When 18-year-old Erin decided she wanted to follow a career in children's nursing she decided that she wanted to find somewhere that would give her experience in hands-on care.

Erin volunteering in the Hope House pool

At Hope House she found she could study for her A-Levels at the same time as volunteering at the hospice on weekends to gain the experience she needs to study children's nursing at university. 

"Initially I wanted to find somewhere to get experience," said Erin, from Shrewsbury. "But as soon as I started I loved it. I'm not just getting experience here, I am making a difference to children's lives and getting to be a part of the amazing things that are happening at Hope House every day."

Erin quickly found that she enjoyed helping children through physiotherapy, particularly in the hospice's hydrotherapy pool. 

"I have done a lot of work in the pool with the staff and children and I find it really interesting to see how different children respond to different physiotherapy techniques," she said.

"I really feel like part of the family at Hope House and am so glad I have been able to come and spend my time here."

Find out more about how you can volunteer