Navigation

 

► St Oswalds Hospice

What: St Oswald's provides specialist care for local adults, young people and children.

We are situated in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne and our purpose-built facilities offer a range of flexible services to North East families.

Within our adult service, we offer a day hospice, lymphoedema service, an inpatient unit, complementary therapy service, consultant outpatient clinic and an outreach service.

Adults with life limiting conditions are referred to us for pain and symptom management and end of life care. We care for patients with Cancer, as well as those with end stage neurological, cardiac and respiratory conditions. 

Within our Children's Service, we offer specialist short breaks to children with life limiting conditions and their families. Children from 0 - 18 can benefit from our care at St Oswald's. Within the last few months, we've also begun developing a pilot service for young adults, aged 18-25, to enable us to continue to support children in our care who are reaching adulthood and perhaps those who have already left the service

Our multi-disciplinary team at St Oswald's includes doctors, nurses, physios, occupational therapists, social workers, chaplain support and complementary therapists.

We are a registered charity. Our annual running costs amount to £8.5 million – of which £6.5 million must be raised through voluntary giving.

We make no charge for any of our services, ensuring hospice care is available to everyone.

Volunteer Roles: 

1. Events Volunteer – To help out at one of our many and varied fundraising events held throughout the year. Whether you be serving tea and coffee, shaking a collecting tin, cheering on our Great North Runners or marshalling at the Midnight Walk, we need help if you can give it. To work ad-hoc on a flexible basis, hours to be discussed as and when.

2. Children’s Minibus Driver – To drive the minibus for our children’s unit for regular trips to the Hydro Pool. Always accompanied by nurse escorts. Wednesday afternoons 3pm-5.15pm. Full training given.

3. Patient Escort – Minibus Patient Escorts required, to accompany patients to/from Day Hospice & Out Patient appointments as well as Hospital visits on our minibus. Flexible times - Monday to Friday.

4. Retail Volunteers – Shop volunteers required to help out with all aspects of retail, behind the scenes and/or customer service.

5. Placements – We also offer student placements for event management or PR students. These are flexible and can range from 1 month to 1 year placements. Unfortunately these aren’t funded by ourselves.

Skills/benefits/training/experience:

Working in St Oswald’s fundraising department is a hugely varied role. You might gain experience of producing marketing literature, sales, organisational and administration skills.

Working with your patients within the transport department can also be very rewarding and all training is provided. It will help you develop your communication skills and caring skills needed to work with our patients.