A RETIRED nurse and charity champion is issuing a plea for more volunteers to sit by the bedsides of patients in their final hours.

Muriel Searl MBE is part of the award-winning Compassionate Inverclyde organisation and their groundbreaking No One Dies Alone initiative, the first of its kind in this country.

The team are on call round the clock to come to be with those who are dying, often offering much needed respite to their loved ones by simply being in the room.

It started in the IRH but now the team are going out into the community and into people's own homes too.

Since setting up five years ago they have selflessly given up nearly 4,000 hours and helped more than 100 people.

Founder and former hospice nurse Alison Bunce is now launching a campaign to encourage more people to join their ranks.

Muriel, 74, said: "I spent 50 years of my life as a nurse but the first thing I had to learn this is not medical.

"It is simply about being a presence in the room, so the person knows you are there and they are not alone.

"You can hold their hands or not, sit in silence or talk, or tuck in a blanket.

"When we are born someone delivers us and it is only right that someone should be there at the other end when we leave.

"No one should ever die alone.

"Often it is a great comfort to family members who may not be able to be there, but they know someone is.

"We can do it in shifts, for three days, three hours or three minutes, it is about being there that matters."

Muriel, who worked as a nurse and was awarded royal recognition for her work with children's charity Dreamflight, was one of the first to sign up for Alison's movement.

She said: "I had just retired and I was looking for something worthwhile.

"My podiatrist had just lost a family member and during that time she had heard about Compassionate Inverclyde starting up in the hospital.,

"I spoke to Alison, who is incredible, and that was it.

"I have been to funerals since and we have met family members who have been overwhelmed by what we did.

"I remember my first person, I held his hand and I wept for him.

"But when you speak to all the volunteers, we all have these feelings.

"At first when you start there is a buddy system, so someone is there with you when you first volunteer."

In a set-up unique to Inverclyde, there is a network of fully trained volunteers ready to step in and be there in 20 minutes

Founder Alison said: "We have had the most incredible feedback from everyone involved.

"I simply send out a message on our Whatsapp group and everyone starts to respond with what times they can give up.

"We first started in the hospital but now our more experienced volunteers can go to care homes and into people's homes."

Since setting up in 2018 Compassionate Inverclyde has attracted national acclaim for the NODA scheme and other areas are now following in her footsteps.

Alison added: "I travelled to other countries like America to look at other models and adapt it to a way that works in Inverclyde.

"It is obviously emotional and we provide training for all our volunteers.

"All people really need is to have a good heart and the time to give."