At Prospect Hospice, we provide outstanding, personalised and compassionate care for everyone in Swindon, Marlborough and the surrounding areas affected by a life-limiting illness, completely free of charge. For more than 40 years, we’ve been a dedicated, non-hospital, end-of-life care service for patients and their loved ones - around the clock, every day of the year. Our mission is to ensure that anyone can access the best possible expert care whenever and wherever they need it – whether at the hospice or in their own home. As a charity, we only exist because of the generosity and support of our amazing local community.
Find out about the range of end-of-life care services that we offer to patients and their families. These delivered free of charge and are designed to provide compassionate, personalised support during every stage of a life-limiting illness in every kind of care setting, to anyone who needs it.
We couldn’t do what we do without considerable support from our local community. Find out all the different ways in which you can support Prospect Hospice, including fundraising, volunteering and purchasing from our shops. All contributions are greatly appreciated and enables us to deliver care that is free of charge to our patients and their families.
Our café sits at the heart of our hospice in Wroughton and serves a range of delicious home cooked meals to suit all tastes. Whether you're looking to catch up with friends over lunch or relax with coffee and cake, our Heart of the Hospice café has you covered.
Whether shopping with us in person or online, or donating your pre-loved goods, we thank you for supporting us through our shops where you help to raise around £2million a year for Prospect Hospice.
We pride ourselves on being a great place to work and we're always looking for outstanding people to join our team at the hospice across all areas of the charity.
Prospect Hospice is the leading provider of education and training for end-of-life care in Swindon and north Wiltshire. Working closely with you, our colleagues within partner organisations, we want to ensure that the very best care is available to everyone facing the end of life. This is why we provide education and development opportunities, all of which aim to encourage learning and build confidence in end of life care and support.
Volunteers who have dedicated a combined 420 years of service to Prospect Hospice have been honoured.
The charity held an online ceremony to mark the contribution of 31 volunteers who have given their time in roles including in the hospice’s inpatient unit and café, in its shops and as box collectors.
The volunteers who received long service awards reached the milestones of ten, 15, 20, 25 or 35 years.
Barbara Compton, 76, of Purton, has volunteered for 35 years helping patients, including when the hospice was first based at the Victoria Hospital in Old Town, Swindon.
When the hospice opened in Wroughton she became a volunteer driver taking patients to and from the hospice for day therapy. She also volunteers with the charity’s Prospect @Home service, providing companionship to patients receiving care in their homes.
She joined the hospice because she had experienced the loss of three relatives and two good friends, all of whom had been nursed by the hospice.
“I was bumbling around one day and thought it was about time I did something to help. I enjoy volunteering for Prospect Hospice. I do say to people if the opportunity arises it’s not all doom and gloom, there are some laughs too. I get a lot of satisfaction, especially from the work with the patients,” she said.
Robin Colbourne, who volunteers at the charity’s Clive Parade shop received an award for ten years’ service.
Robin, 67, who lives in Swindon, said: “I enjoy it and I like volunteering for Prospect Hospice because it gives good service to the people of Swindon who need end-of-life care. It’s a bit like an extended family in the shop and you get to know people and we have a good camaraderie. I didn’t expect to get an award from the hospice, it’s just nice to be valued along with the other volunteers.”
Another ten year award recipient was Ann Price, 77, who spent the majority of her time with the charity’s finance team doing administrative duties such as opening the post. Lately she has been volunteering at the charity’s retail distribution centre in Wroughton.
Ann, of Royal Wootton Bassett, joined Prospect Hospice after retiring as a nurse practitioner.
She said: “I enjoy helping people and I’m glad that I’m able to do my bit to help the hospice in its work. When I was volunteering in the finance office I met people in all the different teams in the hospice delivering the post which was very nice.”
Doreen Collen received an award for 15 years’ volunteering. She has volunteered on the hospice’s reception desk, as a kitchen assistant helping the chefs prepare food for patients and staff or serving in the hospice’s café and lately she has been helping the charity’s eBay team to label and send out parcels to customers.
Doreen, 65, of West Swindon, said: “Prospect Hospice is a good charity – it cared for my husband and mother. The care they received was personalised and special. I like volunteering because I’m doing my bit to make life a little better for other people.”
Su Starkey, head of volunteering, learning and inclusion at Prospect Hospice, said: “Our volunteers receiving long service awards this year have between them contributed a total of 420 years – an amazing achievement! Everyone at Prospect Hospice thanks them for the dedication and time they’ve given.
“We are so grateful to all our volunteers who give their time to support a wide variety of activity as this helps the hospice to support patients and their loved ones across Swindon and north east Wiltshire.”
Prospect Hospice has more than 800 volunteers fulfilling over 50 different roles and it is committed to ensuring they are supported and valued. Last year it was awarded the prestigious Investing in Volunteers status for the second time in recognition of its pledge to provide an excellent volunteer experience.
If you are interesting in volunteering for Prospect Hospice email volunteering@prospect-hospice.net or call the volunteering team on 01793 816193.
The hospice has opportunities for patient support volunteers. This is a great role for retired nurses or those taking a career break and younger people looking to develop a career in the caring services.
Caption (from top left, clockwise ) – Barbara Compton, Robin Colbourne, Doreen Collen and Ann Price.
15 September 2021
13 September 2021
01 September 2021