Volunteer here, and work here, and volunteer here, and work here… Elaine is a hybrid hospice hero

When we sit down to chat with Elaine Brown, she’s on her well-earned break.

She’s employed as a ‘bank’ worker in our kitchen which means that, when we need her to fill for staff on holidays or illness, or suchlike, and she’s available, she willingly steps into the gap.

Elaine was ‘discovered’ as a cook when she’d already been volunteering for a time on general ward duties.

General duties volunteers’ support the delivery of meals and drinks that have been lovingly prepared for our patients, Sometimes, there’s time for a little chat with patients as their cutlery and crockery is collected, ready for washing up. Elaine shares her general duties time at the hospice time with Steve Ashurst whose story we featured recently.

So, while helping the kitchen team, it came up that Elaine had worked as a cook at Neston’s Foxes Tea Rooms for 15 years before 2015. Somebody asked her,

“Could you potentially become a bank staffer?” “Yes.” “You’re hired.”

This particular week Elaine had worked, or volunteered, for the hospice every day from Tuesday to Saturday. That’s because, she also does a couple of shifts in our Heswall charity shop. Wow!

Elaine would do anything for the hospice. You see, her second husband, Andy, was supported with his COPD and lung cancer by the hospice, through our Wellbeing Centre and also spent three weeks on our inpatients ward for symptom control in 2017.

Elaine speaks with fondness, and sadness of course, about Andy’s time at the hospice,

“Andy loved coming to the hospice. He described the ward as like a five-star hotel. The staff could not do enough for him.”

Elaine wishes that the hospice had been available back in early 1983 when her first husband, Steve, died having lived with Hodgkin Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. Although she did say that the staff at Clatterbridge Hospital had been brilliant also.

Having lost two husbands to cancer you may think Elaine has already had much more than her fair share of the disease in her life. Unfortunately, not!

Elaine faced her own challenge having been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. Thankfully, and after a couple of small operations and radiotherapy, she was cancer free by November of that year. So much so that she could, supported by her great friend, Annemarie (pictured with Elaine here), ‘ring the bell’ to signify that she was cancer free. Five years of mammograms followed before she was completely discharged in 2023.

Just brilliant, Elaine.

Alongside her twin brothers, Leslie and Ronald and their wives, Elaine works as company secretary at their family business, Manor House Dairy Farm in Puddington.

The business has been in the family for many years, originally under the ownership of Elaine’s dad, Harold, who was well known and went mostly by the name Roy.

Manor House was recently reconfigured as an overall ongoing business to allow the next generation to take over.

With two children, one from each marriage, who have grown up as sister and brother, Louise and Sam, son in law Richie is a great husband to Louise with granddaughter, Olivia May, now 19, Elaine has a lot to live for.

Not least for her beloved hospice to which she dedicates so much precious time.

“Volunteering and working for the hospice is so worthwhile, it’s a small ask for me to be able to know that I’m giving back to the hospice that helped me and so many other people.”

She finishes with a lovely story (one of many) about a lady on the ward recently. Elaine is lactose intolerant, great for someone brought up on a farm, haha, and only eats Arla Lactofree cheese (other brands are available). The lady wondered if she might try some and absolutely loved it!

On speaking to catering manager, another Elaine, they arranged for some to be bought in for the patient. The lady was delighted and insisted on having lactofree cheese and crackers every night during her stay with us. It cheered her up no end. It’s the simple things that go a long way!

For this and everything else you do for the hospice we are eternally grateful Elaine. Thank you, so much.

If you’d like to volunteer at the hospice or in your community at one of our charity shops follow the links at www.wirralhospice.org/volunteering or email volunteering@wirralhospice.org or call 0151 334 2778 and ask for volunteer services