A Bedford woman who was inspired to lend her support to a local hospice after they cared for her mum is celebrating 20 years of volunteering.
Pippa Hawker, 75, began volunteering at the Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger after her mum received care there in 2004.
She says the experience inspired her to want to give back to the charity
“My mum spent her final weeks at the hospice, and it meant so much to her, and to us, that she could be somewhere peaceful, safe and cared for,” said Pippa.
“The team were wonderful. After she died, I knew I wanted to give something back.”
Over the last two decades, Pippa has supported the Sue Ryder hospice in a wide range of roles, from helping in the fundraising office to supporting community events and offering a friendly face to patients and families.
“In the beginning, I helped with all sorts, counting collection tins, handwriting thank you cards, sorting donations, delivering letters before the summer fete,” she said.
“It was very local, very community-based, and I loved that.”
She went on to offer support in other ways, by visiting people in their homes for a chat, a cup of tea, or a lift to an appointment.
“I like being useful”
“I have always liked being useful,” she says. “Sometimes it was something small, a lift, a chat, a cup of tea, but it mattered to the person you were helping.”
Alongside her volunteering, Pippa also takes part in fundraising events for St John’s.
And she says one of her most powerful memories is taking part in the hospice’s first Starlight Hike with her sisters, shortly after her mum died.
“We set off from Bedford late at night and finished around half past three in the morning,” she recalls.
“It was the first time I realised how many people had a connection to the hospice.
“It was not just my own sadness; it was a whole community of people who understood what the hospice meant. It was incredibly uplifting.”
Pippa says she remembers meeting patients and families whose stories have stayed with her, including a young mum she met while helping with refreshments on the ward.
“She was ordering her little boy’s school uniform on her laptop,” says Pippa.
“She knew she would not be there when he started school, but she wanted to make sure he had everything he needed. Moments like that stay with you.”
Even after two decades, Pippa still supports the hospice at key events, including the Starlight Hike and community fundraisers in Bedford.
“I will always help when I can,” she says.
“The hospice gave my mum dignity and peace at the end of her life. If I can give even a little bit back, that is enough for me.”
