How do Butterfly Volunteers support our patients and their loved ones?

Every day, Butterfly Volunteers offer support and companionship to patients who are in the final weeks, days and hours of their lives. Whether simply holding a hand or listening to a memory shared, our volunteers bring kindness when it matters most.

Join us on Sunday 13th September 2026 as we come together for an 8-mile walk from West Middlesex University Hospital to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, raising vital funds for this extraordinary service.

The route follows the River Thames and some of London’s green spaces – a chance to be outdoors, spend time with people who share a real sense of purpose, and walk for a cause that matters.

Our goal is to raise over £10,000 to help secure the future of the Butterfly Volunteer Service into 2027 and beyond. Every pound raised brings us closer to ensuring that patients receive compassionate support when they need it most.

Since 2022, our Butterfly Volunteers have supported more than 1,200 patients through more than 5,000 visits.

Funds raised will help support the Butterfly Volunteer Service into 2027 and beyond, including:

• Funding the Butterfly Volunteer Coordinator role

• Recruiting and training new Butterfly volunteers

• Supporting and developing our current team of Butterfly Volunteers

• Expanding our Butterfly Volunteer support across the Trust.

The family of a patient wrote to say:

“Words cannot really explain how much support the Butterfly Team was to us and our dad. With great thanks to [N] who gave her precious time to dad and fitted in like one of our family ... Your service is such a crucial part of the whole hospital experience...”

A friend of a patient said:

“Our very dear friend [J] - after nearly nine months in various hospitals following a Traumatic Brain Injury - was moved to West Middlesex Hospital. He had received outstanding care from all the hospitals and teams but sadly no more could be done for him … As friends and family we worried so much about the stress on J's wife and sons but the Butterfly Volunteers excelled themselves … the support and kindness they showed to her, was everything they needed in those last few weeks. His passing was gentle and dignified and his wife, I know, is forever grateful for those Volunteers who held her hand too at the end.”

One Butterfly Volunteer shared:

"The patient was asleep when I arrived. He woke, looked at me and said, 'How nice to see you.' We chatted about his childhood and where he used to live. He held my hand tightly when I left."

The Friends of Chelsea & Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital have generously supported this service since February 2024. Every donation helps ensure that more patients receive comfort and companionship when they need it most.

£10 will help provide Butterfly Volunteers with resources and support for one day at each hospital

£25 could be used to provide requested items for patients such as books, magazines or a portable radio

£50 will fund a full day of training for a group of new Butterfly Volunteers

£100+ will help sustain and grow this vital service across both hospital sites

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.