As Volunteers Week 2025 (2-8 June) gets into full swing, Health & Social Care Moray (HSCM) is taking this opportunity to say a huge thank you to the many volunteers who generously give their time and talents to support people across Moray.
Volunteersโ Week is a time to recognise and celebrate the powerful impact of volunteering โ not only the difference it makes to the people and services being supported, but also how it can enrich the lives of those who volunteer.
Itโs also an opportunity to inspire more people to give volunteering a go.
Across HSCM services, more than 170 people are involved in a wide variety of roles โ in hospitals, day services and out in the community. Together, they contributed an incredible 15,000 hours of support last year, helping people stay well, connected, and cared for.
Our volunteers can be found supporting patients and staff at Dr Grayโs Hospital, community hospitals, and The Oaks day unit in Elgin โ greeting visitors, helping people find their way, providing transport, helping with garden maintenance and spending valuable time with those who might not have anyone else to visit them.
In the wider community, volunteers reduce loneliness through friendly social visits, respond to personal alarm callouts that help people remain safe at home, and provide regular befriending phone calls. Others play a part in running community wellbeing initiatives, such as local Be Active Life Long (BALL) groups and as Walk Moray leaders.
One of those giving their time is Debbie Ballantyne, who volunteers at Turner Memorial Hospital in Keith after retiring from a career in hospitality.
โI enjoyed being in the company of people all my working life. After recently completing a counselling course, I wanted to put my skills to good use and by chance saw an advert for NHS volunteers in Moray,โ Debbie said.
โI have now been volunteering at Turner Hospital for just over a year, and am thoroughly enjoying the interaction with patients and staff. I help with the morning teas and coffees, then chat to the patients who may need a friendly face, some company, or some reassurance, as being in hospital can be an anxious time, especially for those with no or few visitors.
โI find my volunteering role โ making a difference to someoneโs day โ very rewarding. I would encourage anyone who has a few hours to spare each week to come forward and join our volunteers in Moray.โ
Judith Proctor, Chief Officer of HSCM, paid tribute to current and past volunteers.
โVolunteers donโt do what they do to receive thanks โ it is not in their nature โ so itโs wonderful to use this week to publicly acknowledge just how much their time, care and kindness means to us and the people they support.
โThey are an essential part of our extended team and key to enabling people to live well, independently, and with dignity in their communities. Volunteers truly do change lives, and our communities are stronger because of them.
โTo all our volunteers โ thank you. You are very much appreciated, and we are proud to have you as partners in care. I hope this week inspires others to give volunteering a try and discover how rewarding it can be.โ
To celebrate Volunteers Week, HSCM is hosting a number of special events bringing volunteers together, including a coffee morning at The Oaks, a cinema night and a wellbeing walk around Elginโs Cooper Park, finishing at the Biblical Gardens for light refreshments. A group of 20 long-serving volunteers will be honoured with awards recognising between three and 10 years of dedicated service.
To find out more about volunteering with HSCM, please email:
- gram.involvemoray@nhs.scot (The Oaks and hospital-based opportunities
- volunteering.CC@moray.gov.uk (community-based opportunities).
