Prospect Hospice has been providing end of life care to the people of Swindon and north east Wiltshire for over 40 years. Find out more about where we've come from and who we are here.
Find out about the range of end-of-life care services that we offer to patients and their families. These delivered free of charge and are designed to provide compassionate, personalised support during every stage of a life-limiting illness in every kind of care setting, to anyone who needs it.
We couldn’t do what we do without considerable support from our local community. Find out all the different ways in which you can support Prospect Hospice, including fundraising, volunteering and purchasing from our shops. All contributions are greatly appreciated and enables us to deliver care that is free of charge to our patients and their families.
We are proud to have a team of over 800 dedicated volunteers making a huge contribution to the work of Prospect Hospice. We simply couldn’t provide the care to those who need it without their contribution. Volunteers support a wide variety of teams and therefore we are able to offer a vast array of fulfilling roles to suit a variety of interests.
You may wish to volunteer with Prospect Hospice to acquire new skills, or you may have skills that you would like to share with us. Perhaps you would like to meet new people or gain experience in a certain area for career or personal progression. Whatever your reason for volunteering, we aim to ensure that you feel well supported and valued and that the time you give us helps us and helps you reach your goals.
We do everything we can to make your experience as rewarding and enjoyable as possible. Here are just some of the benefits:
You will also enjoy the feeling of knowing that every minute of your time given supports our work, our patients and your community.
“When I first retired I worked in a garden centre – it was nice to not stop working altogether. Around a year later, I heard from a friend that Prospect Hospice were looking for volunteers, so I decided to apply. They trained you in everything back then – driving patients around, working in the pantry on the In-Patient Unit (IPU), and at reception, amongst other things. When I was training I had a few health problems and I didn’t feel strong enough in myself to be able to support patients on the IPU or to drive the minibus. I found the work on reception interesting though, so I decided to try that, and now I’ve been here for nearly fourteen years! I really enjoy meeting new people and keeping busy – so it’s perfect.”
Volunteer Richard Dyball is in his seventies but puts in the effort of someone half his age, volunteering for three days a week in our Gorse Hill shop, and two days a week in our Royal Wootton Bassett shop.
“When I retired from the hotel industry, my family were worried about how I’d cope with not being around so many people any more. A friend suggested that I volunteer for Prospect Hospice and, five years on, I’ve never looked back! Volunteering in the shops is fun and fulfilling. I like meeting lots of people, and some people come into the shop every day for a chat. We hear some great feedback from people who know someone who has been looked after by the hospice. The range of stock we get is really interesting too – anything from vases, to valuable necklaces, and even mobility scooters. I enjoy volunteering here as much today as I did when I first started. In fact, when I have some free time I tend to pop in and lend a hand for a few extra hours.”
Ros joined Prospect Hospice back in 2018 and was immediately attracted to the home support role.
“I have been linked up with several patients in my role and I love popping out to see them once a week for a bit of comp
anionship. We get to discuss the current news and sport and sometimes go out for a coffee or an ice cream if the weather is good. With my new lady, we have been out to Lechlade to watch the ducks, visited Lydiard Park and often go out for a slice of cake. On other occasions we sit and play cards. It gives the family a break and I get to meet new people and make friends. This role gives me a great feeling of satisfaction and I know it brings happiness to the patient. You get to choose how long the visits last and also when you are going to meet up.”