A husband and wife volunteering duo are hoping to encourage others to lend a hand at Aberdeen hospitals.
Jill and Arthur Martin are spreading the word about the Royal Voluntary Service’s (RVS) Big Trolley Push campaign, which is being rolled out through the Granite City for the first time.
Volunteers would be tasked with distributing reading materials, refreshments, toiletries and other essentials across wards at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and Wooden Hospital.
Mrs Martin said: “After retirement, I found I had spare time on my hands, so rather than get a part-time job, I thought I would give something back to the community by becoming a volunteer at our local hospital.
“It’s good to be able to help other people, especially when you know that there are a lot of lonely people, some of whom never see anyone else for days at a time.”
Her husband added: “There are lots of people out there who could do a little, which if you add it all up, becomes a lot.
“You don’t have to give a huge amount of time and it’s lovely to be appreciated by patients and by the charity.”
Volunteering is flexible with hours to suit each individual interested.
Andrew Roberts, head of retail operations at RVS, said: “Our trolley volunteers are real NHS heroes.
“As well as offering essential items to make patients’ stay more comfortable, they bring real joy, especially to those that have little or no company.
“Seeing a friendly, familiar face who has time to chat can make all the difference to a patient.”
To find out more about becoming a Royal Voluntary Service hospital trolley volunteer at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, call 01224 682877, and for Woodend Hospital call 01224 556497.
