‘Repaying the debt’: Why Harshad volunteers for St Luke’s

This week we’re celebrating Volunteers’ Week and thanking volunteers like Harshad Popat, whose personal experience of hospice care inspired a decade of volunteering

When Harshad Popat talks about volunteering at St Luke’s Hospice, he does not start with himself.

He starts with his father.

More than 30 years ago, Harshad’s father was dying from cancer. During his final weeks, a local hospice stepped in to support both him and his family.

“They were very, very helpful,” Harshad recalled. “I do not know how the family would have coped without their help. There were very good last days for him.”

The experience never left him.

“There was no way of repaying the debt,” he said. “Money wasn’t the issue at all.”

For Harshad, the debt was not financial. It was a debt of kindness, compassion and support shown to his family at one of the most difficult times in their lives.

After a successful 50-year career as a chartered accountant, Harshad retired and moved to Stanmore. Looking for a way to give something back, St Luke’s Hospice was an obvious choice.

“I thought, hopefully I’ll live long enough to contribute something back to society as my debt. And I was lucky.”

That was 10 years ago.

Since then, Harshad has volunteered in the finance team, putting decades of professional experience to good use. Throughout his career he worked with businesses and organisations of all sizes, bringing valuable skills and knowledge to the hospice.

Today, at the age of 80, he continues to support St Luke’s and remains passionate about the role hospices play in local communities.

“The society, the community locally need this help,” he said. “I don’t know how we would do without it.”

As we celebrate Volunteers’ Week, we would like to thank Harshad for his dedication and service.

His story is a reminder that volunteering is often about more than giving time. Sometimes it is about repaying a debt of gratitude that can never truly be measured.