Volunteers

Like every charitable organization in Bermuda, our success is heavily dependent on our many volunteers who assist with the successful running of our programmes, services and events.

We have been fortunate to have the support of a wonderful group of dedicated and compassionate volunteers with diverse skills who have been an immeasurable asset to the success of our services and programmes.  On a daily basis, they can be seen helping in and around Agape House, driving patients and programme participants, and supporting our fundraising efforts, which are vital to the services we provide.

Our volunteers are caring, compassionate, patient, flexible, and dedicated, and can choose to participate in ways which suit them best. General volunteers can assist in the following areas:

Gardening: Helping to maintain the lovely grounds of the hospice through seasonal planting of seedlings, pruning and weeding.

Office Assistance: Assisting with thank you letters, large mailouts, maintaining databases, running errands (especially in the lead up to events).

Transportation: Providing transportation – using either a private vehicle, or the Friends of Hospice van with a C. S. license – for programme participants who require a ride from their homes to or from Day Hospice at Agape House on Mondays, 10 a.m. -3 p.m.

Meal Service/Groceries: Assisting our chef in preparing meals, setting the trays for delivery to the patients, dish washing, and possibly feeding patients if necessary. Volunteers can also assist by doing our weekly grocery shopping on Wednesdays. Volunteers will be reimbursed for the cost of the groceries.

Friday Afternoon Tea: Assisting in setting up sandwiches, drink, tea and cakes for weekly Friday Afternoon Tea for a 3:30 p.m. start. We welcome you to stay until 5:00/5:30 p.m. to assist in serving family members and visitors of the patients or sitting and chatting with the visitors and patients.

Reception: Working at the reception desk in Agape House during the week and weekends. Responsibilities include answering the phone, greeting visitors and directing them to patients’ rooms.

Companion Visits/Pet Therapy: Anyone who wishes to have direct contact and interaction with patients must complete our 7-week training. This special training in collaboration with P.A.L.S. is offered once a year. Volunteers are required to attend and complete the 7 training sessions and must not have experienced a significant loss in the year prior to the start of the course. Companion volunteering is a wonderful opportunity to provide support, respite and friendship to patients, loved ones, and caregivers. Share a cup of tea, play a game of cards, or simply chat. Companion volunteering is very flexible to your scheduling needs and you can choose the day and time.  Trained Companion Volunteers can then choose to have their pet trained to provide pet therapy at the hospice.  They may also volunteer in our Day Hospice programme.

Fundraising Support: Our events and fundraisers would not be successful without the assistance of our many volunteers. Volunteers can help with organizing an event by joining a planning committee, assisting with set-up and breakdown at event locations, capturing the event as a photographer, registration, road marshals, selling raffle tickets and merchandise, assisting with duck races, collecting donations, providing entertainment as a performer, graphic design, promotion and accounting. In addition to our annual Tag Day, and our Denim Day as part of World Hospice & Palliative Care Week in October, we hold a number of events throughout the year.

If you are interested in joining our volunteer family, please call Angela Young, Marketing, Programme & Volunteer Coordinator at 232-0859 or email volunteers@hospice.bm.