News

See the original story by Sage Swinton in the Maitland Mercury.

More than 100 palliative care volunteers from across NSW are set to flock to Maitland in May for a state-wide conference.

The 2017 NSW Palliative Care Volunteer Conference will be held at Mercure Monte Pio on Friday, May 19, with about 120 volunteers set to attend.

Volunteers for Palliative Care Maitland co-ordinator Judith Robinson said the NSW Network of Managers of Palliative Care Volunteer Services decided to hold the event in Maitland due to its central location and to give attendees somewhere enjoyable to have an extended stay for the weekend.

While the local palliative care organisations are not actually hosting the conference, they are chipping in to support the summit.

Friends of Palliative Care have come on board as a major sponsor with a $3,000 donation towards the conference and Volunteers for Palliative Care are providing auspice for the event.

Ms Robinson, who is also a part of the NSW Network of Managers, said the biannual conference was about professional development and skills building as well as a social outing for volunteers.

The theme of this year’s event is ‘Expressions of Care’. Attendees will engage in workshops and presentations covering music, storytelling, creativity and self-care.

The event was last held in Maitland seven years ago. Volunteers for Palliative Care hosted the state conference at Tocal in 2010, which was the local service’s 20^th anniversary of operation.

Pic: NSW Network of Managers of Palliative Care Volunteer Services representative Judith Robinson with Friends of Palliative Care representative Noel Allwood. Credit Maitland Mercury