St Giles Hospice releases second episode of We’re Dying to Tell You Something podcast for Volunteers’ Week

Episode features long-time volunteer Joan Fairley and couple Rachel and Andy Barker who met through bereavement support

The second episode of We’re Dying to Tell You Something is now live, having launched during Volunteers’ Week to celebrate the incredible volunteers whose generosity enables St Giles Hospice to deliver its care.

We’re Dying to Tell You Something is a four-part series created by Birmingham City University students Maya Davis and Kyle Salmon in collaboration with St Giles Hospice in Whittington, Staffordshire.

Episode 2, ‘The Heart of St Giles’, features three volunteers with powerful connections to the hospice. Joan Fairley, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for her outstanding voluntary service, has dedicated more than 16 years to volunteering at St Giles. She was also invited to the Princess of Wales’ Together at Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey in 2023, an honour extended to just 1,600 people nationwide. Rachel and Andy Barker met at a Bereavement Help Point after both losing their spouses and are now volunteering together at the same group where they first met.

The episode explores what drives people to volunteer, the difference volunteers make to patients and families, and the unexpected joy that can come from loss and community support.

Elinor Eustace, Chief Executive of St Giles Hospice, said: “Volunteers are the heart of St Giles. This episode celebrates their incredible generosity and shows how volunteering can transform lives – not just for the people we care for, but for the volunteers themselves.”

Natalie Lewis, Head of Marketing and Strategic Communications at St Giles Hospice, added: “Episode 2 tells such beautiful stories of hope and human connection. Joan, Rachel and Andy’s honesty about grief, resilience and finding community is truly moving.”

The podcast was recorded at St Giles Hospice in October 2025 and created by BCU media students as part of their course under the guidance of Senior Lecturer Meera Darji and Editor Dan Whitehouse.

St Giles Hospice has over 800 active volunteers, with more than 500 working across the retail team. Volunteers are essential to delivering care and maintaining the hospice’s services.

The next episode will launch in July, featuring extreme fundraiser James Lewis who is currently running and dribbling a football thousands of miles from Africa to Rugeley to raise funds for the charity.

We’re Dying to Tell You Something is available now on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. You can find out more at www.stgileshospice.com/were-dying-to-tell-you-something-podcast/