Long-serving volunteer Joan Northcott was given a surprise send-off to remember when she retired after 15 years as a receptionist at The South Bucks Community Hospice.
Mrs Northcott, of Chesham, was stunned when Chief Executive Jo Woolf suddenly handed her a gorgeous bouquet of flowers at a recent staff get-together at Butterfly House, the Hospice’s new headquarters.
“It was a very big surprise and really nice of them to do it – it made me feel that I had made a useful contribution,” said the 80-year-old former dental receptionist.
"I loved working there and I loved seeing the patients,” she said. “I would recommend volunteering to anybody. You always get more out of it than you put in and it’s a lovely thing to do. Volunteering is very rewarding because it’s nice to think you can do something for somebody else.”
Mrs Northcott travelled by bus from Chesham at least once a week to man the reception at Pusey House, the Hospice’s former building in High Wycombe.
When she first saw the hospice receptionist post advertised all those years ago, she almost didn’t apply because she thought there would be others who would want it.
“In the end I plucked up the courage and was interviewed – and I never looked back from there.”
She decided to retire when she turned 80 because the move to Butterfly House in Totteridge would have meant two buses.
Now she is urging others to volunteer to man the new building.
“If people can volunteer for the hospice, it will be a wonderful thing for them to do – and they will have a lovely building to do it in,” she said.
Chief Executive Jo Woolf said: “Joan has put in enormous effort and shown so much commitment for our patients and we are really going to miss her – as we will miss the other wonderful volunteers who have recently retired. Joan is all we would wish for in a volunteer which is to be warm and welcoming to those who use our services, loyal and truly reliable. We will all miss Joan, and we will also miss Jean, our other long-serving volunteer who retired at the same time and was also sent a lovely bouquet but was unable to attend the staff get-together.
“The beginning of June is National Volunteers’ Week and it’s humbling to see so many incredible people all over the UK giving their time for free in such a selfless and committed way."
She added: “We are always recruiting for new volunteers to join our team. Joan admits she almost didn’t apply because she thought there would be other people who would want the role. What a loss that would have been to us – so my message to others is that it’s always worth stepping forward because we may just have the perfect role for you.”
To volunteer for The South Bucks Community Hospice, Email volunteers@sbhospice.org.uk or call 01494 552761
