VOLUNTEERS are needed to help provide tea and coffee services at Ludlow Hospital.

A plea for additional help has been made by the Friends of Ludlow Hospital as a result of the retirement of some existing volunteers.

The coffee service is provided from 10.00 to 11.00 daily and requires a regular weekly commitment from volunteers, whereas the trolley shop suits those volunteers who cannot meet such a regular and long-term undertaking.

“Many of our volunteers have been involved for 10 or 20 years, or more in some cases, and as they retire we now have to replace them,” said Gloria Corfield who co-ordinates the volunteers.

“In addition, there is now the strong possibility that extra patients who are likely to come to Ludlow while other hospitals are refurbished will mean that in some cases we will have to double our trolley service.

“It really is a nice way of contributing to the welfare of patients and at the same time easing the burden on the hard-working ward staff – they greatly appreciate the work of our teams at the busiest time of each day.

“Full training and familiarisation is given and all necessary security checks are carried out by the NHS at no cost to the individual.”

Trolley shop volunteers are required for about an hour currently on either Tuesday or Thursday afternoons to provide a bedside shop for in-patients, selling toiletries, sundries such as pens, stamps, drinks, sweets and biscuits.

“We are anxious to bring in our additional volunteers as soon as possible so that they can work in tandem with our experienced teams initially,” added Gloria Corfield.

If anyone can make this sort of commitment and would like to know more they should contact Gloria Corfield, on 01584 318468.