Jean still volunteering for Strathcarron at 94 knows hospice isn't 'sad place'

Despite now being 94 years old, Jean Currie says she has no intention of giving up her voluntary work – despite originally only going to the Fankerton hospice to make tea “just this once”.

She had retired from her teaching role in a number of Grangemouth primary schools in 1991 and was determined to take it easy.

However a request from her daughter Anne, a nurse at Strathcarron at that time, to help make teas in the hospice as they were short of volunteers was a catalyst to her thirty-plus years of dedication where she has done everything from drive patient transport, run art classes and receptionist duties.

Jean, who lives in Laurieston, 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.

“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 per cent 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.

In the end she managed to do her volunteering shift and then had a quick dash to the school for the exam – and later received her Higher certificate.

While supporting patients in the craft room Jean 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 said: “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.

“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.”

Jean’s daycare painting class was a success and led to fundraising opportunities for the hospice after Jean and fellow volunteer Mary decided to produce calendars of the patients’ work which proved really popular.

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

Jean later moved to front door reception where she became a well-known face for everyone at the hospice and it became a job she loved. “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.”

Sadly Jean’s husband Eric became unwell and she paused her volunteering during that time to care for him, before 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 pandemic restrictions, engaging daycare patients isolated at home in sharing stories with each other to help tackle isolation and loneliness.

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 the local 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.

“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 in 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.”