From leading art classes, to providing patient transport and reception duties… 94-year-old Jean Currie is one of Strathcarron Hospice’s longest serving volunteers. As part of Strathcarron’s 45^th anniversary year, she shares her volunteering story.

Jean, who looks spritely for her years, has volunteered for the Hospice for over 30 years, following her retiral from her teaching job in Grangemouth in 1991.

Despite having plans to take it easy when her teaching career came to an end, Jean had a “one off” request from her daughter Anne - a nurse at Strathcarron - to help make the teas at the Hospice when they were short of volunteers… days after her retiral.

That one off request led to decades of volunteering and friendships.

Jean with daughters Anne, Sheena and Fiona 

Jean said: “I decided that when I retired and didn’t want anything that would tie me to a schedule or a routine – I was looking forward to just doing what pleased me. Anne asked if I would come in to help as a one off and I told her, ‘just this once!’

“I felt apprehensive and nervous as I drove up the drive on the first day.

“As soon as I arrived, I was made to feel very welcome and one of the staff mentioned that if I’d been there a few days before, I would have seen a gorilla cutting the grass! There was a maintenance person called ‘Handy Andy’ at that time and he had dressed up for a bit of fun for someone’s birthday. He was dressed up as a gorilla but had gone about his duties as normal – such was the atmosphere of fun at the Hospice. A gorilla cutting the grass must have raised many smiles!

“That kind of put me at ease – I thought maybe the hospice won’t be as sad a place as I thought!”

On that first visit Jean spent the day helping in Daycare, making and serving teas and coffees for patients and chatting to them.

She explained: “I was so overwhelmed with the warm reception that I got that I was hooked! I felt a pull to the hospice to want to come back to do more.

“I registered as a volunteer and returned the following Tuesday.  From then on Tuesday became my Hospice day and hardly anything ever got in the way of that! I thoroughly enjoyed working in Daycare. I got to know the patients and we had so much fun – I never knew you could have so much fun in a hospice!

“Serving teas and coffees and treats, and chatting to patients became my weekly job, as well as driving patients to and from the hospice.”

Jean’s dedication to her Hospice volunteering almost led to her missing her Higher SQA French exam as a mature student.

In her late 70s she wanted to improve her French and decided to join the Higher French class at Braes High School. She could only attend 50% of the classes - as half were held on a Tuesday – and when she was told the final exam was also going to be held on a Tuesday - she told them she would only do it if the time would work around her volunteering.

Jean said: “When they told me the oral exam was on a Tuesday I told them I wouldn’t make it! Nothing came between me and my Tuesday Hospice volunteering. I wasn’t that bothered about the qualification, I just wanted to refresh my conversational French. The teacher was very surprised.

“In the end I managed to do my volunteering shift and then had a quick dash to the school for my exam and made it just in the nick of time to sit the exam.”

Despite the rushed arrival, Jean achieved her Higher certificate, a result she is proud of as a mature student.

Jean with her grandsons

CREATING MEMORIES

The former teacher from Grangemouth was soon invited to assist with patient transport for Strathcarron and then later to support patients in the Craft Room. She soon found a keen passion for bringing out the artistic side of patients allowing them to express themselves through painting, which then led to the creation of an annual Strathcarron fundraising calendar featuring their artworks.

Jean explained: “That first session, none of the patients had tried painting since they were at school and we encouraged them to give it a go. Their interest was exciting and unimaginable – my fellow volunteer Mary and I could hardly keep up with them! The fun and enjoyment was beyond belief, and there was a lot of banter and laughter throughout the sessions.  When it was their turn to speak to the doctor, they had to make time for this essential appointment, as most days they were so engrossed in completing their art work/paintings!

“Over the weeks the quality of their work increased which was a pleasure to watch. They were so enthusiastic.

“On one occasion a Glasgow University medical student recognised in one of the patient’s paintings the Black Rock Bothy near Glencoe where she had one stayed as the painting was so realistic. The painter was excited and pleased that it had been recognised – it was lovely to see.

“On one of HRH Princess Anne’s visits she also admired the artworks, picking out a particular sunset painting that reminded her of a holiday in Skye. HRH also has a great memory for faces, as one of the times she visited she asked me why I was out doing the teas and coffees as I was usually in the Craft Room! She told me I was doing a very worthwhile job! She also noticed one of the other fundraising volunteers Margaret had a sleeveless outfit on and gave her a telling off as it was a cold day!”

Jean’s Daycare painting class was a success and led to fundraising opportunities for the Hospice.

She said: “The families were so supportive of the painting class and asked me to get copies made of their work for them. Sometimes we invited relatives in and they would be surprised to find out these two old grannies Jean and Mary – another volunteer - were taking the class! Mary and I became great friends.

“We decided to produce calendars to raise money for the hospice with the patients. We got great fun out of creating the calendars – I loved it.

“Funds were raised for the Hospice every year, with sales rocketing, but to our minds, the pride the sick patients had in their final months surpassed any money.’’

After changes within Strathcarron, Jean moved to front door reception where she became a well-known face for everyone at the hospice.

Jean said: “Reception was a very busy job during the week but I moved to a Sunday evening spot and had more time available to chat to relatives if they were so inclined, whilst their loved ones were receiving treatment or asleep. I became very friendly with another volunteer Alison and we have remained good friends to this day.”

Jean’s husband Eric sadly became unwell and she paused her volunteering during that time to care for him, before sadly he died in 2021.

 After some time off, she then returned to volunteering for the Hospice doing fortnightly online session during the later stages of COVID19 restrictions, engaging Daycare patients isolated at home in sharing stories with each other to help tackle isolation and loneliness.

A letter from one of the patients she supported during COVID19 online

When restrictions were lifted, Jean returned to assist with fundraising appeals and she also took on a request from the Hospice’s Compassionate Communities team to support their intergenerational connections work within the Killin community.

Aged 90, Jean attended Killin Primary School and spoke to pupils about WWII, rationing and showed them how to make butter from scratch.

“It was a wonderful experience for me having retired from teaching 30 years before,” said Jean. “I felt as if I had never been away from it and the children were extremely attentive and receptive. I don’t think they had ever had a 90-year-old teacher before! It was good fun.

“I’m lucky I’ve got good health which has allowed me to continue volunteering all these years. I have loved the friendships and lovely people have met through Strathcarron over the years – that has been a bonus. “

Not only Jean’s friendship group but her own family has expanded through the Hospice network- even leading to a family wedding.

Jean’s daughter Anne met Strathcarron volunteer Neil Rodger through the Hospice via the Strathcarron Singers Choir. Neil, a former GP and computer technology expert, had volunteered to create the first ever website for the Hospice and also helped on the Ward.

Romance blossomed and they were married on 23 December 2015.

Jean said: “After 20 years at Strathcarron which Anne loved, she felt it would be nice to work with people at the beginning of their lives, so she left to become a primary teacher. She missed her colleagues at work so she joined the Strathcarron Singers – and this is where she met Neil, a now retired doctor.

“They married…and thanks to Strathcarron I was given a wonderful gift – the best son in law anyone could wish for!”

Molly Parsons former Strathcarron Matron at the time commented: “It was like a fictious novel, but had a true happy ending!”

Anne and Neil - a marriage forged through Strathcarron

HRH Princess Anne, former Matron Molly Parsons and Jean's daughter Anne when she worked at the Hospice 

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