Volunteering Services at Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

17/06/2026

17/06/2026

THANK YOU 💛

11/06/2026

💛 Can You Help Restock Our Trolley of Sunshine 💛

When a child is in hospital, life can suddenly become filled with worry, uncertainty, and long days away from home, friends, school, and everything familiar. For parents and carers, every moment is focused on their child's wellbeing, often leaving little time to pause, rest, or simply breathe.

That's where our Trolley of Sunshine brings a little magic.

Each week, our incredible volunteers visit every bedside on the Children's and Young People's Ward at Calderdale Royal Hospital, ensuring no child is left out. For children who are unable to leave their bed, the trolley brings fun, creativity, distraction, and joy directly to them.

Filled with crafts, colouring, painting, bubbles, books, puzzles, games, Play-Doh, sticker books, and so much more, these play sessions give children the chance to do something so important — just be children. For a little while, hospital appointments, treatments, and worries can be replaced with smiles, laughter, imagination, and play.

These precious moments also offer parents and carers a chance to catch their breath, enjoy seeing their child smile, and find a brief moment of respite during what can be an incredibly difficult time.

Sadly, our Trolley of Sunshine is running low and needs your help.

We would be incredibly grateful for donations of:
• Colouring books, pencils, felt tips, crayons
• Puzzles and activity books
• Children's reading books
• Bubbles
• Board games and card games
• Craft kits and make-your-own activities
• Stickers, glitter items, build your own headbands and creative supplies
• Plain sketch paper
• Card Games - Uno, Dobble
• Small toys and sensory items

Every donation, no matter how small, helps us continue creating moments of happiness, comfort, and magic for children and young people in hospital.

Together, we can help ensure that every child has something to smile about, and every family feels a little less alone.

Thank you for helping us keep the magic alive.

Donations can be delivered in person to Volunteering Services, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Charity Office, HD3 3EA

Alternatively, please view our Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/1UKALG3X9W80C?ref_=wl_share

Thank you 💛

04/06/2026

As part of National Volunteers Week, let’s meet our spectacular volunteer - Helen 💛

04/06/2026

If you missed the chance to submit an application for our Greenlea Volunteer position, don’t worry.

We have two positions coming available very soon:

1. Chaplaincy Volunteers
2. Ward Trolley Volunteers

More details on both will follow soon 💛

02/06/2026

Applications are now closed for the Greenlea Volunteer position.

All applicants will be contacted shortly of the results.

Thank you to all those whom have taken the time to complete the application 💛

01/06/2026

2026 NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS WEEK

To every volunteer across Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust — thank you.

Thank you for gifting your time, your kindness, your compassion, and your heart.

Every smile shared in a waiting room, every hand held during uncertainty, every conversation, every cup of tea, every moment of reassurance — creates something truly magical.

You bring comfort where there is worry, light where there may be fear, and humanity at the heart of healthcare.

The magic you create is often found in the smallest things:

a warm welcome,
a listening ear,
a gentle act of kindness,
a few moments that help someone feel seen, valued, and cared for.

But those small things matter enormously.

Because of you, patient experiences are brighter. Staff feel supported. Communities feel connected. Hospitals become more than buildings — they become places of compassion, hope, and healing.

Your generosity enriches services in ways that cannot always be measured, but are deeply felt every single day.

Thank you for making a difference.

Thank you for making moments matter.

And thank you for helping make magic happen across our Trust.

You are truly appreciated.

Stevie
VS Lead
💛

21/05/2026

Wishing the best of luck this evening to our incredible Children and Young People at CHFT volunteer, Umar Naeem, who is a finalist in the Volunteer of the Year category at the Calderdale Community Spirit Awards, this evening.

Umar’s dedication and compassion within Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust has had a truly positive impact on patients, carers, families, and staff alike. Through kindness, play, distraction, and simply being a reassuring presence during difficult moments, Umar has brought smiles and comfort to those who need it most.

Being recognised as a finalist is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the difference you continue to make within our communities. We are incredibly proud of you and grateful for everything you do.

Good luck tonight, Umar - you are already a winner to us all here at CHFT 💛

19/05/2026

What an incredible response!

In just the first 24 hours of applications opening for our Greenlea Volunteer role, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the level of interest and support from our community.

The Greenlea Unit at Calderdale and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary provides vital care and support to cancer patients undergoing treatment, and our volunteers play such an important part in enhancing that experience for patients, families, and staff alike.

Our volunteers bring so many benefits to patients during treatment, including:

• Offering companionship and emotional support
• Providing a warm, welcoming presence
• Helping patients feel more comfortable and less anxious
• Supporting dignity, kindness, and reassurance during appointments
• Creating a calmer and more positive environment

Volunteers also make a huge difference to our staff teams by helping to ease non-clinical pressures, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more time on delivering specialist patient care.

Their support with practical tasks, patient comfort, and general assistance is truly invaluable.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to apply so far. Your willingness to gift your time to support others is genuinely inspiring.

Applications remain open until Friday 5th June 2026, and we will be in touch with applicants after the closing date.

Thank you again for your amazing support for the Greenlea Unit, Cancer Services.

For more information on Volunteering Services at CHFT please visit: https://www.chftcharity.co.uk/volunteer

To apply, please click the application link: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=RHpGohvyU0eCQeA6PSagH7bEgDRja9xLuikEPXJ4MP1URTBZMVYzUkFGUlpZU0taVlk0TklXMjkwRS4u&route=shorturl