Volunteers: Helping to make people’s lives easier
Helping to make people’s lives easier is the reason Kathy Cuthbert spends so many hours giving her time freely as a volunteer.
Kathy worked at Nelson Hospital, in a variety of administrative roles from finance to patient travel, for 38 years. Despite having a busy full-time job she also took on voluntary work which she did in her lunch hours and at night.
When Altrusa House, which accommodates patients and their families who have to travel for treatment, needed someone to do their books, Kathy volunteered. She was also one of the instigators of the Shuttle Buggy service at the hospital when she noticed a lot of people coming in the main entrance breathless from having to walk up from the carpark. The service has transported nearly 3500 people since it began in 2006.
Kathy says doing things for other people gives you a ‘nice feeling’. “When people have done so much for you over the years it’s good to be able to give something back,” she says. “There’s is no great cost to me and it certainly doesn’t feel like a chore.” Even though she retired a couple of years ago, and cares full time for her 98 year old mother, Kath still devotes an average of 20 hours a weeks to volunteer roles.
In addition to coordinating the volunteer Shuttle Buggy drivers, helping the Hospital Shop balance it’s books, Kathy is currently the treasurer of Altrusa House, the Nelson Girls College Old Girls Association, and the All Saints Association of Anglican Women.
Volunteers are needed for the Nelson Hospital Library Service, the Nelson Hospital Shop, the Chaplaincy service and as drivers for the Shuttle Buggy. For more information go to Nelson Marlborough Health website or Volunteer Nelson.