Rosewood Involvement Centre is one of two Involvement Centres in Nottinghamshire Healthcare. The Involvement, Experience & Volunteering Team manage the Involvement Centres to support volunteers and their work within our services. Rosewood was formally opened on 17th November 2008. Today marks it’s 12th anniversary. Staff in the team reflect on the Centre and the past 12 years.
Nigel
Can you believe, the Rosewood Involvement Centre on 17 November turned 12 years old? Where does the time go?
I remember volunteering for the Trust 14 years ago for two years. I was really lucky and managed to get a job at the Rosewood involvement Centre. Well, if I thought back 12 years ago to where we would be today you would not believe it from activities and meetings in the centre to building an inspirational sense of community for volunteers and staff, developing role specific volunteering opportunities, audits, to interview to patient forums which include supporting patients in hospitals local services and forensic services, seeing the befriending service develop, peer support in the centres, volunteers looking out for volunteers.
The list that has been achieved is extensive and continues to be imaginative, creative and fundamentally the way volunteering should be.
Some people might say well Rosewood is only a building but like the Involvement Centre at Nottingham it is much more than bricks and mortar. The Rosewood centre has become a hub of involvement excellence which is down to the staff over the years who have worked there, but of course the most important people when we work in partnership are volunteers. Currently of course, things are very different due to Covid, this has not stopped the team finding a way to keep volunteers informed and involved. The Rosewood Centre is still open for business, and with Covid precautions in place. I find it truly amazing staff who work at Rosewood have come together to plan and instigate a way for volunteers to take part, if you would have said to me 12 years ago our volunteers would be using technology for example Microsoft teams to keep involved virtually I would have been amazed and that’s a little scepticism creeping say that sounds impossible, of course it is not, the use of technology has been a key way to help maintain support patients and carers alike.
I am proud to have been part of the Rosewood Involvement Centre story over 12 Years and even in times of national lockdown’s and restrictions Rosewood’s ability to be creative and find that way to be open and accessible even if it is somewhat limited I think is essential for volunteers, They know help that the team are there for them.
Rosewood 12 years eh, and still doing what it says on the tin.
Laura
January 2021 will see the 4th anniversary of me joining the Involvement, Experience & Volunteering Team and running the Rosewood Involvement Centre. I was warmly welcomed, but I was nervous about my new role, I’d previously worked on the “front line” in a clinical role and could see first-hand what impact I was making on people’s lives. I gained a lot of satisfaction from that and was worried that I would lose that element in my role supporting volunteers. I’m happy to say I was wrong. I’m proud of the work that I do supporting and facilitating volunteers within our services. Seeing the impact of their hard work and dedication and the extent of their involvement is incredible.
The Involvement Centres have a reputation for their welcome. No matter who you are, volunteers and staff will be accepting, open and supportive. It’s helped create a safe environment for many people.
Since the pandemic, I’ve only had chance to physically go to Rosewood a couple of times. Due to shielding, I’ve had to go when no other staff or volunteers have been present. I’ve found it quite a bittersweet experience. It’s been lovely to get out and be there, but it’s not the same. For me, the soul of the Centres is in the community and people within the building. The shared purpose that has brought us all together of wanting to make a difference, bring about change and improve things for patients and carers across our services and in our communities. There’s a remarkable altruism running through the core of our volunteers.
We may have had to temporarily suspend much of our on-site volunteering and cancel the usual meetings held in the Centres, but it has been wonderful to see volunteers adapt so that they are still able to do virtual roles and have an input wherever possible. It is becoming an overused rhetoric but these really are “challenging times”, however it is wonderful to see volunteers rising to that challenge. I hope that in time we will be able to resume holding meetings and training within both Centres as well as continuing some of the innovative online work. It’ll be wonderful to have the hubbub of volunteers back on the busy Centre days.
Happy anniversary 12th Rosewood. I hope that by your 13th anniversary we will be able to celebrate it all together.
Jane
I can’t quite believe that we are celebrating 12 years since the doors of Rosewood opened in 2008. How different life was before we’d even heard of Covid-19.
I have vivid happy memories of the opening. Mike Cooke, then Chief Executive Officer CBE of Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust and patron of Rosewood opened the event. A day filled with great company, wonderful activities, artwork, belly dancing, music and the most amazing celebratory lunch!
At this point we had around 4000 public members which has more than doubled in numbers since that day.
What strikes me about Rosewood is the inclusive atmosphere it creates. Nigel Groves, who was at that time Centre Manager, always greeted people with a ‘Welcome Home’. Rosewood has continued with that warm and supportive environment. For some of our volunteers has been a vital haven to their roles as Involvement Volunteers.
So, what springs to mind when wishing Rosewood, a Happy 12th Birthday in 2020?
This year has been a life changing year for the world but I’m optimistic for the future when we can all be together again. Hang on to the hope that carefree days will return, and Rosewood will return to’ business as usual’
Thank you to our Volunteering Team for all that you do to make sure our volunteers are supported and safe. I’m proud to be part of a team that cares deeply about our service users’ patients, carers and their families.
Their voices make all the difference and listening is at the heart of this.
