What could be better than volunteering with your best friend?

It’s hard to top, according to best friends Jen Richardson and Jenny Parry, who started volunteering together at Mater Private Hospital Townsville in 2015.

They’re such good friends that they even learned the news they’d been accepted as volunteers, while holidaying together!

‘The two Jennys’ as they’re affectionately called have been prominent figures across Townsville’s business community for decades, bringing a wealth of knowledge when supporting Mater’s corporate events.

While Jen Richardson loves the variety of volunteering, it’s the people she loves most.

“Over the years we’ve had lots of different roles at the hospital, but Jenny and I really enjoy being that first point of contact at the main entrance,” she said.

“It can be quite daunting entering a hospital for some, so we really love helping patients and their families upon their arrival to ease that stress.”

Jenny Parry shares her best friend’s sentiment. She saw volunteering as a way to give back to the Townsville community, which supported the business she shared with husband Allan for more than 30 years.

“I was contemplating what to do in retirement and I remembered Allan had been the Treasurer of Mater’s fundraising committee years earlier.

“I thought volunteering could be an avenue to continue that legacy Allan had created for our family with Mater.”

On National Volunteer Week we thank the two Jennys and all our Townsville volunteers for their compassion and commitment to supporting Mater’s patients and families.