A Newport charity is offering a stage to musicians who can entertain patients at its day hospices throughout the area.

If you don’t feel your musical talent is being appreciated, need a fresh audience or a break to showcase your talents, then St David’s Hospice Care may well have the answer.

Don’t worry if music is a foreign language and you don’t know one end of a guitar from another the charity is also looking for wordsmiths, speakers, arts and crafts people and all manner of therapists.

The charity is also offering space for yoga and pilates teachers to gently stretch themselves and their subjects.

St David’s Hospice Care volunteer co-ordinator, Helen Froude, started as a volunteer herself before being appointed to the position earlier this year.

The former computer programmer at Newport’s, Newport Waferfab for 35 years, Mrs Froude decided to volunteer as she wanted to keep active

Mrs Froude, whose husband Robert also volunteers at the charity said: “It’s such a worthwhile thing to do. I love what I do and being able to steer others in the right direction when they are looking to volunteer at the charity.”

Commenting on the current recruitment drive she said “We are always looking for exciting new ‘experiences’ to offer our patients in our various day Hospices throughout south east Wales. We have a range of opportunities for volunteers to do their thing in our centres in, Newport, Brecon, Caerphilly, Torfaen and Monmouth.

“We’re looking for musicians who have a couple of hours a week to spare to come and entertain our patients at one or maybe even all of our centres. We’re looking for anyone with a musical talent who would be able to offer short performances to our day hospice patients.

“We also need qualified complementary therapists in reflexology, massage and aromatherapy to sign up to volunteer on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for a for minimum of 2.5 hours each session

“Crafters, anyone with a skill or talent in arts and crafts, are also invited to offer sessions to patients in our day hospices, perhaps a few hours a month. We also want poets to come along to recite their work and offer workshops for people to join in with at the day hospice.

“Speakers, people able to talk on topics such as nature, photography, local history or sports would be of interest as well. We are also keen for yoga and pilates teachers to volunteer to offer gentle sessions with day hospice patients.”

Maureen Canellas, of Newport, says she volunteers one day a week ‘as it keeps me active and busy'; June Lewand, of Newport, volunteers two mornings a week ‘for the camaraderie and friendship and giving back to the community’ while Carol Austin, from Chepstow, who worked in a doctor’s surgery in Caldicot for 17 years, started volunteering after her late husband Malcolm was cared for by St David’s Hospice Care.

If you would like to volunteer or are able to support St David’s Hospice Care in any of the above activities please call 01633851051 or email elen.froude@stdavidshospicecare.org