Volunteers' Week - Christine Bispham, UHMBT

Christine Bispham, 68, has been volunteering on the meet and greet desk at Westmorland General Hospital for 3 1/2 years. She enjoys helping and interacting with the public which is part of her voluntary role with University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

How did you become a volunteer?

Christine said: "I saw the vacancy on the volunteering website. I decided to apply because in the 90s I had worked in the Blackhall Unit at Westmorland General Hospital and decided I would like to go back."

What does your role involve?

Christine said: "My role involves helping the public to find where they need to be in the hospital for their appointment, organise their transport at times and generally answer any queries."

What have been the best bits and challenges of your role?

Christine said: "The best part of the job is meeting and interacting with the public. The challenges are looking for wheelchairs and reuniting husbands with wives when they lose each other."

Top tips for people wanting to get into volunteering:

Christine said: "My top tops would always to be welcoming and friendly. We are often the first people the patients see when entering the hospital."

How can people apply for a volunteering role with UHMBT?

Christine said: "To apply for a volunteering role people could apply via the volunteering website here. People could also contact Shirley Rigby, Volunteer Co-ordinator on shirley.rigby@mbht.nhs.uk or 01539715288."

You can download a PDF version of the case study here.