What is your name?
Julie Ford
What is your volunteer role?
I attend the Involvement Centres and do the Story Shop.
Where do you volunteer?
Through the Involvement Centres.
When did you start volunteering?
I started in 2009.
Why did you choose to volunteer?
To give back and to help people with their journey and help them have a voice and I like a challenge and to get involved in different projects. I want to help people less fortunate and help them change their life; to help people develop and help them tell their story.
Describe what you do in 100 words or less.
Story Shop, where I tell my story to student doctors and they ask us questions. I also attend the Tuesday meetings and go out and represent the Involvement Centre and then feed back into the meetings.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Meeting different people from all different walks of life. I am a people person and like to listen to people telling their story and help them develop their goals and aspirations and to have a purpose.
What three words would you use to describe the NHS?
Brilliant. Good to work with. Privileged to be able to work with them.
If you could give the NHS any 70th birthday present what would it be?
My time, my ideas and to help them do different projects and help change more services.
What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about volunteering at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust?
I would say it is a great place to work. They make sure they fit you in with what you want to do and help develop your skills, goals, aspirations and help you to be part of them.
Follow our countdown to the NHS’s 70th birthday as we post a blog a day.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs70/