Cheers for our long servers

Long service awards were presented to our staff and volunteers at ceremonies at both Little Hulton and Heald Green in January and February.

Wynn Dolan, our Inpatient Administrator at Heald Green, who received an award for ten years service, said: “As soon as I came to work at St Ann's I felt at home. My role over the years has been diverse, having gone from taking minutes at meetings to making beds on the wards.”

A ten year award also went to our Inpatient Services Manager at Little Hulton, Bridget Lyons, who said: “It is great to work with a team of people who all have the same vision, and who all work together to make things happen.”

Diane Brown, who received a certificate recognising ten years as a volunteer on the wards at Little Hulton and in bereavement support, said: “I regard it as a privilege to do what I do at St Ann’s, as I always come away feeling better having worked with people that are so positive.”

Meanwhile Margaret Gould and Sheila Yates have clocked up 15 years of volunteering between them greeting visitors in reception at the Neil Cliffe Cancer Care Centre, and have been there since it first opened. Margaret, from Sale, said: “It’s a privilege to be there for the people who come here, and empathise with them in an understanding way.” Meanwhile Sheila, from Timperley, added: “I wanted to give something back after the kind way my husband was treated when he developed cancer.”

One of our longest serving volunteers, Jessie Fox, aged 78, from Withington, has now chalked up more than 39 years as a volunteer for St Ann’s Hospice, and will receive a unique 40 year award next year.

“I still enjoy every day I work in support of the Hospice,” declared Jessie, as she set about preparing copies of our Friends newsletter for posting to supporters. Jessie was one of the original volunteers who responded to a call for support by Bishop Greer of Manchester to help set up St Ann’s.