My Life: Trevor Constantine

Trevor Constantine is a welcome sight for visitors to Bradford Royal Infimary.
Volunteer Trevor Constantine pictured outside Bradford Royal InfirmaryVolunteer Trevor Constantine pictured outside Bradford Royal Infirmary
Volunteer Trevor Constantine pictured outside Bradford Royal Infirmary

Trevor’s smiling face is one of the first things they see when visit the hospital, guiding themto the right ward as either patients or visitors.

People who come to the hospital are often very anxious and don’t really know where they are going,” says Trevor, who turns 70 this year. “I volunteer two days a week to tell them where to go and on many occasions actually take them.”

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Trevor has to know the hospital like the back of his hand, however he does admit that on the odd occasion he does get caught out and it’s not surprising when there are 30 wards and four outpatient departments.

“I have been stumped once of twice,” he says. “But I sang in the church choir who would go round the wards at Christmas, so I knew my way around.”

The hospital corridors are very long and some have a sneaky incline and Trevor says he would cover between four and five miles of corridor and talks or guides between 50 to 100 people a shift. He is also chairman of the trustees of the Friends of BRI which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this week.

The Friends formed in 1988 with Lesley Williams as their first chairman. There were just 40 members and their main objectives was to provide comfort to patients of the hospital and assist staff where possible. As well as the hospital guides, the volunteers, many of them retired, ran a hobbies trolley round the wards as well as a knitting circle and tea trollies. During the first year just over £2,000 was raised and then donated in the form of two beds and two cots for the children’s ward in the ENT and Eye Unit and £500 to the Hospital Radio Team (Radio Royal) to support their funds for a new studio. Now the Friends have grown beyond recognition with more than 230 members. They still run the original services for patients and visitors but have also opened three tea bars and run Patient Support Volunteers, Play Assistants, Book Sales and other fund raising activities.

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During the last two years, the Friends donated £76,095, to refurbish the Paediatric A&E Department, furniture for the Birthing Centre, ECG machines, flat screen TVs for various wards, roller and vertical blinds for Ward 4, dementia-friendly refurbishment of the corridor of Ward 30, ‘dignity’ clothing for patients being discharged and various other items during that period.

“We provide the nice-to-have things that the NHS just can’t pay for,” says Trevor who decided to volunteer at the hospital after he took early retirement from Grattans where he worked for 23 years.

“I’m a single man and so I have time now to give to the hospital. The Friends provide a vital service not just in terms of fund-raising but also in things we do for patients.”

The Friends’ objectives have also been updated to recognise the changes in their role.

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Their main objectives are “to help and support patients, staff and services of the hospital through financial, charitable and voluntary work. To supplement the service provided by the hospital for the health, welfare and comfort of the patients and other individuals within the hospital through the provision of facilities, equipment and amenities.”

And last year Trevor, who has just stood down as chairman of Keighley Lions, won the Order of Mercy for his voluntary work.

Volunteers toast 25th anniversary

The Friends of BRI were founded in 1988 with 40 volunteer members. There are now 230 members, and they now also run three tea bars. Over the last two years they donated £76,000 to the hospital.

To celebrate their 25th anniversary a special lunch is being held for 100 guests today at the Hilton in Bradford. A cake will be cut by founding member Gerry Briscoe, who has just retired from the Friends aged 87.

For information vist www. bradfordhospitals.nhs.uk

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