Serving up Christmas cheer – Terry’s volunteering experience

During the holiday season, clinical staff and volunteers work tirelessly to make patients’ Christmas experience as positive as possible. Among them was Terry Quarrington, a Procurement team member at Solent NHS Trust who volunteered on the Fanshawe Wing in Royal South Hants Hospital in Southampton on Christmas Day.

Terry spent his time chatting to patients, serving food, pulling crackers and making drinks.

“Volunteering on Christmas Day is something I do every year. In the past I’ve delivered food to the elderly and kept people company, however this is my first year at the Royal South Hants. I decided to do this instead of giving money to charity as whilst I am still able to physically help, I get to see first-hand the difference it makes. Coming from a big family, I am very grateful for the support network I have around me and I wanted to give some of that back,” said Terry.

For many, Christmas is a time of celebration; however, for patients in hospital, it can be a lonely time, spent away from family and friends.

“There were mixed emotions on the day, obviously patients wouldn’t have chosen to spend Christmas there, but the staff were all in high spirits. They were determined to make the day as special as it could be. It was a shock to see that some patients had no visitors on Christmas Day, but I’m glad I could be there to provide some company and be someone they could talk to.

“I think people forget that patient care and hospitals still run as usual over the Christmas period, whilst others are at home opening presents and eating lovely meals with friends and family, the NHS still carries on working, doing its thing!” Terry added.

Thank you to Terry for sharing his heartwarming volunteering experience. If you would like to volunteer at Solent, learn more here.