We have a pool of well over 100 volunteer visitors county-wide, who will visit and phone a patient when they return home from medical treatment. An average referral would involve 4 or 5 visits during the first two weeks back home. A popular request is to take the person out shopping, to boost their confidence and enjoy getting back to normality. Other volunteers help people who need a small chore doing, like fetching a precription, clearing a high cupboard, changing a lightbulb, etc.

When people return home from hospital treatment they may need a little company, help and reassurance to boost their confidence and make the transition back to independence at home. Others would like help with small practical chores from time to time. Mostly this is older people living alone, and sometimes carers, but younger people occasionally need a bit of a hand too.

We are always looking to recruit new volunteers, and have to regularly visit hospital wards, health practictioners and older peole's groups to tell them about our service - to make sure residents are told it's free and available. We are currently making stronger links with out-county hospitals to make our services available to patients coming home to Cambridgeshire from elsewhere.