Mayo Roscommon Hospice volunteers praised for their work

National Volunteering Week is a weeklong celebration of volunteering and runs up to May 24. Along with the network of Volunteer Centres, Volunteer Ireland uses National Volunteering Week to amplify the incredible stories of volunteering in our communities.

Martina Jennings is the CEO of the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, and she gave an insight into the amount of work volunteers do for the foundation.

“Over the years, I have met hundreds of volunteers through Mayo Roscommon Hospice. “Some give a few hours a week, and some have given years. Most of them would never want recognition for it. To them, it’s just something that needs to be done. They sit on our board, organise coffee mornings, charity walks and local fundraisers. They volunteer at Sunflower Days collections, work in hospice shops, sit on local committees and give up evenings and weekends because they believe hospice care matters. And when you thank them, most will say the same thing, “Sure, it’s only a small bit.” But those small bits have helped build hospice services across Mayo and Roscommon over more than three decades. Across our sector, as we mark National Volunteering Week and with 2026 recognised as the UN International Year of Volunteers, I think there is value in stepping back and asking what volunteering actually says about Ireland today. And what kind of country do we want

to be in the future.

“Volunteering is about much more than fundraising events or charity collections. According

to the Central Statistics Office, more than 700,000 people in Ireland volunteer through organisations and community groups. That figure is remarkable, particularly at a time when people are busier than ever, balancing work, family responsibilities and growing

financial pressures.”

Martina said that volunteering is a vital part of society.

“We see it in sports clubs, Meals on Wheels services, tidy towns committees and local charities and support groups all across the country. Particularly in rural Ireland, there is still a strong instinct to rally around one another when support is needed.

“But I also think we need to be realistic. There can sometimes be an assumption that volunteering will always happen naturally, that communities will always step forward, and that people will always make themselves available.

“People's lives look very different to how they did 20 or 30 years ago. Many are juggling long commutes, childcare, eldercare and increasingly stretched weeks, while charities are operating in a far more competitive environment for volunteers and funding. We

need to stop viewing volunteering as something nice to have, and start recognising it for what it really is, a vital part of how Irish society functions.

“Without volunteers, many organisations simply could not survive. Hospice care is one example of that. People are often surprised when they learn just how much hospice services rely on community support.”

The CEO explained that Mayo Roscommon Hospice offers a multitude of services.

“Hospice care is a multitude of things; it's nursing care, family support, bereavement support, transport services and countless practical supports for patients and families behind the scenes.

“Sustaining those services takes ongoing commitment, and communities across Mayo and Roscommon have provided that commitment for decades.

“The Mayo Roscommon Hospice exists because a group of volunteers came together to ensure people with life limiting illnesses have dignity and respect on every step of their journey. That ethos has never changed, and these patients and their families are the forefront

of every decision our board makes. It never ceases to amaze me that the most responsibility of any charity lies on the shoulders of the voluntary board director. They are always available to take a call, offer sound advice, and always make well informed decisions, protecting the charity, our donors, and most importantly our service users. And they do all of this in their own time, while operating their own business, full time jobs and families.

“What I have learned over the years is that hospice volunteers often understand palliative care in a way other people do not.”

Martina said that the hospice and its volunteers helps families through some of the most difficult periods of their lives.

“Many people still feel uncomfortable when they hear the word hospice because they associate it solely with death or loss. But once people spend time around hospice services, they quickly realise it is really about care, dignity and helping families navigate some of the most difficult periods in their lives with the right support around them.

“Volunteers see firsthand the relief families feel when specialist care is available close to home, and the importance of practical support during stressful and emotional periods.

“They understand that hospice is not about giving up. It is about quality of life, symptom management, family support and ensuring people are treated with dignity and compassion throughout their care journey.

“That understanding has helped build very strong links between Mayo Roscommon Hospice and the communities we serve. Volunteers are often the bridge between hospice and community life, and they help keep conversations around hospice and palliative care grounded and practical. At the same time, demand for hospice and palliative care services continues to grow. Ireland’s population is ageing, more families are caring for loved ones with increasingly complex illnesses, and more people want access to specialist care closer to home. This places growing pressure across healthcare services generally, but it also reinforces the importance of strong community-supported services.”

Martina said that development of the Sunflowers Children’s Hospice will be a significant project.

“Looking ahead, one of the most significant projects for Mayo Roscommon Hospice is the development of the Sunflower Children’s Hospice, supporting children with life-limiting conditions and their families across the western seaboard. Like every hospice project in this

region, it will rely on community support and persistence.

“Projects like this do not happen overnight. They require fundraising, public trust, volunteer commitment and communities willing to stay engaged for the long term.

“Volunteering should not simply be recognised as something charitable or optional, but as something essential to community life in Ireland. Ultimately, it is about people deciding that services and support in their communities’ matter enough to protect and sustain them,” Martina concluded.