AIREDALE Hospital is celebrating its "amazing" volunteers.

Bosses at the Steeton site are showcasing the efforts of the 350-plus registered unpaid workers as part of National Volunteers Week.

The team works across 30 different areas of the hospital, in a wide range of roles.

"Our volunteers are an absolutely essential part of the hospital team and we couldn’t manage without them," said Gurmit Jauhal, voluntary services manager at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust.

"We can never thank them enough for their dedication to this hospital and to the patients that come here every day. The time and energy they devote is amazing – we are very lucky to have them."

As part of the week-long celebration, which starts today, an information stall has been set-up in the hospital highlighting some of the services provided by volunteers and equipment donated by the Friends of Airedale charity.

The Friends raise funds through shops, a mobile ward trolley service and car boot sales ­— all run by volunteers.

Proceeds are ploughed back into the hospital through the purchase of equipment, which recently has included recliner chairs for the neonatal unit and a neoblue unit for the maternity ward.

Other hospital services provided by volunteers include patient transport, guides to help people around the site and mealtime assistants to support vulnerable patients.

And volunteers can also be found in areas including the neonatal and haematology and oncology day units.

Jean Phillips, who has been a volunteer at the hospital since 2015, is part of an inpatient survey team.

She goes onto the wards three days a week to obtain patient feedback on issues such as meals, ward cleanliness and the care and treatment received.

"I find the work so rewarding as I feel I am helping patients and being part of a larger team trying to achieve improvement in care," she said.

"I have made new friends with patients, staff and other volunteers."

Ian Shepherd has been a volunteer with the Friends of Airedale for six years, working in the patient transport service.

He said: "Giving something back to the community provides me with great satisfaction and the opportunity to meet some very interesting people."

The trust gives a Volunteer of the Year accolade as part of its annual staff awards, recognising the importance of unpaid roles.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the hospital should contact Mr Jauhal on 01535 294316 or Gurmit.jauhal@anhst.nhs.uk.