Paul Ashworth is 18 and started volunteering at St Ann's Hospice in Manchester a year ago. He began volunteering as part of his college course in order to gain work experience. He wants to study medicine and the hospice work is giving him experience of what to expect.
He helps out on the wards once a week, getting teas ready for patients and chatting to them and their famillies. He had been inside St Ann's once before:
'My grandad was in St Ann's and I went to visit him so I had a vague idea of what the hospice was like.'
Working in the hospice he meets a lot of different people and because he's so young he's a bit different.
'They are interested in how my college course is going and how i'm getting on. I really enjoy chatting to patients and seeing different people each week. It is sad when someone you have got to know well dies, but generally I don't find working there sad.'
Paul wants to go to Manchester University and if this works out he will continue volunteering at St Ann's.
'I hope I can stay on volunteering here. I am learning so much from St Ann's - but mainly I have such a good time it's become part of my life.'
