This week marks the start of Volunteers’ Week 2025 from Monday 2 June to Sunday 8 June. Here, Alex Innes, Volunteer Programme Lead at Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) talks about the joy – and benefits – of volunteering for a much-loved hospital charity, serving Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals.
What is your name and title?
Alex Innes - Volunteer Programme Lead at Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT).
How important are volunteers to ACT and can you give us an example of things they can get involved with? – for example walks, challenges, speaking to potential donors.
Volunteers are an integral part of ACT’s work - helping to inform people about what we do as well as bringing the community together for various activities that they can be part of. This could be helping out at one of our events, such as the Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival or the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon, where volunteers can do everything from marshalling to setting up and clearing down, handing out refreshments and being part of the ACT cheer squad. Volunteers can also staff the information hubs at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, giving out information and helping to support donations so that the public know how to get behind their hospitals. They can also become an ACT Champion where they talk about the charity within the community – which might include fundraising events where people have raised money on our behalf. We also have fundraising committees where volunteers set up events throughout the year to raise funds within their community with like-minded members of the public.
Are there other ways for volunteers to get involved?
There are always opportunities to speak about what other skills volunteers may want to bring that are pertinent to the charity - so we are always happy to talk to people. Additionally, we are also looking to expand our corporate partnerships to compliment the fantastic and valuable relationships we already have with corporates where they can fund specific projects within Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals. For instance, one of our corporates holds an annual ball every year to raise money to buy every patient in hospital on Christmas Day a present. The firm’s employees volunteer their time by wrapping presents, writing Christmas cards and distributing the gifts. Another of our corporates funded the provision of emergency care packs for the families of children admitted to hospital in emergency scenarios, where families often don’t have time to pack and arrive in hospital with nothing. Staff created the packs as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility Days. Other corporate volunteers also joined our ACT cheer squad point at this year’s TTP Cambridge Half Marathon – and were part of the fantastic atmosphere on the day.
What do volunteers say is the best thing about working with ACT? What do they get out of it?
A common response from our volunteers when asked about why they got involved with ACT is that they wanted to do it as a way of thanking the hospitals and to show their appreciation for all the love and care that they, their family or friends have received from hospital staff. Acknowledging the work ACT does is a way of helping them to realise this. Other volunteers say working with ACT is a great way to experience and understand the monetary and events side of the organisation that people can then take away to develop their own skills and careers. Most importantly, our volunteers enjoy what they do and it gives them the chance to meet other people and be part of a community.
How much time do volunteers need to give?
Volunteers can give as little and as much time as they like. We are always flexible and are happy to accommodate people to ensure they get the experience they want.
Where do volunteers live?
Our aim is to have at least one fundraising committee in every county across the East of England – Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk – by the end of this year. Anyone who signs up to become a volunteer can then attend an Induction Day organised by the charity.
How do people get in touch?
If you are thinking of volunteering, we would love to hear from you! Find out more by going to our newly-revamped webpage to see the list of the roles available. Please visit: https://act4addenbrookes.org.uk/volunteer. Potential volunteers can fill out an expression of interest form and also read the latest volunteer newsletter. Any questions can be emailed to: [email protected]
