Why be a volunteer driver at Mountbatten Hampshire? Keith’s story

When Keith Smith pulls up outside a patient’s home for a morning pickup, he’s not just a driver — he’s a friendly face in someone’s day, the person who enables them to socialise, attend physiotherapy, or spend time in Mountbatten Hampshire’s Frances Sheldon Centre. “It’s tangible,” Keith says. “You can feel the difference you’re making. People say thank you, and you can tell they mean it.”

“Making someone’s day possible is a great feeling.”

— Keith Smith.

Keith, 68, is a retired engineer who started volunteering as a driver in early 2019 and never looked back. “Volunteering gives you purpose,” he says. “It makes you more understanding and compassionate. Making someone’s day possible is a great feeling.”

Volunteer drivers provide a simple but vital service: picking people up from home and bringing them to Mountbatten Hampshire for physio, activities, or appointments, then taking them home again. “You might do a 9 or 9:30 pickup, grab a coffee in the café while you wait, chat to the team, then take your person home an hour later,” Keith explains. “If someone is staying at Mountbatten the whole day, you drop off in the morning and collect around three. It’s flexible and fits around your life.”

The Frances Sheldon Centre at Mountbatten Hampshire.

Here, patients can socialise, attend appointments, and join in various enriching activities.

Flexibility is a big draw. “I’ve got regular runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I can say no when I need to,” Keith says. “Sometimes I help more — even two or three trips a day if they’re short-handed. The flexibility is brilliant.”

The atmosphere at Mountbatten surprises many people. “Calm, friendly, relaxed. It’s not what people expect from a hospice,” he says. “You’re part of a warm community.” You don’t need clinical experience — just reliability, a clean licence, and kindness. You’ll shadow another driver first and are supported by staff and fellow volunteers.

What does Keith enjoy most? The people. “You meet a real cross-section. Some love a chat, some prefer quiet. You read the room and make the journey easy.”

His advice to anyone thinking about it: “Don’t just think — do it. Come and try a shift. It’s flexible, sociable, and you’ll be surprised how much you get out of it.”

Volunteer drivers help people keep living the lives they love. Join Keith at Mountbatten Hampshire and start making a difference, today.

Find out more and apply by clicking here.