BRADFORD’S Sinfield family have been volunteering at Bradford Royal Infirmary for years totalling almost half a century.

At 92, dad Stanley is BRI’s oldest volunteer, closely followed by his wife Joan, who is 90.

The couple, from Eccleshill, have been joined recently on the wards by their son Alan, 57, who is a retired telecommunications manager and lives in Idle.

Information Centre volunteer Mr Sinfield started volunteering with Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 20 years ago, while Mrs Sinfield has notched up 24 years of service, helping out in a variety of roles including ENT, orthopaedics and maternity tea bars and now the diabetic unit.

They are just a few of the 500 volunteers who are already regularly giving up their free time to help make patients’ time in hospital a better experience.

More volunteers are still needed and the current opportunity for people to join runs until tomorrow.

The Trust opens up volunteering opportunities throughout the year to meet demand.

In particular, they are needed at BRI’s tea bars, to take around the ward trolley and to act as guides in the main foyer.

Volunteers are also wanted at St Luke’s Hospital to work as guides, in the tea bar, Phlebotomy Outpatients and Renal Outpatients.

Anyone interested should get in touch as soon as possible by calling 01274 364309/382860 or visiting the Trust’s website at bradfordhospitals.nhs.uk/about/staff/volunteer

Mr Sinfield said: “I like helping people – that’s why I enjoy volunteering. I’ve also had excellent treatment at BRI for my own health issues, so I wanted to give something back.”

Son Alan added: “I started volunteering partly because mum and dad had volunteered for so long, but also because I wanted to keep busy and I wanted to give something back to society.”

Until recently, Mr and Mrs Sinfield, who have four grandchildren, carried out their volunteering work at the Trust together but now, for the first time in some 19 years, they have taken up separate roles every Friday morning.

Voluntary Services Nurse Manager, Christine Heaton, said: “Joan and Stanley are an amazing couple. Even though they are both in their 90s, they both work very hard and are very reliable. They are a fine example of what volunteering is all about and both truly inspirational.”

The Trust’s volunteers fall into two categories: student volunteers aged 17 to 24, and general volunteers aged 25 and over. The Trust’s volunteer recruitment window opens throughout the year depending on need.