“It gives me great satisfaction...” What it’s like being a Marie Curie volunteer

Volunteers are crucial to what we do. Whether it’s helping behind the scenes, in communities, in people’s homes or remotely, volunteers help people get the best end of life care and support possible.

For Volunteer’s Week 2025, we’re highlighting the stories of four volunteers to give you a taste of some of the amazing things they do.

I'd always wanted to volunteer at Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale, so I phoned and asked if they needed volunteers. As it happened, they were opening the café in a few weeks and looking for volunteers. I was lucky – just in time! I volunteer there every Thursday, Friday and whenever I'm needed.

I just love being part of a community and team. I love chatting and having a laugh with customers and patients. It gives me great satisfaction knowing I'm part of a great charity and doing a little bit of good to society.

My most rewarding moments are when I serve patients and their families. Sometimes they recognise me from many years ago when we worked together on different power stations, which happens quite a lot as I worked with so many different people on stations all over the country. We’ll chat about those days. There’s always some great laughs.

Sometimes you sit down and you think, “I haven’t done much good in the world.” We’ve all got our skeletons, haven’t we? But now it’s really lovely to sit back and think what a lovely day it’s been putting a smile on somebody’s face.

As long as they have a smile I can go home and think, “Joe, you’re doing something good.” That’s the pleasure I get.

I popped up to my local Marie Curie charity shop a few months after Kevin had died – I’d gone through his wardrobes and emptied some bits and pieces out. I said, “I don’t know if you want these, but it’s some things of my husband’s.” I started to cry. Ellie, one of the amazing volunteers who was on, said, “Don’t worry, we’re all here for you.” Then the manager, Karen, came out from the back and she just gave me a big hug.

I went back with my sisters the next day and Karen was in. She said, “Why don’t you think about being a volunteer?” By five past one I was on the till!

After Kevin died, I found it quite difficult being at home. For the first two months I never switched a light off at night. My house was like Blackpool Illuminations.

I needed to do something but I didn’t know what. Everybody at the shop has been so good. The support I had from Marie Curie was a lifeline. Somebody took a video of us recently about why we volunteer. I said that it’s because people are just decent here. They put up with the silly things that you say. Everybody is wonderful and I think it’s helped me and my grief.

I started volunteering with Marie Curie in summer 2023. I chose to volunteer because I wanted to do something worthwhile, and in some way help to keep my dad's memory alive – he loved gardening too.

I've always found gardening enjoyable, but it helped me most when my dad died. Gardening makes me feel good because it’s very therapeutic, keeps me active – and it reminds me of my dad.

I love volunteering at the Marie Curie Hospice, Bradford because I’ve met so many different people and they’ve all made me feel really welcome. I feel like I’m giving back what I’ve gained.

I’ve very proudly been a Marie Curie Companion at Home volunteer since February 2024. I can honestly say it’s been one of my highlights of the last year.

My dad died in October 2022. He was determined to be at home and in the last week of his life Marie Curie Nurses provided invaluable care and support to him and our family during the night. Becoming a volunteer is my way of saying thank you for this care and compassion in the most difficult of times.

Supporting another person with my time is a privilege – I look forward to my weekly visits and I hope I’m making a difference.

One of my favourite memories was when I played some Queen music to one of my companions. Halfway through the song, she started to join in – you could see how much it meant to her. And it really did mean a great deal to me.

When you lose someone, you often lose part of yourself, but being a Marie Curie Companion is helping me find that person again.