Read how Joe discovered a fulfilling new chapter in retirement through his dedicated volunteer work at Dove Cottage Day Hospice.
The Dove Cottage Day hospice is based in the small rural village of Stathern in, Leicestershire. It provides a range of free services to local families, offering vital nursing support, companionship, activities, and therapies, along with specialised support for family members and carers, including dementia support and bereavement counselling
After retiring at 65, now 67, found a new sense of purpose by volunteering as a kitchen assistant and raised vegetable garden lead at Dove Cottage Day Hospice in Leicestershire. For almost two years, Joe has been an invaluable part of the team, easing his transition after a 47-year career.
Having fully retired at 65, Joe sought a meaningful way to spend his time that wouldn’t interfere with his other interests. Volunteering at Dove Cottage provided that perfect balance. What he enjoys most is making a positive contribution to a worthwhile, local charity. The daily conversations with guests, staff, and fellow volunteers, coupled with being part of a team, have given him a renewed sense of being needed in a work-like environment. This new role has given him a profound sense of purpose and the opportunity to add value, making his retirement transition smooth and fulfilling.
One of Joe’s most impactful contributions is his leadership of the “Garden to Plate & Crumble Corner Initiative,” a comprehensive project that began with developing a business plan to align objectives and communicating those plans to encourage guest interest and participation. He designed the layout of the raised beds, sourced the plants, and then oversaw the planting and tending of the crops. The fresh produce was subsequently used in the hospice kitchen for guest meals, with appropriate kitchen waste being composted. Throughout the initiative, Joe actively responded to guest feedback, learning from both the successes, such as bumper crops of potatoes and courgettes, and the occasional failures, like the not so liked beetroot soup.
We asked Joe if he would recommend volunteering to others and he responded:
Absolutely! There are so many different volunteer roles available, it is possible to find a role that either fits your skill set or gives you the opportunity to learn new skills – in my case, cooking proper food under the expert guidance of our resident cook. Give it a go. I attended an open day event to learn about the organisation before joining the team. If it’s not for you, then find an organisation more aligned to your requirements – there are many opportunities out there and you’ll be warmly welcomed as a volunteer.
Comments from Dove Cottage Day Hospice:
Joe really does go above and beyond and is a much-valued member of our team. Our volunteers are pivotal to our success as they bring key elements to our organisation including manpower, skills and expertise, community engagement and cost effectiveness. Thanks to Joe’s hard work in planning, sourcing, planting, tending, harvesting, peeling, cooking and composting- our Garden to Plate and Crumble Corner Initiatives are true celebrations of biodiversity! Joe is brilliant at encouraging our guest’s involvement, should they wish, in any aspect of the vegetable garden which has a positive impact on health and wellbeing. All our guests receive a home cooked meal when they spend the day at Dove Cottage so the sense of achievement that many of them are eating the food that they have helped to plant, and nurture provides a real sense of satisfaction and achievement not to mention the lack of air miles and pesticides! Life is an evocative word, especially within a hospice setting and is important to promote, nurture and maintain. It is life affirming to be surrounded with, immersed by, have access to or in sight of living things and wildlife. Thanks Joe, for making our hospice vegetable garden such a success!
