Duchess praises ‘incredible’ work of hospital volunteers

WARM WELCOME FROM RVS FOR ‘VERY ANCIENT TROLLEY DOLLY’

STAFF lined the corridors and cheered as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, made a visit to Leicester General Hospital this afternoon.

Camilla shook hands and said hello to doctors, nurses and surgeons in scrubs as she walked through the Evington hospital.

She was there to meet volunteers with the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) and pitched in herself and pushed one of the charity’s snack and newspaper trolleys on to Ward 22, where she spoke with patients and staff.

John Thompson, 82, who has volunteered with RVS for 20 years, said: “It was great to meet her, really nice to have a visitor like her see what it is we do.

“She said thanks for volunteering but I just do it because I love it. I love doing the trolley.

“It means I get out and meet people, speak to people.

“I’m a bit of a talker so it suits me well.

“For some people, they don’t have visitors so when we come around they’re really pleased to see us.”

The Duchess was joined by the charity’s chairman, Stephen Dunmore, and chief executive Catherine Johnston, on the ward round, as well as RVS ambassador and West End superstar Elaine Paige.

The Duchess and Elaine then met with some of the volunteers at the General individually before Camilla addressed the room and thanked volunteers.

She said: “It’s been great to see the incredible work you do.

“Last week I was dancing, today I’ve been a very ancient trolley dolly. There’s nothing I can’t turn my hand to.

“Thank you very much for the wonderful work you do. This country couldn’t do without you.”

Catherine Johnston said: “Today we launched the Big Trolley Push, that’s about shouting out to people in the community and encouraging them to volunteer.

“Two out of every five patients don’t get any visitors while they are in hospital and that’s very isolating.

Actually something as simple as the trolleys makes a massive difference to those people and the staff at our fantastic NHS.”