6028 or email volunteering@stjhospice.org.uk.
You can download a Volunteer Application Form here.
