As the manager of Volunteering and Befriending Services (or VBS for short), I have been chosen to write one of the first blogs to tell you a bit about me and the service that we offer. Over the next few months you will be able to meet the team. You will be able to find out about what it is like to volunteer or be a befriender and how we play a part helping to change the lives, services and culture of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
I have been manager here since 2012. Before that I was the co-ordinator and before that I was the Administration Assistant, all in all I have been here over ten years. I cannot believe that I have been here so long.
I love working here and am very proud of the wonderful staff and volunteers and the service that they offer, as well as the dedication and commitment of our volunteers and the way that they help people on our wards and in the community. From serving teas and coffees to feeding patients and spending time chatting with patients, it’s all so rewarding to see. The effect that they have on our service users and staff is really positive. In the coming months I hope to share some of these stories with you all.
What makes the job so interesting is that you never know what you are going to be doing from one day to the next. The job has changed enormously in the last few years and there are many challenges to face. Volunteering and Befriending Services has been around our Trust for over fifty years and if I have anything to do with it we will be here for at least the next fifty!