Lending a hand

As well as vital donations from the public, the backbone of many hospices are the volunteers that dedicate their time to help others.

At Lindsey Lodge Hospice, 73 year old Jeff Harris is one of the hospices’ longest serving volunteers, having given over 23 years of expertise for free. He volunteers on reception and acts as a first port of call for relatives.

Jeff, a former teacher of 25 years, started volunteering for a heart-felt reason.

"My son Paul passed away with testicular cancer at the age of 21 and so this inspired me to give something back and volunteer at the hospice.

"When Paul was diagnosed the hospice didn’t exist, but as soon as it opened I got involved because it was something close to my heart," said Jeff.

As well as giving his time, Jeff also raises money for Lindsey Lodge Hospice through his running.

"Altogether I’ve done 25 marathons and a few 24 hour races too," he said.

"The hospice has changed a lot and I only used to answer the phone around ten times a day but now it’s ringing all the time," he added.

"I really enjoy it and it keeps me busy!"

We're currently supporting nine local hospices across our business area as part of our Community Champions scheme. As a member of Lincolnshire Co-op, every time you spend with us we make a donation to these great causes.

The carrier bag levy also goes into this pot, along with money raised through staff fundraising, clothing banks and collection boxes.

Find out more about what we have planned and how you can help here.