Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity is recruiting new Hospital Liaison Volunteers to help us spread the word about our work.

Our existing volunteer, Fiona, gives us tips about the role.

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As a Hospital Liaison Volunteer, you will support Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity by being a regular presence in the hospitals. Staff members will start to recognise you, so they will be more inclined to ask about how things are going for the charity. Then, they may be interested in getting involved with events and fundraising.

Sometimes, I found it daunting to approach new areas of the hospitals. However, the thought that there could be a keen cyclist, runner or cake baker in the room helped to steady my nerves.   

Your liaison with the hospitals will be very valuable to the charity and to the hospital staff. As you will be going out to wards and departments in person, you are demonstrating that the charity cares about the NHS staff and their work.

I feel proud to be promoting the work of Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity.  For me, this is at the heart of being a volunteer.

Here are my tips to help you settle into the role of Hospital Liaison Volunteer.

Factor in time for distributing materials in the hospitals. It often takes longer than you think to deliver leaflets to a ward.  When you arrive, it is good to feel that you have enough time to answer any questions staff might have about the charity.   

Find leaflet holders. Look out for leaflet holders in the corridors, which are not dedicated to other charities.  If there is the opportunity, display some Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity leaflets. Note down where any empty display holders, and noticeboards, are and display some flyers there next time. 

You can ask the Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity team what the response has been like to the literature you have displayed. Usually, this is an encouraging part of the role!

Take any old leaflets back to the office, so that staff know what has not been taken.

Answer questions. Be prepared to answer questions about the charity. These may be general enquiries from staff, hospital patients or visitors. If you don’t know the answers, ask the person if you may take their contact details and say that you will ask the relevant member of staff from the charity to contact them.

Tell people about events. If a member of staff shows interest in a particular fundraising event, it is worth making a note of this as then you can ensure their ward or department is given future notice of these events.

Ask staff to sign-up to the staff newsletter

Get to know other volunteers. Say hello to other charity volunteers you see in the hospitals – it makes you feel that you are all part of something special.

Volunteering for Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity has taught me to go with the flow and always represent the charity as best I can. After all, we never know who may be giving the next donation.

Together, we are heading in the same direction.  We are helping to create a brighter future for Bristol and Weston.

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If you’re interested in becoming a Hospital Liaison Volunteer, fill in our volunteer application form and send it to [email protected]. 

Download the Hospital Liaison Volunteer job description

For more details, email our Hospital Partnerships Manager, Amy, on [email protected].