Brigitte Trust

Volunteer with Brigitte Trust

The Brigitte Trust is an independent registered charity offering a free service of emotional support and practical help from trained and supported volunteers. The service is for adults and their carers living in every Surrey borough and facing the challenges of life-limiting conditions including cancer, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis. The aim is for our clients to live life fully and as well as possible.

Brigitte Trust volunteers are at the heart of the organisation providing a listening ear and practical help which is unique and respectful of the needs of the individual and their family. Each volunteer is carefully recruited from a wide range of backgrounds, extensively trained, DBS checked, and are committed to go the extra mile for their clients. The Brigitte Trust would not be able to help people, with life limiting conditions, live as well as possible, without its committed volunteers.

As a volunteer you will be provided with six weeks of training that covers all the skills you will need to carry out the role and teaches you about end-of-life planning, bereavement and how to be alongside someone following diagnosis. You will meet other likeminded volunteers and the dedicated staff team and after the course ends, you will be supported to take on your first client.

Each individual volunteer is allocated to one client and the aim is for you to build a meaningful relationship with that person during your regular weekly visits. Each visit is for a maximum of three hours and usually takes place at the client’s home although you may also offer to visit if the client is in hospital or moves to a nursing home or hospice. Some clients will benefit from getting out maybe for some shopping, an appointment or just for a cup of tea and others want someone to talk to or to help with planning. The charity prides itself on careful matching between client and volunteer and will only ask you to support someone in the areas you are comfortable travelling to.

Once you start volunteering, you will be supported by a skilled team of professionals and will have access to regular supervision groups and one to one support as well as professional development in the form of workshops both face to face and virtually.

Volunteers who have completed the training and are now supporting clients have said that they feel valued and supported, have made new friends and have used the skills learned at The Brigitte Trust in many aspects of their own lives.