By Laura Michell
Bina Connolly has been a volunteer at The Northern Hospital for about 25 years, raising money for the hospital through the knitting guild.
What’s your connection to the City of Whittlesea?
I volunteer at The Northern Hospital and I worked there for 20 years in data entry and as a social worker.
How long have you been a volunteer with Northern Hospital?
For about 25 years. I started working here in 1991 and soon after I became involved in the knitting guild through one of the other ladies I worked with. When I retired in 2011, I kept knitting but also took on a role with the tea and coffee trolley.
What do you enjoy about being a volunteer at the hospital?
Now that I am retired, it’s a way to keep busy and catch up with people I used to work with, even though I do my knitting at home. The tea and coffee trolley is a very social role – I love it. The reaction of people in the outpatients department when you offer them a tea or coffee makes it worthwhile. You feel like you are making a difference for people. It is really lovely.
What do you like about volunteering at the hospital?
It is like being part of a family, and the knitting guild raises money to help the hospital buy various pieces of equipment.
Would you encourage other people to volunteer?
Absolutely, it is a wonderful way to offer something to the community and meet new people. For me, it is a great opportunity to get out of the house and be around other people.
