Meet 90-year-old 'ray of sunshine' hospice volunteer
- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN

Play all audios:

HELEN DAVISON IS ST OSWALD'S HOSPICE'S OLDEST ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AND ONE OF ITS LONGEST SERVING 05:00, 03 Jun 2025 At the age of 90, most people could be forgiven for putting their
feet up and relaxing. However, Helen Davison, continues to make herself busy by volunteering once a week at St Oswald's Hospice in Gosforth. The charity's oldest active volunteer,
Helen has become a beloved figure among staff, volunteers and supporters. After retiring from her job at the Health Authority aged 60, Helen was eager to stay active and give back to her
community. She began volunteering at St Oswald's not long after it opened its doors in 1985. Over the years, she has supported many areas of the organisation, and continues to volunteer
in the fundraising team on a weekly basis. Her tasks involve counting donations, writing thank-you letters, preparing event packs and keeping supporter records up-to-date. Helen said:
"It's wonderful to have something to do that keeps me busy and gives me a reason to get out of the house. The best part is being with the team, having a laugh, and feeling like
I'm contributing. "I've made so many good friends here. I love knitting little gifts and writing handmade thank-you notes – it's my way of spreading a little joy."
Article continues below Helen's warmth and dedication have earned her the nickname "a ray of sunshine" among colleagues. Susan Freeman, head of volunteering at the hospice,
said: "Helen really is one of a kind. "Her positivity, kindness, and energy are inspiring. Even at 90, she's incredibly involved and enthusiastic – a true role model for all
of us." Article continues below St Oswald's Hospice have celebrated Helen and many others who keep the charity ticking during Volunteers' Week, which celebrates the diversity
and unity of volunteer work across the UK from Monday, June 2 - Sunday, June 8. The hospice is currently offering six Pitman Training Internships, aimed at giving people the chance to gain
experience and build skills to boost their careers. For more information on volunteering at St Oswald's Hospice, visit the website. JOIN OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITIES ChronicleLive is now on
WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities. We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct
to your phone. You could even join them all! To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press
'join community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers,
promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your
screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice. Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community Join our Court & Crime
community Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community Join our Northumberland community Join our County Durham community Join our Sunderland community Join our NUFC
community Join our SAFC community Join our Great North Run community Join our shopping deals and bargains community