Joining us at Bolton Whites Hotel for a celebratory afternoon were a number of people representing each of their volunteer groups including patient transport service volunteer car drivers, community first responders, patient and public panel members and welfare van volunteers.

NWAS Chairman Peter White opened the event, praising our volunteers for the extraordinary work they do, he said: “The event was an opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate everything that our volunteers do for the ambulance service and our communities across the region. While going about their busy day-to-day lives, they still manage to give their spare time to attend, care for and contribute to those people who really need our help.”

The event went on to invite two volunteers to share their personal experiences and what it truly means to them to do the role. We heard from volunteer car driver, Peter Cassidy and his ability to bring a sense of safety and security to his often vulnerable patients, when taking them to hospital appointments. We also heard from Joseph Rawsthorne, a patient and public panel member who expressed his gratitude towards his improved confidence, finding his voice and a new-found passion towards improving patient experience and being a part of positive change within the organisation.

Our volunteers can often find themselves in difficult situations when responding to incidents, caring for patients on the way to hospital or being involved in challenging conversations as part of the role. To help encourage a focus on wellbeing and taking time for yourself, the event invited Leadership and Change Professional Dr Caroline Cole to help our volunteers discuss and manage their personal resilience.

Chairman Peter White closed the event with thanks and reflections, adding: “The role of our volunteers has certainly evolved considerably over the years, and we now have multiple ways in which people in our community can get involved and help us to do more. Whether you’re supporting our colleagues on the frontline with a cuppa during a busy shift, making a difficult journey for someone that little bit easier, using your experiences to help shape our ambulance service or providing life-saving intervention to a neighbour, our volunteers are all very much appreciated and admired.”

To get involved in volunteering and for more information on how you can help visit: How you can volunteer – NWAS – North West Ambulance Service