Haven House volunteer meets Dame Barbara Windsor at City Hall

16 Jan Haven House volunteer meets Dame Barbara Windsor at City Hall

Haven House Children’s Hospice’s longest-serving volunteer, Violet Pace, had a special morning at City Hall with Dame Barbara Windsor following her recent win at the Team London Awards.

Violet, a resident of Little Ilford, was presented with a Team London Long Service Award by Dame Barbara, a Team London Ambassador, in November just weeks after celebrating her 85th birthday.

On Friday 13 January, City Hall put on a private event for Violet with Dame Barbara as a way of celebrating her long-standing volunteering at Haven House.
Violet was accompanied by her son, Michael, and friend, Mary Blewett, who has volunteered at Haven House for nearly as long as her.

Violet has been with Haven House from the very beginning and long before the hospice opened its doors at its home, The White House, in Woodford Green in 2003.
Having worked at the Kenneth Moore Theatre in Ilford for more than 30 years, Violet started volunteering with Haven House in 1999 when the charity was operating from a temporary office on Cranbrook Road in Ilford.
Violet said: “It was wonderful to meet Dame Barbara Windsor at City Hall and she’s such a lovely person.

“I really enjoyed chatting to her over coffee and biscuits about Haven House and East End life. I’m so grateful to Dame Barbara and Team London for all of their kindness.”

Mike Palfreman, Chief Executive of Haven House, said: “Violet is our longest-serving volunteer and a complete inspiration to everyone at our hospice.

“We are delighted that she had the opportunity to meet with Dame Barbara Windsor at City Hall in what was a very special morning.”

If you are inspired by Violet and would like to give your time to Haven House, please visit our volunteering page to find out more about our roles: www.havenhouse.org.uk/volunteering