There really is a ‘tail’ to tell about two of our most recognisable volunteers. 

Malcolm Dunbar has been visiting our hospice in Shrewsbury since 2019 and is always accompanied by his faithful friend Rufus. 

Companionship

Apart from an enforced break during the pandemic, the pair can be found each Thursday morning on Perry ward, where they bring comfort and companionship to whoever needs it. 

“I always ask first before I go into a room,” said Malcolm. “I never just assume people want to see me but when they do. 

“That’s if I can make it past the nurses though. They love to see Rufus – I am just the guy at the end of the lead.” 

Rescue

Nine-year-old Rufus came to Malcolm as a rescue dog and was soon at the heart of the home Malcom shared with his wife Doreen at the Stiperstones.  

It was a natural step for Rufus to become a Pet Therapy Dog and he took to it like a duck to water. 

Not only do the pair visit us, but they also go to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital where they are equally popular and to the nursing home where Doreen lived and was treated for dementia. 

“It is really lovely coming to Perry ward,” said Malcolm. “It is a privilege to see Rufus and the patients. Sometimes he just knows when he needs to lay his head on a hand or exchange a gaze with someone. 

Empathetic

“He is very empathetic and tunes in to whoever he is with.  

“I have seen some amazing exchanges between him and a patient. Sometimes he is with someone who can’t talk or who is suffering from dementia, who hasn’t communicated with anyone for a very long time.  

Moved

“It happened recently with a lady. Rufus laid his head very gently in her lap. Her eyes were closed and then she opened them suddenly said ‘What a lovely dog’ – she hadn’t spoken to anyone for such a long time, and he provoked a childhood memory. The nurses and I were so moved by it. 

“Rufus has been a great comfort to me too, I honestly don’t know what I would do without him. Doreen passed away earlier this year and he has been such a wonderful companion to me. I have so many memories of her and Rufus together and they mean the world to me. 

Proud

“I am proud of Rufus; he is so pleased to visit people. His tail never stops wagging. I have had cancer three times, and although I have never had to use the hospice, volunteering here lets me see the amazing work the staff do. There is a real sense of joy on Perry ward. I know that sounds a strange thing to say, but it is true. The nurses are just phenomenal in the care they give and the compassion they show and if Rufus and I can be a little part of that, then I feel that we have achieved something.” 

Smiling

Samantha Bragg, our head of volunteers, said: “All of our volunteers help the work we do, and I know just how popular Malcolm and Rufus are. They visit whatever the weather and Malcolm is always smiling, and Rufus’s tail is always wagging. 

Credit

“They sum up what being a volunteer is – we know how important and invaluable our volunteers are: they bring so much to our patients, visitors, customers, and staff. They are such a credit and I just want to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to every one of them.” 

Interested in becoming a volunteer? We have lots of opportunities, from retail to gardening and even working in transport or even in Refresh at Severn Hospice. To find out more, go to https://www.severnhospice.org.uk/join-us/volunteer/