Celebrating our volunteer

We are pleased to share a case study from our Manchester volunteer, Chalce, reflecting on their experience supporting the Singing for the Heart project at the Salford Royal Heart Care Unit.

Through their commitment and compassion, Chalce has made a meaningful difference to patients’ confidence, wellbeing and overall rehabilitation experience.

Here, she shares in her own words how the project has impacted those she has worked with – and what the experience has meant to her.

Being a volunteer with IMM has been an absolute pleasure so far. The staff has been exceptionally kind, easy to work with, and very knowledgeable about the project.

My visit at Royal Salford Hospital went incredibly smoothly - Matt was friendly, informative and put me at ease throughout the process. Once we had set-up, he immediately engaged with the patients and staff, who were really welcoming and seemed happy to see us. I can only assume the success of previous sessions added to this!

The session itself was super lively, with patients and staff singing, dancing, shouting out funny remarks, and laughing non-stop. It was wonderful to see folks of all ages come together and really share a moment of connection. Matt brought so much life, walking around the room to make everyone feel included and encourage participation. I also appreciated how he blended lighthearted songs with some vocal exercises; sharing the benefits of singing for health, happiness and community building! As well, he graciously shared his own story, which really resonated with the audience. The session grew in noise and laughter, and everyone who walked by had to look, and many joined in!

As a volunteer, I feel like I got more out of the session than I could have expected. I'm also a newcomer to Manchester, and I learned more about the city and the lovely people who inhabit it more in this hour than in the last three months!

I can't wait to join in for the next time.