Will Blake has supported our online retail team as a volunteer since 2022, wrapping and packing items sold on the hospice’s eBay site. He’s also a keen fundraiser for the hospice and has raised over £753 for the charity since March 2022.
Will, who’s from Buxton, said: ‘I saw an advert on Facebook that encouraged me to apply to become a volunteer with the hospice. I had some very positive interaction with the hospice movement during my long career in the NHS and felt I would like to support its work.
‘Before I retired, I worked primarily in older age mental health but regularly crossed paths with the local hospice service. I had huge respect for the holistic, person-centred philosophies of care and I felt I could contribute a little to support the local service. I always felt that if I had not been able to work in mental health, that end of life and hospice care would have been my choice.
‘I really enjoy the social interaction with other members of the team in the eBay department. I think volunteering generally benefits the volunteer as much as it helps whatever organisation you support. There is a lot in the world that is troubling and we as individuals might feel we can do very little to make things better. We can’t stop bombs dropping or fight against disease, hunger and ignorance, but I think the positive feelings that come from volunteering can help us believe we are doing more than just hoping things will get better on their own. It means in a small way we are fighting the negativity and darkness in the world.
‘I still think many individuals don’t want to think about their own and others’ mortality, and the services associated with these may miss out as a result. But many of us may need the help that the hospice can provide, so somewhat selfishly perhaps, particularly as I get older, I’m happy to give up a few hours a week to assist in maintaining a service that I may one day use.’
Will is set to take on a huge walking challenge this spring to help raise funds for the hospice, taking on 20 days of walking to complete the Portuguese Coastal and Central Caminos; Porto to Santiago De Compostela, returning via the Central Camino.
He explained: ‘I have walked the Portuguese Central Camino from Porto to Santiago de Compostella in Galicia three times. It’s roughly 12 days of walking with an odd rest day thrown in. It’s 243km and although it is a challenge, I find it a real help with my physical and mental health. It also gives my wife a bit of respite. I thought on my last one that people might like to follow and support the hospice by sponsoring me via Just Giving. I made daily videos and they seemed pretty popular and I managed to raise a decent sum while doing myself some good.
‘This year I’m walking further by walking the Coastal Camino north to Santiago and then the Portuguese section of the Central Camino south back to Porto. I’ll be doing a video diary again, and it will be on my You Tube channel. Last year’s is currently still there too.’
Will is also selling some of his beautiful, unique artwork to support the hospice, at the Buxton Trading Post on Spring Gardens. He said: ‘I love being creative. I am a keen musician and I have been using technology to assist in the composition, recording and production of music for many years under my alias, Dreadinski (available to find on most music streaming services). Over the past few years I have followed the development of technology that aids in the production of visual art. This has taken huge leaps forward in the last two years.
‘I love Art Nouveau and Pre-Raphaelite styles but I simply didn’t have the ability to produce paintings in that style at the level of expertise I wanted. The technology allows me to take the ideas and turn them into fantastic pieces of work. All profits from my A3 prints will go to Blythe House. They are all one-off originals.’
