An army of volunteers is saving a local hospital trust £156,873 in its annual wages bill.

The 379 people who give their services free to Airedale General Hospital at Steeton, put in more than 43,000 hours during the year.

And 17 of the volunteers have been working at the hospital since it opened nearly 30 years ago in 1970.

The impressive figures are revealed in Airedale NHS Trust's Volunteers in Action annual report but more recruits are needed to keep up the good work because 67 volunteers gave up this year and were replaced by only 59 new people.

Voluntary services manager Elaine Foster said the service was still in a healthy state and added that volunteers have to be fully checked.

She said: "We always welcome new people from all areas of the community but before they're taken on they are screened - they have to undergo a health check and an interview and produce references."

Their work has been praised by Airedale NHS Trust finance chief Janet Crouch, who said that the work of the volunteers is highly valued by the organisation's executive.

"They are tremendously important and are the icing on the cake of the service, providing roles which we could not afford from our budget," she added.

Retired teacher Anne Smith, 54, of The Chase, Keighley, and 63-year-old Vera Jackson of Skipton Road, Keighley, are both hospital guides.

Their function is to escort members of the public around the labyrinth of corridors in the hospital.

Mother-of-three Anne joined the ranks of volunteers after her husband, Tom, underwent a triple bypass at the hospital in 1992 at the age of 45.

"He came into Airedale when he was first ill. The staff were absolutely wonderful. It was an extremely frightening time and they were extremely supportive to me and my children," she said.

And Vera added: "I meet a lot of very nice people and I feel what I do is very worthwhile. The hospital is a big place and I still occasionally get lost, but that's the best way to learn your way around. It's a very welcoming and friendly place.''

The report also reveals that the trust is getting a big helping hand financially from volunteers.

Friends of Airedale, which runs a shop in the main reception, raised £39,463 for the hospital to help buy medical equipment and services for patients, including a £17,600 minibus.

The Women's Royal Voluntary Service, which manages a shop in outpatients, raised £6,850, while Scalebor Park League of Friends contributed £8,182. Skipton Hospital League of Friends also helped out and supported the work of the hospital throughout the year.

Volunteers also run the patients' library service, Radio Airedale, and the guide and information service.

Anyone interested in working as a volunteer should telephone Elaine Foster on 01535 652511.

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