By Joshua Robinson – 

On Monday 3rd June, The Kirkwood was visited by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, to help celebrate Volunteers’ Week. The Duchess spent time in The Kirkwood’s gardens at Dalton and visited the In-Patient Unit where she spoke to nurses and patients.

Having last visited The Kirkwood in July 2021, when their volunteers received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the Duchess was keen to return and was able to meet some of the patients and their families without any Covid restrictions, unlike in 2021.

Volunteers’ Week is important for The Kirkwood, with over 800 volunteers across the whole of The Kirkwood Movement. They support The Kirkwood by helping in a huge variety of roles, from looking after customers in our shops across Kirklees to helping to care for patients in the In-Patient Unit at Dalton.

The Kirkwood’s CEO Michael Crowther commented on the Duchess’ visit, he said: “The Duchess shares our passion for the role volunteering plays in local communities and came to see us to thank The Kirkwood volunteers for all their hard work. It’s fantastic that she has chosen to take the time to do so. It acknowledges and validates all the hard work our volunteers put in.”

Volunteers who attended the event enjoyed meeting The Duchess and were also keen to share how much volunteering meant to them personally.

Volunteer gardener Linda Roberts said: “I am proud to volunteer for The Kirkwood, I have done this now for many years and it never gets dull. There is always the chance to meet new people. I love leading and being part of a team, it gives me lots of enjoyment in life and makes me happy knowing I’m making a difference to people’s lives. Whether that’s helping to grow vegetables that are used by our catering team or by helping the garden to look amazing for the patients to enjoy.”

“The Kirkwood are a special collection of people who work really hard to improve the lives of others and care for those with a life limiting illness. I know myself and my gardening colleagues are proud of being part of The Kirkwood Movement.”

Volunteering Manager Linda Moore commented on The Duchess’ visit and how important volunteers are to our charity overall. She said: “The Kirkwood simply couldn’t run without our amazing volunteers. We want to say a huge thanks to them, they are a big part of our charity and help make it what it is today.”

Volunteering with The Kirkwood supports vulnerable people in the local community, whilst also helping improve the quality of life for those who choose to give their time: teaching them new skills, giving them a stake in their community, and helping them make new friends.

If you would like to help support life in Kirklees by giving a gift of time, please contact Linda Moore at: volunteer@thekirkwood.org.uk

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