Oldham's Dr Kershaw's Hospice is using this Volunteers' Week (June 1 to June 7) to shine a light on the local heroes whose dedication helps keep its vital services running for families across the borough.

The Rochdale Road hospice, which provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care, relies on an army of 412 volunteers to support its work in the community. Without them, the charity says it simply could not continue to offer the level of dignified care that Oldham residents depend on.

In the current financial year, those volunteers have given an extraordinary 40,640 hours of their time, saving the hospice just under £549,000 — money that helps to bridge the significant gap left by NHS funding. With less than a quarter of the hospice's running costs covered by the health service, every hour donated makes a real difference.

To mark this year's Volunteers' Week, staff from the hospice visited volunteers at its base in Turf Lane, as well as at The Furniture Hub and its charity shops in Lees, Shaw, and Royton. They were joined by David Macdonald, chair of the Board of Trustees, who paid tribute to the "fantastic" contribution of the volunteers he met.

Glenn Drake-Owen, volunteer coordinator at Dr Kershaw's Hospice, said the week is about celebrating the unsung heroes of the community. "Volunteers are the backbone of our operations," he said. "Quite frankly, we could not run our beloved hospice without the selfless support of people who kindly donate their time. Each hour people donate allows us to provide specialist, compassionate care for patients and their families. We would like to shout from the rooftops about our fabulous volunteers."

The hospice offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities to suit different skills and availability. Roles include helping out in the café, sorting and organising donated items in the shops, and getting involved with major fundraising events such as the Rose to Remember campaign and the Summer Fayre. Corporate volunteering is also available for local businesses looking to support the charity.

Volunteers are not just giving their time — they also receive benefits in return, including invitations to social events and, after six months of regular volunteering, a reference that can be valuable for employment or education.

David Macdonald, who himself volunteers with the hospice, is encouraging others to get involved. "If you are interested in volunteering, why not join us?" he said. "It is one of the most rewarding roles you can have, and I can personally vouch for that as a volunteer myself. We have incredible volunteers doing incredible work, and each individual effort is so important to us."

For anyone in Oldham looking to make a difference in their community, more information about current volunteering vacancies at Dr Kershaw's Hospice can be found at the charity's website.