Volunteer Voice Spring 2026
Welcome Back
Welcome back to our Volunteer Newsletter.
After a longer than anticipated hiatus, we are so pleased to be reconnecting with you through our volunteer newsletter. It feels wonderful to be back in touch and to be able to share updates, stories and news from across our children’s hospice once again.
This relaunch has been made possible thanks to the enthusiasm and support of our brilliant new Communications Team, Rowan and Tilda. Their dedication has helped us refresh and revitalise our volunteer newsletter and we’re excited for the role it will play in keeping us all connected throughout the year.
At the heart of our charity are all of you, our incredible volunteers. You are not simply supporters of our work, you are an essential part of it. Every hour you give, every conversation you have and every act of kindness you offer helps us provide the very best care and support to the children and families who rely on our hospice service. We truly could not do what we do without you all and we hope you know just how valued and appreciated you are.
The aim of our new revitalised newsletter is to keep you informed and involved. We hope it will provide you with up-to-date hospice information, highlight the incredible difference you make, share upcoming events and opportunities and celebrate the achievements of you, our incredible volunteer team. We want it to be a space that keeps you connected to the wider team and proud of the part you play within it.
Looking ahead, we’re excited about the many volunteer opportunities coming up this year, as well as our volunteer recognition events. Being able to celebrate you and give something back, even in a small way, means so much to us. Recognising your friendship, dedication, commitment and thanking you properly is something we truly value.
Thank you for everything you do. We are so grateful to have you as part of our AD family and we look forward to another year of continued impact, connection, teamwork and celebration of all that we will achieve together.
Best wishes,
Debbie Tonkinson Volunteer Development Manager
Thank You From Fiona
This season, together, we have created countless special moments and lasting memories for more than 200 children and their families. None of this would have been possible without your time, dedication, and support.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to extend my deepest thanks and gratitude for everything you have done. Your support means the world, and we are incredibly fortunate to have such compassionate and committed volunteers.
Fiona Devine
Maidenhead Fundraising Group
Hits £500,000 in Funds Raised
The Maidenhead Fundraising Group for Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service is celebrating a remarkable milestone, after reaching a collective £500,000 raised for the charity. This is a testament to years of dedication, community spirit and volunteer commitment.
The achievement reflects the tireless efforts of local volunteers who organise and run a wide range of fundraising activities, including the group’s hugely successful pop-up shops, which have become a firm favourite within the Maidenhead community.
Helen Johnson, Lead of the Alexander Devine Maidenhead Fundraising Group and Chair of Trustees, said: “Reaching £500,000 in funds raised is an incredible milestone for our small but dedicated team of volunteers, and it’s something we are immensely proud of. It truly demonstrates what can be achieved when a group of people comes together in support of such an important cause.
The care and support provided by Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service is extraordinary, and knowing that we are playing even a small part in helping to make that possible reflects the incredible generosity of our community.
We are so proud of everything we have achieved together. Celebrating this milestone at the Hospice with an Afternoon Tea made the occasion even more meaningful and memorable.”
The funds raised directly support Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service in providing specialist care and support to babies, children and young people with life limiting and life threatening conditions, as well as their families, across Berkshire, South Bucks and into surrounding counties.
Debbie Tonkinson, Volunteer Development Manager at Alexander Devine, said: “Reaching £500,000 in funds raised is a monumental achievement, and we deeply appreciate the immense dedication and many hours contributed by our amazing volunteers.
The success of our pop-up shops is a testament to the extensive behind the scenes effort involved. Additionally, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have generously donated items or visited our shops. Your kindness is making a significant difference in providing vital care and support to local babies, children, young people and their families.”
Gardening Club
This spring has been nothing short of remarkable for our Volunteer Gardening Club. With enthusiasm, teamwork, and a lot of hard work (fuelled, of course, by plenty of tea, coffee, and more than a few doughnuts!), the team has transformed plans into a thriving reality.
The team successfully planted and staked 19 large standard Ilex (Holly), alongside four beautiful Crab Apple trees. Over 70 shrubs and more than 160 perennials and ornamental grasses were added, bringing texture, colour, and life to the landscape.
Behind the scenes, the scale of the work has been just as impressive. Volunteers spread an incredible nine tonnes of compost as mulch and moved two tonnes of topsoil to prepare for tree planting. Prior to this, an amazing 3,000 bulbs were planted, creating a stunning display of tulips and daffodils along the driveway.
Every achievement this season reflects the dedication, teamwork, and spirit of our volunteers. Not only was all of this completed on budget and on schedule, but it was done with a sense of joy and passion that truly defines this group.
To everyone involved, thank you for your hard work, your energy, and your commitment!
The Moat Garden Party
Friday 10 July 2026 th
Join us for an elegant and magical evening at Windsor Castle’s enchanting Moat Garden.
We are privileged to be invited by Alexander Devine Patrons Lt Gen Phil Jones, Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle, and Denise Jones into the beautiful gardens of the Norman Tower, Windsor Castle for a special evening.
Tickets can be booked online: www.alexanderdevine.org/events
Staff Highlight - Becks
When Becks arrived at Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service as a Student Nurse, she was in her second year of Children and Young People’s Nursing at the University of Surrey. It was her first experience of hospice and palliative care, and one that would go on to shape her future career.
What stood out immediately was the holistic way care is delivered here. Becks remembers being inspired by how every aspect of a child’s life was considered, not only their clinical needs, but also their emotional, social, spiritual and practical support. Becks says “It wasn’t just the care team, it was the entire hospice coming together to ensure families felt supported, respected and cared for.”
One of the most powerful moments of Becks’ placement was being involved in end of life care and sibling support. Supporting a younger sibling while the team cared for the child and family, helped ease pressure on parents during an incredibly difficult time. Seeing how staff supported both families and each other left a lasting impression.
Alongside this, Becks discovered the unique balance of hospice nursing. From baking and playing outdoors, to time in the hydrotherapy pool and sensory room, she saw that nursing doesn’t always happen at the bedside. At the same time, she developed essential clinical skills, working confidently with children with complex and technologydependent needs.
“The combination of play, comfort, emotional wellbeing and clinical excellence confirmed this was the type of nursing I wanted to do.”
Returning as an Alexander’s Nurse, Becks was drawn back by the values, compassion and teamwork she had witnessed as a student, and the clear impact the hospice makes on children and families every day. “From day one, I felt valued as part of the team, it felt just as welcoming and supportive as it did when I was a student.”
The education provision and teaching programme have played a key role in Becks’ transition into her nursing career. With strong role models, dedicated supervision and time to learn safely, she describes the experience as both positive and empowering. “I’ve felt supported not only clinically, but personally too, which has helped me grow in confidence at my own pace.”
Emma McKeever, Lead for Practice Education, highlights just how vital placements like Becks’ are, “Having students at Alexander Devine is an essential part of developing our future nurses. They get to see true holistic care in practice while increasing their clinical and communication skills. They take this knowledge back into universities and future job roles, promoting the importance of palliative care, and for us, having students on placement has been invaluable in securing future nurses for the hospice.”
Becks’ journey is a powerful example of how student placements don’t just assist in their original learning, they shape careers, bringing nurses full circle back to Alexander Devine, where compassionate, family-centred care is at the heart of everything we do.
2025 Highlights
We wanted to take a moment to share some of the highlights from 2025. Moments that you made possible through your dedication, generosity, and continued support as volunteers.
13 activity days for our supported siblings.
5,000 knitted items sold. Over
850 hours of sibling contact time. Over
189 volunteers supported the charity.
25 44 community events attended. bucket collections held.
150 hours spent in the hydrotherapy pool.
7,700 hours of volunteering.
2025 Highlights
2 rememberance events held. hours of counselling and bereavement support.
Over
300
Over raised in our Light Up Little Lives, Christmas Appeal.
Over
185 hours of music therapy.
Over walked fundraising on the Camino de Santiago.
Over
Christmas trees collected.
236 Santa sacks handed out. Santas ran through Windsor.
Each number represents a front door knocked on, a listening ear when it's needed most, and precious memories made for the 200+ children and families we support.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and time –it means so much to us and the families we care for.
Thanks to your support, we can provide vital care to children like Isla
When born, Isla’s first moments were far from easy. Starved of oxygen at birth, she needed to be resuscitated, and as a result of HypoxicIschemic Encephalopathy (HIE), Isla sustained a life-changing brain injury. Today, she lives with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy.
Now seven years old, Isla requires 24/7 care. She cannot sit or stand independently, is non-verbal, tube fed, and unable to use her arms and legs effectively. Despite these immense physical challenges, Isla is bright and cognitively aware. She understands far more than she can express, which can be deeply frustrating for her; she wants to join in, to communicate and to do all the things other children her age can do.
Isla’s needs have reshaped every part of her family life. Her parents, Richard and Debbie, have had to move to a larger, adapted home to accommodate vital medical equipment. Their car was replaced with a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to ensure Isla can travel safely. Days and nights are filled with caring responsibilities, hospital appointments, and therapy sessions - a level of commitment that never truly pauses.
When Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service became part of Isla’s life, something changed. Alongside expert medical and nursing support, Isla began enjoying hospice day care, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and family fun days. Just as importantly, her parents found space to breathe.
“The support from Alexander Devine has given us hope. It’s been so refreshing to have some time to ourselves. Having a break makes us better parents as we’ve had the chance to recharge our batteries, even just a little.”
Debbie & Richard, Isla’s Parents
Isla now loves arriving at the hospice. Familiar faces greet her, and she knows a joyful day awaits, from swimming in the hydrotherapy pool, baking, playing outside on her favourite swing to having her nails painted, all while receiving the specialist care she needs to stay safe and comfortable.
The hospice also brings Isla’s wider family together during Spring, Summer, and Christmas fun days. These special moments allow Isla to enjoy celebrations in a safe, supportive environment, while Richard and Debbie can connect with other parents who understand their journey.
“Meeting other parents who are living this life too, who understand the exhaustion and challenges has been invaluable. It helps to normalise our situation and reminds us we are not alone.”
Debbie, Isla’s Mum
Dates for your Diary
We would love the opportunity to say thank you in person and to celebrate the incredible work you do. Be sure to save the dates for our upcoming volunteer celebrations. We also have a number of ticketed events and challenges that can be booked via www.alexanderdevine.org/events
National Volunteer Week
Monday 1 - Sunday 7 June st th
Volunteer and Supporters BBQ
Saturday 20 June th
ADCHS Hospice, Maidenhead
Volunteer Development Day
Wednesday 24 June th
ADCHS Hospice, Maidenhead
Volunteer Coffee Morning
Wednesday 14 October th
ADCHS Hospice, Maidenhead
Volunteer and Supporters
Christmas Cheer
Friday 4 December th
ADCHS Hospice, Maidenhead
Heaven Sent Ball
Friday 8 May th
De Vere Beaumont Estate
Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge
Saturday 16 - Sunday 17 May th th
Dorset Coastline
Snowdon Sunrise Challenge
Saturday 4 July th
De Vere Beaumont Estate
Moat Garden Party
Friday 10 July th
Windsor Castle
Maidenhead Half Marathon
Sunday 25 October th
Boulters Lock, Maidenhead