Volunteers Week

To celebrate Volunteers Week (1 – 7 June), we’ve been talking to some of our hardworking volunteers about why they give their time to Rainbows.

“Volunteering lets me see the very best of people”

Some volunteers really are driven and when it comes to going that extra mile, Julie Feechan really knows how to drive fundraising forward.

Proudly showcasing her ‘R41NBO’ personal registration plate, Julie Feechan has been a volunteer ambassador for Rainbows for almost four years.

As a student nurse in 1986, Julie cared for Laura Moore, the daughter of Rainbows’ founders Gail and Harry. Now the clinical head of five police forces in the East Midlands, Julie loves spending time volunteering for the hospice, promoting their good work and helping raise vital funds.

“For me it’s about getting out in to the community and letting people know about the amazing work the staff at Rainbows do,” she said. “They really are a lifeline for families whose children have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses. But what’s truly amazing is that it’s such a happy place.”

She continued, “I’d encourage anyone with a bit of free time to become a volunteer for Rainbows. Not only will you be making a huge difference, but you get back ten times what you put in to it. Plus you get the chance to meet some amazing people.”

Speaking about her personal registration plate, Julie commented: “I wanted a private registration plate but couldn’t decide which to get. Then I had the idea about getting Rainbows on it to help raise the hospice’s profile and it worked a treat. Wherever I go, people ask me why I have the number plate and it gives me the perfect opportunity to talk to them about Rainbows.”

Paul Holden, volunteer coordinator at Rainbows, said: “Volunteers play a huge part, not just in raising money for Rainbows, but also with day to day tasks to help us ensure we continue to provide the best care and support for families across the East Midlands who need it the most. We’d like to say a huge thank you to them for their hard work, time and commitment. We really are lucky to have some of the best volunteers in the world.

“We always need volunteers here at Rainbows, at our shops and at our events. However much time you can spare, you really would be helping make a huge difference to children with life limiting illnesses.