BRADFORD District Care NHS Foundation Trust is seeking volunteers from across the district to help support patients on the wards at Lynfield Mount Hospital and the Airedale Centre for Mental Health.

Both sites provide specialist care for patients with mental health needs who are too unwell to be treated at home, and volunteers are needed to support this care in one of two roles.

The first are therapeutic activity volunteers who work alongside occupational therapists to support patients in activities such as crafts, singing, walking and gardening. The Trust is also seeking patient advice volunteers who talk to service users on the wards about their experience of care, listening to their feedback or concerns and liaising with the relevant staff and departments to resolve any issues and share their feedback.

Catherine Jowitt, volunteer lead at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic it has not been possible to have volunteers onsite and their absence has highlighted what a huge difference their work makes to patients and staff on our wards. With the increased need to provide mental health support following the past year’s events, we are thrilled to be welcoming volunteers back and we need their support now more than ever.

“Our volunteers need to be good listeners and communicators who can be creative and are confident in getting others involved. Volunteers would need to give a few hours a week and will gain a lot from these rewarding roles; we get a great deal of positive feedback from existing volunteers who are often surprised how much they gain when they give up their time for others.”

Sign-up for these roles will open on Friday, June 7. All volunteers will receive an induction to make sure they are comfortable in their role.

Contact The Volunteer Service at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust on 01274 322662, email volunteer@bdct.nhs.uk or visit our website at https://www.bdct.nhs.uk/get-involved/volunteering/.