It’s Trustees’ Week, when charities across the UK celebrate the nearly one million people who give their time to govern them. John Sweeney is a very special trustee at Farleigh, because he is also a longstanding volunteer on our Inpatient Unit, where he has given his time since 2022. He joined our Board of Trustees in November 2023. We asked him about his journey from financial services to the hospice.
Can you tell us a little about your career before retiring in 2022 and what led you to consider volunteering after 38 years in financial services?
“Leaving university, I began working for a large bank. My later roles were also at very large banks and asset managers. All this involved commuting and some travelling, and time away from my family. When I retired, I wanted to do things in my local community that also allowed me to spend more time with my family. I particularly liked the idea of supporting a hospice with end-of-life care.”
You began volunteering on Farleigh’s Inpatient Unit in August 2022. What prompted you to get involved with the hospice, and what has your experience of volunteering been like?
“Like many people volunteering at Farleigh, my family has had direct experience using hospices, and I saw how the care that hospices provided improved the process for us. Having professional assistance at home relieved levels of stress for the family, and provided comfort and dignity for my relative as they approached end of life. The professionals brought calm during a traumatic time.”
John preparing meals for patients on our Inpatient Unit, alongside a member of the clinical team.
You have spoken about the difference palliative care made to members of your own family. How have those personal experiences shaped your understanding of the importance of hospice care?
“It has helped me realise how valuable palliative care is, and how often it is not available to patients. At Farleigh, I often hear the phrase that we want to help patients live well in their last days. This is how hospice care helped my family, and that is where I like to focus my attention now.”
You joined Farleigh’s Board of Trustees in November 2023. What motivated you to take on this additional role, and what does being a trustee mean to you?
“After getting to know Farleigh, I realised that I liked what was happening at this organisation, and I was aware that my professional experience could be useful here. I have a lot of respect for the professionalism I see demonstrated on each volunteer shift. I must admit, the trustee idea was planted in me by one of the more assertive professional members of the nursing team, after working with them for a time. Being a trustee means I am more engaged with the community and the hospice. It means I can support the professionals who are doing amazing things daily.”
How has your professional experience in financial services, particularly in areas such as risk management, financial analysis and governance, helped you contribute to the work of the Board?
“These skills are highly transferable between industries and can be useful to any charity in the right balance. Any charity must have a balance of skills across its governance team. Clinical and income generation, of course, are key for Farleigh Hospice, but there are a variety of skills on our Board that help create a strong governance model: HR, legal, retail, logistics, marketing and communications, accounting, strategic planning and NHS administration experience. Potential trustees may think we just need medical professionals, but this is a large charity, and we are running an organisation delivering a variety of services to the community. We currently have a few open trustee positions, and I would encourage anyone interested to look at our advertisement or reach out to me to discuss what it means and how they can help.”
John, with Chief Executive, Michelle Kabia and Chair of the Board, Sarah Glew.
Having experienced Farleigh both as a volunteer and as a trustee, what do you think people might not realise about the work that goes on behind the scenes to support the hospice?
“We naturally focus on the hospice building near Broomfield and all the activity there, but what I find amazing is the scale of the work being done in the community by our nursing team, with patients who want to stay at home as long as possible. Their work sees them caring for patients who are at end of life, as well as those with life-limiting illness. “We have 13 inpatient beds at our hospice, but we are supporting over 1,500 patients in the community each year, whom we care for at home.”
What would you say to someone considering becoming a trustee or volunteering for a charity, but who might be unsure about what they could offer?
“I would say have a conversation with a trustee, the charity Chair and/or our Chief Executive to get a sense of the current skills needed on the charity board at that time. Our Chair, Sarah Glew, and Chief Executive, Michelle Kabia, have regular conversations with potential trustees. Candidates can discuss what might be needed and what skills they have to help. They can also get a sense of the culture and how the charity works.”
Finally, what is it about Farleigh that makes you proud to be involved, and what do you hope for the hospice in the future?
“What makes me proud is the professionalism throughout this organisation, and the way that services are delivered with kindness and empathy, and also how it supports the community. It is very different from the world of financial services.
“I have a long list of hopes for Farleigh and hospice care more broadly. One of the important hopes is that hospice care grows the ability to support the community more widely. We are working with GPs, Broomfield Hospital, other hospices, Hospice UK and the Health Care Boards to make this happen.”
Trustees’ Week is a chance to thank John and every trustee who helps steer our organisation. It is also a chance to thank our volunteers, in the hospice, in our shops, at our events and out in the community. Their time, expertise and kindness are a huge part of everything we do.
If John’s story has made you wonder what you could offer, we would love to hear from you.