OVER the past financial year, Portland District Health (PDH) has benefitted from over 6500 hours of volunteer work, delivering meals, transporting patients and generally keeping the hospital ticking over.

Last week PDH held its end of year Volunteer Awards Celebration, to acknowledge those who had given some time.

Hospital board chair Peter Mathews said it was an important day on his calendar to thank the volunteers who were a vital part of the hospital’s operation.

“It really does support the place to do what we need to do, and we really can’t thank them enough for it,” he said.

“That number of hours is just remarkable, and it’s essential.

“And it amazes me that you go around the room, and most of them say that they find it a privilege to do it, rather than the other way around.”

Volunteers are particularly important in supporting the Meals on Wheels program, palliative care, Harbourside Lodge, and community transport, as well as helping with fundraisers and events like the PDH Golf Day.

Among those receiving an award for milestone years of service to the hospital was Gwen Finck, who this year marked two decades of volunteer work at PDH.

“I was a kindergarten teacher here in Portland, so at lunchtime I used to come into Meals on Wheels, it was a good break from what I was doing,” she said.

Since retiring, the volunteering has become a staple part of Ms Finck’s life.

“My husband and I used to do it together and he got to the stage where he wasn't able to do the deliveries, but I kept doing them, and he’s passed away now,” she said.

“But I’m still going, only once a month now.

“I love it, I do it with another lady, and I have to confess that she does all the work now, I just drive.

“We volunteers, and I think everyone would agree, we get a whole lot out of doing this.

“It's not just helping other people it's what we get out of it, meeting people and having that connection is so important.

“I can never understand why people when they retire say the are bored, because there is so much to do in the community.”

At the other end of the scale is new recruit Chrissy Hawker, who just this year started as a community transport volunteer, driving people around Portland or to appointments.

“I saw an article in the paper that they were wanting volunteers, so I just came in put my name down,” she said.

“I’d just retired, and I though it would be something good to do.”

“It’s fun, I like it, you have a chat to the people you pick up, and take them to their appointments, it’s a good day.

Both Ms Hawker and Ms Finck encouraged people, especially retirees like themselves, to think about volunteering at PDH.

“There's so much that you can do, and they're always looking for helpers,” Ms Hawker said.