Volunteer newsletters
Click on the green blocks below to read previous editions of the volunteers newsletter.
Volunteer Newsletter
Welcome to your first LCHS Volunteer Newsletter
We will send this to you monthly to keep you up to date with what is happening in the Trust.
We welcome your contributions so please tell us what you’d like included or send articles about your volunteering experience.
Sally Darley
I’m Sally Darley and I have 10 years of experience delivering services and working with volunteers at the Stroke Association. I am now excited to be leading the development of our Volunteering Services at LCHS.
This is a new role and I’ll be working closely with your managers to help them support you in your roles. I’m really keen on hearing your views so please do get in touch with suggestions or ideas.
Email: Sally.darley@nhs.net
Mobile: 07812515130
Returning to volunteering
It’s been a while since you’ve been able to volunteer and, as you know, things may continue to be a little different. As we start to welcome back volunteers, there are a few things that we need to do to prepare:
- Your manager will do a COVID risk assessment with you
- You will have some refresher training including Infection Prevention and Control for Volunteers
- Check that your DBS certificate and ID badge is in date and get in touch if you need a renewal
- Help shape volunteering at LCHS
Would you like to be part of our Volunteer Forum? I’m looking for volunteers who can meet with me every 2 months for 60-90 minutes. The aim of the forum is:
- To consult on changes to our volunteering policies, processes and resources
- To pilot developments in volunteer training
- To feedback on communication with volunteers
- To input into how the trust recognises and celebrates volunteering
Please get in touch with Sally if you’re interested.
Additional Volunteering Opportunities
Would you like to be a patient partner? We’re looking for people who can get involved with helping us to develop the trust. Your unique insight as a patient or carer is extremely valuable. We will soon have patient partner roles available for the following activities:
- Staff interview panels
- Patient safety
- Digital Access to Healthcare
Volunteer newsletter
A message from Maz Fosh, Chief Executive
I would like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you for taking generously donating your time and talent to support LCHS.
At LCHS, all our volunteers are hugely valued, and I’d like to extend a big thank you for your dedication and hard work. Your volunteer work makes such a difference to our team, patients and families.
Thank you,
Maz Fosh
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) certificate renewal
All volunteers have been away from their duties for a long time now so we will be renewing all DBS certificates.
We'll be in contact with you about the process. It's a
digital process now and we can do the ID checking remotely too. This usually
makes the process quicker and easier.
Cardiac rehab volunteers
It was fantastic to meet LCHS volunteers face to face this month. Volunteers from the Bourne area were invited to meet with Cardiac Rehab staff for a team meeting.
It was great to see the full team together making plans for resuming the face to face aspect of the service. It was clear that volunteer roles will change slightly as the physical set up will not be the same and of course, keeping everyone safe is our priority.
However, more opportunities to get involved with digital delivery of sessions is an exciting possibility. The Cardiac Rehab teams are keen to hear volunteer views on the development of the programme and the volunteer roles.
You can contact the team on LHNT.CardiacRehab@nhs.net or call 01522 449900.
Help us maintain our high quality patient experience
We are recruiting to our team of 15 Steps Volunteers.
15 Steps is a way to capture the first impressions of a service by gathering observations about the care environment and talking to patients and staff about the care provided.
The purpose of 15 Steps is to:
- Provide a way of understanding patients’ first impressions more clearly
- Help staff, patients and others to work together to identify improvements
This opportunity is a great way to observe other LCHS services and to be involved in improving quality at LCHS. They are one off visits with no regular commitment although volunteers will be required to commit to a minimum of three visits per year.
Please get in touch with lhnt.volunteer4lchs@nhs.net for a role description or ring Sally on 07812515130 for more information.
Training - 4 October
We're looking forward to seeing everyone who is attending our refreshed volunteer induction session on 4 October.
We'll be trying out a blended approach, which means that some of us will be in the room and some will be joining remotely via Microsoft Teams.
Our Learning and Development team are experts in delivering this way but we'd really like your feedback about the content and the experience before we deliver it to new recruits.
Keeping in touch
Please complete this quick survey about how you would like to keep in touch with your fellow LCHS volunteers.
Volunteer newsletter
Meet Dawn Kay - volunteering service administrator
Hi, I’m Dawn Kay, volunteering service administrator.
I’m looking forward to meeting as many of you as I can,
either in person or virtually at one of our volunteer refresher induction
sessions.
When you meet me, you will find my accent gives me away as
being from Yorkshire originally, but I’ve been living in Lincoln for the past 3
years.
I’ve been a volunteer myself many moons ago at Doncaster
Women’s Aid as well as encouraging others to get involved in volunteering and
experience the benefits of this themselves. For me the key benefits were
focused on giving me a purpose and structure to my day.
I’m in my element at the moment as autumn is my favourite
season. I love the rich colours and I’ve got the perfect excuse to get out the
“snuggle” jumpers, cook and eat some of my favourite comfort foods, stew,
dumplings and parkin are top of the list.
You can contact me either by email
lhnt.volunteer4lchs@nhs.net or phone 07581012627 with any questions,
suggestions or support needs relating to your volunteer role or volunteering in
general.
Looking forward to meeting you soon, probably with a slice
of parkin in hand!
Volunteer training
It was great to see volunteers in person and on Teams for a
training session on 4 October. As well as refresher training, it was great to
see how everyone enjoyed meeting others from different parts of the county and
learning about their volunteering for LCHS and other organisations. If you
weren't able to attend, we'll be in contact with more opportunities.
We know that there are quite a few changes to volunteering
post-COVID including new staff contacting you, changes to the groups or
services that you volunteer for and changes to the training that we offer.
Please be reassured that all staff at LCHS are here to
support you in your role and to make your volunteering experience a really
positive one. So please do get in touch if you have any concerns.
New volunteering opportunities
We’re currently recruiting for volunteers at Skegness
Community Hospital. Volunteers will support staff and patients on our wards.
This is a great role for those with great communication
skills and can have a huge impact on a patient’s hospital stay.
If you know anyone who might be interested or you’re
interested yourself, please get in touch with the volunteering team to find out
more.
LCHS Facebook network for volunteers
Most volunteers said that they would rather a volunteer
specific network rather that joining that staff network. So we've set up a
group.
This is a closed group for LCHS volunteers with a small
number of staff from our volunteering team and our communications team. If
you'd like to join, click here to become a member.
Volunteer newsletter
Meet Jayne Curtis, Volunteer Group Supporter
I attended the Pulmonary Rehabilitation group as a patient
during the start of the COVID-19 announcements. I spoke to Anna Krynicka, who
runs the group, about how much I was going to miss attending and she asked if I
would like to volunteer and help in future groups.
Originally, it was to make cups of tea and help generally
where I could but unfortunately this changed due to COVID-19. The groups
stopped meeting face to face, and I was then shielding myself. I decided to
spend my time making scrubs for Lincolnshire NHS.
Now the groups are running face to face again, I continue to
volunteer. I save the staff time where I can, by cleaning equipment and taking
temperatures as patients arrive.
I help patients by sitting with them while they do their
exercises. The NHS has been pushed to the limit and to help a little, where I
can, is so satisfying as well as enjoyable.
E-learning for health
E-learning for Health is the training portal run by NHS
Health Education England (HEE). They provide lots of interesting training
resources including e-learning modules for NHS volunteers.
At LCHS, we're using these as our mandatory training
programme. If you're an existing volunteer or a patient partner, you'll need to
refresh by completing four of the units.
- Data Security Awareness for Volunteers
- Equality, Diversity and Human Rights for Volunteers
- Safeguarding Adults for Volunteers
- Health, Safety and Infection Prevention and Control for Volunteers
Volunteers who are new to the Trust will complete the full
course.
Thanks to those who can done this already and sent us your
certificates. If you haven't done it yet, you can register by going to the VLP Hub website.
Please get in touch if you need any help at all.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with Lincolnshire Community Health Services
NHS Trust. You can follow us on our social media accounts:
Contact the team
You can get in touch with the team by:
- Email: lhnt.volunteer4lchs@nhs.net,
- Call Sally on 07812515130
- Call Dawn on 07581012627
LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook Thank you to those who
have joined our LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook.
Please do post and comment to get things going. It's your
network so tell us what you'd like to see and don't be afraid to get involved.
If you'd like to join, you can do so, here.
New volunteering opportunities
We're are delighted to advertise some new volunteering
opportunities at LCHS. We're currently recruiting for:
Community Hospital Volunteers at Gainsborough and at
Skegness
Communication Support Volunteer with Children's Therapy Team
- Lincoln or Spalding
If you're interested or you know anyone who might be, please
get in touch with us: lhnt.volunteer4LCHS@nhs.net.
Volunteer Newsletter
Expanding our Volunteering
Service
Our volunteering service
continues to expand and we've recently advertised new roles at the Urgent
Treatment Centre and with our Stroke Service. We still have vacancies with our
Pulmonary Rehab exercise groups if you'd like to get involved. They are
in:
- Gainsborough
- Louth
- Hogsthorpe
- Grantham
- North Kyme
- Bourne
- Sibsey
Unfortunately, our cardiac rehab groups have not been able to take place due to staff being redeployed during the recent COVID-19 wave.
The groups will start back again at the end of this month but with reduced numbers. We hope to be able to involve our cardiac rehab volunteers again later in the spring. Feel free to consider our other opportunities in the meantime.
Get Fit this February and raise money to support patient care!
Lots of us struggle with motivation to get off the sofa, eat healthier and get fitter especially when it's cold, wet and windy outside. We have found that a real motivation booster is having to be responsible for keeping it up to other people.
So why not take up our challenge to 'Get Fit in Feb' by making a pledge to exercise, getting sponsorship and raising money to support your local NHS services whilst getting fitter in the process?!
Our very own Volunteering Services Administrator, Dawn Kay, has signed up and pledged to do 30 minutes of exercise each day. Go Dawn!
To find out more about this challenge and other ways to support our charity, visit the website or follow on social media.
Welcome to the
team
We'd like to welcome Jane, Rosemary, Julia, Glenn, and Sandra who have joined us as patient partners.
They will help the trust to work on quality and improving patient experience. Sandra will also support the Pulmonary Rehab team in Horncastle by supporting their groups.
We also have Ellie and Nicole joining the Children's Therapy. They will be producing personalised booklets for children who need support with communicating.
We really look forward to hearing how everyone gets on in these new roles over the coming months.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust. You can follow us on our social media accounts:
Contact the team
You can get in touch with the
team by:
- Email: lhnt.volunteer4lchs@nhs.net
- Call Sally
on 07812515130
- Call Dawn on 07581012627
LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook Thank you to those who have joined our LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook.
Please do post and comment to get things going. It's your network so tell us what you'd like to see and don't be afraid to get involved. If you'd like to join, you can do so, here.
Volunteer Newsletter
International Women’s Day – 8 March
A series of events will be taking place next week to
celebrate International Women’s Day.
- 10 March – 1.30-2.30pm - Sam Allen A session about Sam’s leadership journey and experience of being a female CEO within the NHS. Follow this link to join: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iwd-21-sam-allen-my...
- 11 March – 1-2pm – Sian Prigg – Feeling like an imposter? Sian Prigg helps women to fully harness their experience and their inner superhero stories to find their true authentic self. Once this is recognised, Sian works with them to help them make brave career decisions. Follow this link to join: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iwd21-sian-prigg-fe...
Welcome to the team
We'd like to welcome Isabel, Verity, Sandra, Jack, Alice,
Abutalib, Sam and Sana who have joined us as Urgent Treatment Centre
Volunteers.
This is a new role supporting staff and patients in our busy Lincoln UTC situated in the County Hospital. Ben-Nasser will also be joining out Post-COVID team as a virtual group supporter.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with Lincolnshire Community Health Services
NHS Trust. You can follow us on our social media accounts:
Lincolnshire Volunteering Survey - shared on behalf of Lincolnshire's Volunteer Centres
Lincolnshire's Volunteer Centres are keen
to understand what matters to you regarding the volunteering services we offer
as your views help to shape our services and priorities in relation to
volunteering.
The information that you provide will help us build a more comprehensive
picture of volunteering habits that we will use to ensure that our services and
support are fit for purpose and provide the assistance that people need to have
a positive volunteering experience. Your views really do count!
This is a short survey and should only take a few minutes of your time to
complete - please click here to
access the survey.
LGBT+ History Month virtual
events – view webinar videos
Many of the webinars from LGBT+ History Month are now
available at www.lpft.nhs.uk/lgbt-history-month-2022
Welcome to our organisation
Our next LCHS Trust induction is on 11th March.
You'll get the chance to meet other volunteers and find out more about
volunteering for our organisation. Please let us know if you can attend.
COVID-19 update
Although restrictions have lifted
outside the NHS, we are continuing to ask members of staff and members of the
public visiting our sites to follow COVID guidelines.
- Wear a face covering
- All visitors must take a lateral flow test, regardless of their vaccination status
- Washing your hands regularly
Contact the team
You can get in touch with the team by:
- Call Sally on 07812515130
- Call Dawn on 07581012627
LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook Thank you to those who have joined our LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook.
Volunteer Newsletter
Welcome to our organisation
Thanks to those who attended our last trust induction. It was great to meet those of you in the room and on Microsoft Teams.
Our next induction is on Friday, 19 April at Beech House, Lincoln or on Microsoft Teams.
Welcome to the team
We'd like to welcome Everlove and Charlotte who have joined us as Urgent Treatment Centre Volunteers in Lincoln. Hannah, has joined the Stroke Services teams in an exciting new role that aims to support the transition between hospital and community care.
If you're interested in taking on a new role, do check our website and get in touch.
LCHS Volunteer Network on
Facebook
Thank you to those who have joined our LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook.
Please do post and comment to get things going. It's your network so tell us what you'd like to see and don't be afraid to get involved. If you'd like to join, you can do so, here.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with Lincolnshire
Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS). You can follow us on our social
media accounts:
Contact the team
You can get in touch with the team
by:
- Email: lhnt.volunteer4lchs@nhs.net
- Call Sally on 07812515130
- Call Dawn on 07581012627
Volunteer
Network Drop-in
We have
set up a monthly Volunteer Network drop-in session on Microsoft Teams.
Come along to this informal session to:
- Meet other volunteers
- Find out the latest from LCHS
- Ask questions and get support
- Hear from other health organisations in Lincolnshire
The first session will be held on Friday, 13 May, 12.30pm - 1.15pm on Microsoft Teams. Join on your computer or mobile app by click on the link below.
Click here to join the meeting.
Support
Networks
As volunteers, you are warmly welcomed to join in our staff network groups. We'll share information each month about different groups. In the meantime, if you'd like to know more about staff networks, please get in touch. This month it's MAPLE.
The Mental and Physical Lived Experience (MAPLE) Staff Network works to create a safe, inclusive and diverse working environment that encourages respect and equality for all. It is open to all LCHS staff who have a disability or long-term condition, have carers’ responsibilities, or who are interested in health and wellbeing at work and want to drive forward disability equality as an employer. The group currently meet virtually, once a month.
“The MAPLE staff network group meets on a monthly basis and provides a warm and friendly environment for anyone who has any experience of Mental, Physical or Lived Experience of living with a long term health condition or supporting as an ally or even just to learn from lived experience. The MAPLE staff network provides a supportive environment with representation from health and safety, freedom to speak up champion and mental health first contact, to provide practical and listening support in a safe space for those difficult days. We are diverse, inclusive, we love to learn from and support each other’s experiences. Our door is always open.” - Vice Chair of MAPLE Staff Network
If you’d like to know more please contact Asia from the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team on lhnt.edifirst@nhs.net.
Current volunteering
opportunities
There are currently two
volunteering opportunities available:
- Digital Communication Volunteer - Volunteers provide administration and digital support as well as an external point of view to ensure our communication is patient-friendly.
- Virtual Group Supporter – Pulmonary Rehab - Volunteers play a vital part in helping the group to run smoothly and motivating individuals between the sessions.
To find out more about these roles, visit our website.
Volunteer Newsletter
Volunteer network drop-in
We'd love you to come along to our very first Volunteer Network Meeting. Join us for this informal session to:
- Meet other volunteers
- Find out the latest from LCHS
- Ask questions and get support
- Hear from other health organisations in Lincolnshire
This will be held on online on Friday, 13 May at 12.30pm - 1.15pm.
Click here to join the meeting (or copy and paste the link into your browser).
If you'd like help joining on Microsoft Teams, please get in touch
before the meeting and we'll be happy to help.
New volunteer roles
Do you or someone you know have an interest in digital communication? We've got two exciting volunteer roles available to join our communications team and our NHS charities team. Have a look on our website for more details. The role includes:
- Publishing social media content
- Basic graphic design
- Creating newsletter
- Compiling social media stats
- Checking web content
LFT for patient-facing volunteering
Those working in a patient-facing role should test before going in for the shift.
Remember you are part of a community trust – we are Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.
When asked about your role, you can skip this.
Please get in touch if you have any further questions.
Welcome
to the team
We'd like to welcome Daniel and Ruby who have joined us as Urgent Treatment Centre Volunteers in Lincoln. Beverley has joined the team as a patient partner and will be helping us to gather feedback and insight from our patients. Also, welcome to Joan, the first volunteer to join us in supporting virtual Pulmonary Rehab groups.
Volunteers' week
Volunteers' Week is from 1-7 June every year. We'll be shouting about the contribution that LCHS volunteers make and we'd love you to share your thoughts about volunteering, on social media or by telling us directly. We'll be reminding you nearer the time and also inviting you to an online celebration on Tuesday, 7 June at 3.30pm.
Support networks
As volunteers, you are warmly welcomed to join in our staff network groups. We'll share information each month about different groups. In the meantime, if you'd like to know more about staff networks, please get in touch. This month it's BAME and Allies. If you'd like to know more, please contact lhnt.edifirst@nhs.net.
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and Allies Staff networks are open to all LCHS staff and volunteers from BAME backgrounds, and those with a positive interest in driving forward race equality as an employer. Aiming to promote a safe and inclusive working environment for BAME staff and to support the elimination of racial discrimination for employees.
“We are here to create a community for our members of BAME staff, where we can connect with each other and feel a sense of belonging. Through sharing our experiences, we want to bring new perspectives and fresh ideas that helps drive change. Our aim is to connect, communicate and support one another on all issues relevant to our staff. Working closely with Equality Diversity and Inclusion team, we actively promote issues of race equality, diversity and inclusion. We meet every two weeks, please join us to inspire our network”. - Vice Chair of BAME and Allies Staff Network
Volunteer Newsletter
Volunteers' Week 1 – 7 June
Thanks to those of you who welcomed one of our trust leaders during volunteers' week. It's really important to us that our staff, and especially our leaders, know what our volunteers do and what impact they have. There was some great feedback so watch out for more requests coming your way.
Welcome to the team
We'd like to welcome Mark, who has joined us as a group volunteer with the pulmonary rehab team in Lincoln and Mary, who is volunteering with our Lincolnshire NHS Charity. All the best in your roles!
New opportunities
We are currently recruiting volunteers for our community hospital wards in Skegness, Louth, Gainsborough and Spalding.
This is a great role for people who enjoy the sociable and people-centred aspect of volunteering.
It involves talking with patients, supporting with therapy activities or games and helping to keep people motivated during their rehabilitation.
Contact us if you'd like to know more.
Volunteer Network Drop-in July
Thanks to those of you who have joined us at our virtual
network sessions. They take place monthly and are informal sessions where
you can:
- meet other volunteers
- find out the latest from LCHS
- ask questions and get support
- hear from other health organisations in Lincolnshire
Next one: Wednesday, 13 July, 10.30pm - 11.15pm. Click here to join the meeting.
We are also looking at organising a face to face meet up, so let us know if you'd be interested.
Recognition
Congratulations to Jayne Curtis who was our first recipient of the National Volunteering Certificate. This is available to all volunteers who complete the full set of mandatory training modules and also have 60 hours of volunteering recorded.
Jayne also received an LCHS recognition certificate for completing 100 hrs of volunteering.
Well done Jayne and thanks for your contribution.
Contact the team
You can get in touch with the team by:
- Email: lhnt.volunteer4lchs@nhs.net
- Call Sally on 07812515130
- Call Dawn on 07581012627
Please do post and comment to get things going. It's your network so tell us what you'd like to see and don't be afraid to get involved. If you'd like to join, you can do so, here.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust. You can follow us on our social media accounts:
Volunteer Newsletter
Celebrating Success – nominate today!
Celebrating Success is our awards scheme and an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding work of our staff and volunteers.
There are 11 categories and the public can submit the nominations for People's Award and Volunteer of the Year via the LCHS website.
Volunteer Network Drop-in July
Thanks to those of you who have joined us at our virtual network sessions. They take place monthly and are informal sessions where you can:
- meet other volunteers
- find out the latest from
LCHS
- ask questions and get
support
- hear from other health organisations in Lincolnshire
Next one: Friday, 12 August, 12.30pm - 1.15pm. Click here to join the meeting.
We are also looking at organising a face to face meet up, so let us know if you'd be interested.
Cardiac rehabilitation volunteer group – Welcome back!
The team are starting to contact our group volunteers to start volunteering again. We are looking forward to seeing more activity in this area.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust. You can follow us on our social media accounts:
Lincolnshire Young Voices
training session - A rough guide to not
putting your foot in it!
Lincolnshire Young Voices have developed an online training programme to help professionals avoid the awkwardness of not knowing what to say or how to say it when meeting individuals with disabilities. The training is aptly named ‘A rough guide to not putting your foot in it!’
Click here to watch the training session.
Lincolnshire Young Voices are a pan-disability participation group. They research and act upon issues faced by young people with SEND. The group is funded by Lincolnshire County Council and supported by Lincolnshire NHS.
Their aims are to improve accessibility - in its broadest terms - within services and raise awareness of SEND. For more information on their work, visit the Lincolnshire County Council website.
Welcome to the team
We'd like to welcome Jacob and Ben. Jacob is a UTC volunteer and Ben is starting as a peer group supporter for the post covid rehabilitation service. All the best in your roles!
Contact the team
You can get in touch with the team by:
- Email:
lhnt.volunteer4lchs@nhs.net
- Call
Sally on 07812515130
- Call Dawn on 07581012627
LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook Thank you to those who have joined our LCHS Volunteer Network on Facebook.
Please do post and comment to get things going. It's your network so tell us what you'd like to see and don't be afraid to get involved. If you'd like to join, you can do so, here.