Volunteer, 90, still giving back to hospital

Terry Seston has been volunteering at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for 15 years

A long-time hospital volunteer has said he has no plans of stopping, after celebrating his 90th birthday.

Terry Seston, from Bayston Hill, Shropshire, began volunteering at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, as a way to give thanks following his own treatment for bowel cancer.

He has spent 15 years helping at the hospital, currently as a "meet and greet" volunteer, welcoming patients and making sure they find where they need to go.

"We can learn so much from Terry and his work ethic and, as he said, you are only as old as you feel," said Julia Clarke, director of public participation at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

For many years, Mr Seston has worked as a greeter at the hospital, helping patients find where they need to go

Mr Seston underwent his cancer treatment 30 years ago and began helping at the hospital following his retirement.

He said volunteering is "one of the highlights of the week".

"I like meeting people and, I think, my job is to help people," Mr Seston said.

"When they arrive they don't want to be here, whoever it is, whether they are visiting relatives or they come to the clinic or anything like that.

"So the most important thing is for us on reception to give them a smile, say good morning or good afternoon, and not to welcome them but in essence make their life more comfortable and make their visit better."

Terry's wife Babs also turns 90 this year and the pair will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary in June

It is a year of celebrations for Mr Seston, as his wife Babs is turning 90 in May.

The couple are also planning to mark their 69th wedding anniversary with a garden party in June.

Mrs Seston also volunteered at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) for many years, and the pair were, jointly, the first to be named Volunteer of the Year in the Trust Awards Ceremony in 2016.

"I would encourage people to volunteer anywhere, there are so many organisations who would love people to go and give them a few hours," said Mr Seston.

"I know when I go home in an afternoon after four or five hours here, I can go home and I've really enjoyed myself and can say I've done a worthwhile job'."