“I wasn’t ready to volunteer immediately after losing my husband,” Carol reflects. “But when the time came, I wanted to give back to the charity that had given us so much.”
Carol taking on a wing walk
Carol’s journey as a volunteer is nothing short of remarkable. Not only has she taken on a role as a facilitator at the monthly grief cafe meetings and occasionally helps with the wellbeing group, but she has also embraced fundraising with enthusiasm and courage. In 2021, Carol completed her third wing walk, raising £3,800 for Pilgrims Hospices. Recently, she took to the skies once again, raising an additional £900 for the charity.
“I’ve done four wing walks now,” Carol says with a smile. “I suppose that makes me a frequent flyer!”
But for Carol, it’s not just about the thrill of the wing walk, it’s about giving back to the community that supported her during one of the most challenging times of her life. “Pilgrims Hospices allowed my husband to spend his final weeks at home, and for that, I am forever grateful. Volunteering is a way for me to help others going through similar experiences.”
Carol’s dedication to Pilgrims Hospices extends beyond her volunteer work. She has also been involved with local organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the local tourism association, and the Thanet Good Neighbours group during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her commitment to her community is evident in everything she does.
“What makes volunteering for Pilgrims Hospices special is the people,” Carol explains. “It’s the wonderful volunteers, and the staff like Annie, Simone, Jane and Zoe, and the incredible group of people we meet during such a difficult time in their lives. It’s a privilege to be part of this.”
Carol’s story is a shining example of how one person can make a difference. Her journey from grief to giving back is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of community support.
To learn more about how you can support Pilgrims Hospices or become a volunteer like Carol, visit pilgrimshospices.org/volunteer.
Pilgrims Hospices is a charity dedicated to providing expert care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses in east Kent. Our services ensure comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients and their families, offering compassionate care both in hospice settings and in the community.
2nd May 2024
Pilgrims Hospices leads conversations on death and dying ahead of Dying Matters Week 2024
As Dying Matters Week approaches from May 6–12, 2024, Pilgrims Hospices gears up to lead conversations on #TheWayWeTalkAboutDyingMatters.
This annual event aims to empower people to engage in honest conversations about death and dying with healthcare professionals, family, and friends.
This year, Pilgrims Hospices is taking a proactive stance by bringing discussions to the forefront. Through the use of chalkboards, the charity will facilitate the ‘Before I Die’ conversations in key locations in Canterbury and Thanet. These conversations will focus on addressing fears and worries surrounding death and dying, as well as planning ahead for grief and loss.
“We believe that open conversations about death and dying are crucial for individuals and communities to navigate these challenging topics with dignity and understanding,” said Sophie Van Walwyk, Head of Psychosocial and Bereavement Services at Pilgrims Hospices. “By providing platforms for dialogue, we hope to normalise discussions about end-of-life care and provide support for those facing these difficult realities.”
The events are scheduled to take place at the following locations:
Broadstairs Library, The Broadway, Broadstairs CT10 2BS Wednesday 8 May – 10:00am – 2:00pm
Whitefriars Shopping Centre, Canterbury Saturday 11 May – 10:00am – 2:00pm
All members of the community are encouraged to participate by sharing their thoughts and feelings about what is important for them to achieve before they die, on the chalkboards. Additionally, Pilgrims Hospices will be on hand to offer guidance and signpost attendees to relevant services and resources, including Pilgrims Hospices Stepping Stones bereavement services.
By providing platforms for dialogue, we hope to normalise discussions about end-of-life care and provide support for those facing these difficult realities.
Sophie Van Walwyk, Head of Psychosocial and Bereavement Services
“We want to inspire a compassionate and supportive community where individuals can express themselves freely and honestly,” added Sophie. “By encouraging open dialogue, we hope to alleviate some of the fears and stigma surrounding death, dying, loss and grief, and promote greater knowledge and understanding within our communities.”
Furthermore, Pilgrims Hospices offers Grief Awareness Training packages from their training centre in Canterbury. To find out more, visit: pilgrimshospices.org/courses
For more information about Dying Matters Week events and Pilgrims Hospices initiatives, please email [email protected].
Pilgrims Hospices is a charity providing specialist end-of-life care and support to individuals and their families across east Kent. With a focus on compassionate care and dignity, Pilgrims Hospices strives to enhance the quality of life for those facing life-limiting illnesses.
28th July 2023
Could you be a bereavement support volunteer?
Pilgrims Stepping Stones Bereavement Support services started in 2019 to offer support to bereaved adults in east Kent.
The aim of these services are to help people following the death of a loved one, understand the feelings they have are normal and that being able to share their stories with others in a similar situation can be therapeutic. It also provides an opportunity to gain awareness of other services that might prove helpful, all in welcoming environments. New friendships are often created in such groups and a sense of belonging can overcome natural feelings of isolation.
The Stepping Stones services currently consist of the following:
Monthly Bereavement Support Groupsheld at each of our three Hospice sites:
Ashford – The first Friday of every month 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Canterbury – The first Saturday of every month 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Thanet – The last Friday of every month 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Weekly Bereavement Support Groups Walking Groupsin tranquil settings take place:
Ashford – Tuesday morning 10:30am – 12:00pm
Canterbury – Tuesday afternoons 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Thanet – Thursday mornings 10:30am – 12:00pm
These important services are facilitated by trained volunteers and supported by the team at Pilgrims.
Stepping Stones volunteers come to us from a variety of backgrounds to use their existing skills and develop new ones, following the training we provide.
If you would like to find out more about these volunteer roles, and how you could become involved in these worthwhile services, please get in touch with our Bereavement Services Coordinator via email [email protected]
Enquiries and expressions of interested by 31st August 2023
Click here for details on Stepping Stones volunteer roles along with other volunteer roles for Pilgrims Hospices.
We very much look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Grief is a very natural, normal and necessary reaction to a bereavement Grief is not a single event. It is a process which takes time to work through, during which we find out how to adapt to our loss. There is no right way or wrong way to grieve. Our feelings of grief are as personal and individual as any other feelings.
1st February 2023
Pilgrims Hospices mark National Grief Awareness Week 2022
In October 2019, The Good Grief Trust launched National Grief Awareness Week at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the impact of grief, normalise conversations about it, and create a unified voice for all bereavement support services in the UK. Pilgrims Hospices was delighted to attend and help to spread the word about its Stepping Stones bereavement support programme, which is available to any adult in east Kent.
Three years on, in December 2022, Pilgrims hosted its own awareness event at the Ann Robertson Centre in Canterbury. It provided an opportunity for bereavement services from across east Kent to come together, network and share ideas about how they can support local people who are grieving.
“We were really keen to create an opportunity for fellow bereavement support providers to come together during National Grief Awareness Week, to explore and understand how the services we all offer can best support anyone in east Kent who is grieving. The event proved both enlightening and positive. It allowed us all to gather new information, network with others providing specialist support and, importantly, signpost bereaved people effectively in a timely manner.
“We hope to build on this event to engage with local stakeholders and the community, to ensure supporting bereaved people effectively is everyone’s business.”
The feedback from attendees was positive, too:
“Thank you so much for inviting me to the event. It was very interesting.”
“I just wanted to thank you again for putting on such a great event and inviting us to come along; we took a huge amount from it, and hopefully we were able to provide some helpful information to the charities present.”
We hope to build on this event to engage with local stakeholders and the community, to ensure supporting bereaved people effectively is everyone’s business.
Annie Hogben, Expert Volunteer Project Lead
The event was attended by seven local bereavement support organisations, plus an independent celebrant and an independent funeral director:
Pilgrims Hospices cares for thousands of local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
