Lifelong friendship found through volunteering at Cransley Hospice!

On #VolunteersWeek, we want to highlight this heart-warming volunteers story. Emma Evans and Katie Summerfield are two of our happiest and most willing volunteers, we’re delighted that the ladies have also found a lifelong friendship through their volunteering for Cransley Hospice!

Emma had been volunteering for Cransley Hospice for several years as a Meet & Greet receptionist in the in-patient unit and had participated in the Cransley Hospice Road Races. As a mother of three young children, she told us;

“I really wanted to do something more, to get outside of my comfort zone and to have another outlet so I was more than just Mummy!” This was when she decided to contact the fundraising team to see if there was more that she could do to help.

Meanwhile, after tragically losing her Mum when she was only 20-years old, Katie wanted to do something to support her Mum’s favourite charity, Cransley Hospice. She also took part in the Road Races and helped to organise fundraising events, such as the Rothwell Gala Night and an annual sponsored swim event. Due to Katie’s success and experience with swimming events, the fundraising team asked for her support with the 2018 Swim for Cransley event, which she was delighted to offer.

Both Emma and Katie independently decided to volunteer for the ‘Strictly Kettering’ event in 2018 and it was here they met for the very first time while they were busy counting votes on the night!

Since then, they have been best of friends – not only when they get together and volunteer their time at fundraising events – helping with everything from selling merchandise at the annual Tree of Lights, through to running a tombola at the Zumbathon, but also away from the Hospice as they now regularly go around to each other’s houses and treat themselves to dinner together.

“It’s so lovely to have met each other and found this friendship! Without volunteering, our paths may never have crossed and it’s always fantastic to find new local friends.

“We love volunteering for the Fundraising team, it’s such an amazing cause and we each know a lot of people that have been affected by the Hospice. We’re also made to feel so appreciated, the fundraisers are always telling us how grateful they are for us giving up our time!

“It’s so flexible too, we both have busy lives, but we never feel under pressure or tied down by volunteering at events – if we’re free, we’re happy to help but if we have plans already we’re not afraid to say ‘No’ and that’s okay too!

“We’d say to anyone considering volunteering for Cransley Hospice – just go for it!! You get to meet so many new people, everyone is super-friendly and you really feel like you’re making a difference!”