PHYLLIS Tuckwell Hospice Care (PTHC) has held its annual Volunteer Long Services Awards at which 30 of the charity’s dedicated volunteers were thanked for their help and commitment.

Volunteers attending the celebration, which was held in the hospice’s Dove Lounge, were joined by their families and friends. A short citation was read for every volunteer, before Chris Tuckwell, president of PTHC, presented each with a badge and certificate for their five, 10 or 20 years’ service.

Volunteer gardener Angie Briggs, who was given an awards for 10 years of service, said: “It was a great occasion and gave an insight into how many volunteer hours have kept and keep the Phyllis Tuckwell organisation going! I think it was unanimous that we are all doing what we do because we love it.”

Phyllis Tuckwell is supported by more than 950 volunteers. These volunteers help in many different ways, offering professional expertise such as counselling or physiotherapy, or undertaking more general roles such as assisting on the ward, serving suppers, driving patients to and from Day Hospice sessions or escorting those being driven, and helping in one of the charity’s 19 shops across its catchment area.

“We would like to thank these 30 amazing volunteers, whose ongoing support and dedication is highly valued and much appreciated,” said Julia Morpeth, voluntary services manager at Phyllis Tuckwell.

“Without them, and the support of all of our wonderful volunteers, we simply would not be able to provide the level of care which we offer our patients and their families.”

Anyone wanting to find out about volunteering for Phyllis Tuckwell should visit www.pth.org.uk/vol

unteer-roles.