Volunteer with us

For much of our Arts in Health programme, we rely on a brilliant team of enthusiastic and committed volunteers. If you would like to join our team of Ward Activities Volunteers, working alongside us, our patients, and hospital staff, we would love to hear from you. Upcoming roles will be advertised periodically here on Sheffield Teaching Hospitals’ website.

All of our volunteers receive training and ongoing support from the Voluntary Services department, as well as our Arts Coordinator, Arts Activities Officer and experienced volunteers, depending on the role.

staff

1. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.’

2. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Teleport.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Tokyo, Japan.

4. What’s your favourite indoor/outdoor activity?
Indoor: swimming and relaxing in the sauna and steam room.
Outdoor: driving cars.

5. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
Living: Warren Buffet, Drake, Skepta.
Dead: Both my Grandfathers.

6. What three words define you?
Calm, confident, and empathetic.

7. What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
This time will pass, so appreciate and enjoy it while it lasts!

8. How do you define success?
The accomplishment of self-set targets rather than external targets, irrespective of their scale – big or small.

9. Why did you decide to work as an Arts Volunteer at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals?
To positively impact others’ lives. In addition to putting my own life into perspective (regardless of me being tied to work and university, I am still technically free to do whatever I want in my life) – this allows me to practice gratitude in my daily life. I also decided to become a volunteer as I knew that it would provide me with insights into working life in a hospital and the opportunity to meet different people, preparing me for when I finish university and become a junior doctor, in the near future.

10. What is your favourite thing about the role?
The fact that it provides me with the ongoing realisation that life is short, and that age (and the conditions that patients in the hospital have) do not change human nature. I especially appreciated this in one of my first volunteering sessions when conversing with a patient who was a war veteran. I realised that amidst his age and heart condition, he still had a great sense of humour; something that also seems to stay with me, no matter what is going on in my life!

staff

1. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
'A Story of Dark and Light'.

2. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I'm really interested in how the human body works so I'd love to study anatomy and physiology.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would do a road trip from Europe to Asia. I really want to visit Canada though too as my brother lives there.

4. What’s your favourite indoor/outdoor activity?
My favourite indoor activity is machine sewing. Outdoors....I love a good adventure walk through the wilderness.

5. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
It would be my mother’s father, Grandad Ronny. He passed before I was born. From what I've heard, he was a great man, full of love and a good laugh!

6. What three words define you?
Affectionate, gentle, and sincere.

7. What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
I would say, ‘Other people’s words are not your truth. You are capable of more than you know and worth more than you think.’

8. How do you define success?
Doing what you love as love makes all the difference.

9. Why did you decide to work as an Arts Volunteer at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals?
I chose to work as an Arts Volunteer because I wanted to give some of my time to others who may otherwise not get much company. A good natter over an easy-going activity can do wonders!

10. What is your favourite thing about the role?
What I love most about volunteering is seeing the change it creates in patients. It has such a positive impact and that is so rewarding.

I loved being a volunteer for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. It was a very special opportunity to spend time with patients who really appreciated conversation and a simple creative activity to brighten up their day. It was the best part of my week!’

Lucy Poppleton, Ward Activities Volunteer

The Arts in Health team relies on the goodwill of our dedicated team of volunteers. We also regularly work with professional artists and musicians on a variety of creative projects across the Trust.