Volunteers are starting to return to Macclesfield's East Cheshire Hospice after being stood down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The first receptionist was back on the front desk last Thursday during Volunteers Week.

Several days earlier the gardening team returned to their duties and other volunteer roles will be re-introduced according to strict safety guidelines.

That means charity shop helpers will not return until next month and it could be some time before volunteers will be back on the ward and in other patient-facing roles.

Hospice voluntary services co-ordinator Helena Smith said: "The message to our 650 volunteers is that we're missing you.

"Our volunteers bring something special to the hospice and we're looking forward to seeing them again.

"While we're genuinely excited about having them back, it's going to take us a while to see all the teams return.

"The most important consideration is that we ensure people are safe, and feel safe.

"Everyone has pitched in to make the place work, with staff switching into different roles.

"But the last two or three months has shown us what we knew all along - that we couldn't exist without our incredible volunteers."

With some hospice staff also self-isolating, colleagues have been switching jobs to help on reception, in the kitchen, laundry room and with cleaning duties.

One of first volunteers back was Stan Wiseman whose work in the garden is in memory of his late wife Sara, who died in the hospice in 2016.

Like her husband, Sara was also a hospice volunteer for many years and an ambassador.