Phil Hope celebrates 60 years of volunteering in the NHS
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, joined volunteers in Sydenham and Lewisham to celebrate the important role that volunteers have played in the NHS since it was set up 60 years ago. The Minister rolled up his sleeves to lend a hand to volunteers at the Sydenham Gardening Project. Later he met volunteers at the adult mental health unit at the University College hospital Lewisham to hear about their work.
The NHS came into being on 5 July 1948. Since that day volunteers have worked alongside NHS staff to improve standards of care. At the Sydenham Gardening Project, a charity volunteering initiative that is partially funded by the NHS, the Minister helped referred patients, who work alongside volunteers to plant lettuces, courgettes and pumpkins.
Tim Walker, Director of Sydenham Gardens said:
“We are delighted at the interest the Minister has in the project and it is great to see him engage so willingly with the volunteers and staff. Volunteering is and always has been critical to our community charity.”
Visiting the adult mental health unit at the University College hospital Lewisham, he met Samantha MacDonald, a former patient who later became a volunteer and now works as a full time staff member. She said:
“As a former patient, volunteering in the NHS was the perfect platform for enabling me to re-join the world of work. Volunteering facilitated my recovery and gave me the confidence I needed to move on in my life. It has allowed me to share my experiences and help others with similar problems."
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, said:
“I want to pay tribute to the volunteers who have helped shape the health service over the last 60 years. Their dedication and commitment has aided the recovery of millions of people.
“It has been great to get out of the office and meet volunteers who help the NHS in such different ways. The Government wants to encourage more people to volunteer and with the NHS consultation on a strategy to better support its volunteers, this is another step towards that."
Throughout the NHS 60 week (29 June-5 July) stakeholders, patients and the public will participate in a range of activities to mark the occasion and pay tribute to the unique contribution that the NHS makes to British society.
These visits were organised by Capital Volunteering, a pan London programme which aims to tackle the issues of mental health and social inclusion, through volunteering. The programme is a partnership between the health and community sector, lead by Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and the London Development Centre (CSIP) and funded by the Treasury, through its Invest to Save Budget (ISB). Other key partners include a wide range of local voluntary and community organisations and NHS trusts.
