Volunteer of the Year Award

Hospiscare Exeter: Mary Bolshaw

Mary’s nomination for Volunteer of the Year stood out to the judges for both the dedication and breadth of her service as a volunteer for Hospiscare, and Chair of Honiton and District Friends of Hospiscare.

Mary was a founding member of the Hospiscare family and has dedicated over 45 years to the charity. She has worked tirelessly to support the hospice in a huge variety of ways, from monthly coffee mornings to Christmas lunches, from volunteering at reception to driving patients to appointments, from providing and delivering home-cooked meals during Covid to organising afternoon teas.

Judges added, “the financial contribution of raising over £1.1 million is a huge achievement, but we were equally struck by how much time and energy she has poured into caring for her community through the hospice. We’re delighted to choose Mary Bolshaw for this award”.

Sheila Miller’s commitment to St Gemma’s Hospice, Leeds, is inspiring.

With over 20 years of volunteering, Sheila’s passion and commitment were evident, providing voluntary spiritual care, bereavement support, befriending and fundraising support - especially through the COVID period.

Sheila has been compassionate not only to patients and families receiving support at the hospice, but to her colleagues and support staff that needed to talk during difficult times.

Sheila’s thoughtfulness, including buying food and supplies for hospice staff during the height of the pandemic, is not to be understated.