“I’m John and I’m the Spiritual Care & Bereavement Support Lead at the hospice, and I’ve been here for about 6 and a half years now.

“I’d describe my role as also including lots of emotional support. That’s a really vital way of supporting patients and families through a difficult time, and what that looks like really depends on what matters most to them at the time.

“Sometimes that includes faith and belief, so I make sure they have the right contacts and support for their individual needs. Other times it’s about spending time just being a listening ear. People really value being properly listened to; it helps them deal with what are often very difficult situations, and allows them to express their feelings and emotions freely.

“I also head up the bereavement service at the hospice, and that includes both seeing people individually for one to one sessions, as well as running three monthly groups for people who’ve been bereaved to meet together. The groups give people a safe space where they can talk openly about what they’re struggling with, but also about things that are helping them. Being in a group setting helps people to recognise that they’re not on their own, and actually very close friendships can sometimes be formed in those groups, which is lovely to see.

“I love what I do, and what’s most rewarding is when people feed back to you how much they appreciate the time you spend with them, and when you can see a real difference in how they’re managing in such a difficult situation. I also couldn’t do what I do without the support of my wonderful volunteers, who are an invaluable part of Spiritual Care & Bereavement Support at the hospice, and who I’m very lucky to work with!”