Elspeth ends 33 years of care for bereaved
ONE of East Cheshire Hospice’s longest serving volunteers, Elspeth Julian, has retired after 33 years with the charity.
Elspeth, from Prestbury, has been an adult bereavement counsellor almost since the day the Hospice opened its doors in 1988.
A special afternoon tea marked Elspeth’s farewell and well-earned retirement.
It also gave colleagues the chance to thank her for her vital role helping countless families who have lost loved ones.
Reluctantly, Elspeth was absent from her parttime duties for more than a year because of the Covid-19 restrictions.
She said: ”I’ll miss being part of such a worthwhile organisation with its welcoming atmosphere, but all good things come to an end I suppose.
“When the Hospice was setting up bereavement services I was invited to formal training to become join a small group of vola counsellor. unteers to visit the rela“There’ve been lots of tions of patients who had changes over the years died there. and the bereavement ser
“I’d been a social vice is far more structured worker, and a Samaritan, now, with children’s serand so had some experivices as well as those for ence of counselling skills. adults.”
“Back then, we went out Elspeth now has more into the community and time to spend with hussaw people in their homes, band David, their three so quite a lot of travelling children and four grandwas involved. children.
“After I left my job as a She enjoys playing special needs teacher 18 Bridge, visiting Dorset years ago, I underwent and is now looking forward to travelling further afield again as soon as possible.
Elspeth added: “I’m humbled that people have chosen to talk about their problems.
“The greatest joy has been feeling that I may have been of some help at such a difficult time.
“My message to anyone bereaved is that if you feel there’s something worrying you that you can’t happily talk to friends and family about, then consider speaking to a counsellor who will listen nonjudgementally and not give advice but help you find your way through.”
Helena Smith, the Hospice’s Voluntary Services Co-ordinator, said: “The work Elspeth has done for the Hospice not only supports the people she directly counsels, but ripples out into their families as their resilience grows.
“These ripples, both big and small, spreading out across the 30-plus years she’s volunteered for us, adds up to a remarkable contribution to our community.”