• Bill Bohannon has volunteered hundreds of hours to help staff and patients
• 75-year-old continued to help during COVID-19 by delivering parcels
• Volunteering opportunities available at Royal Bolton Hospital

A volunteer at Royal Bolton Hospital has reached a major milestone after clocking up 200 hours giving up his time to support patients and staff.

75-year-old Bill Bohannon first offered a helping hand back in 2019 after having an operation nine years ago on E3 Ward, where he saw first-hand the difference staff make to the lives of patients.

During Bill’s time his generosity has been a huge benefit to the hospital giving staff a lift every Thursday, even continuing to offer vital support during the Coronavirus pandemic.

‘A few kind words go a long way’

Bill commented:

I wanted to give as much time as I could but then COVID hit, so my time was spent delivering parcels to patients as they were unable to have visitors.

“I’ve been retired ten years and it’s something totally different to what I do with the rest of my week and I absolutely love being able to make a difference in my own way.

“The staff are amazing, but for me the most important thing is being able to talk to the patients. I told one lady who was wired up on machines how much better she looked since first being admitted, and she told one of the nurses it had cheered her up no end.

“A few kind words to people go a long, long way. Long may my time at the hospital continue.

We can't thank Bill enough for the difference he makes to the lives our staff and patients every week.

He's now given Royal Bolton Hospital 200 hours of his time, even during the COVID pandemic.

Bill tells us why he enjoys it so much 👇 pic.twitter.com/6Yk0fmSNLl

— Bolton NHS Foundation Trust (@boltonnhsft) August 30, 2022

Terri Wareing, E4 Ward Manager at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, added:

We absolutely love having Bill come in to see us for few hours every Thursday.

“He is a breath of fresh air and makes all the difference to our patients, making sure they feel comfortable and offering a listening ear.

“All of us on E4 would like to send Bill huge congratulations for reaching this milestone.

Volunteering helps to support staff deliver the highest quality care and improve patient experience.

Opportunities and details on how to get involved can be found on Bolton NHS Foundation Trust’s website.