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Background NHS England states that good communication skills have a positive effect on health outcomes. A hospice applied for and received grant funding to implement a sustainable training model in which volunteers received coaching on effective communication skills as well as light-touch massage therapy, which has been shown to reduce anxiety, improve mood, relieve pain and improve circulation.Aim To enable all patients, their loved ones, carers and bereaved people in Warrington, including those affected by end-of-life diagnoses, to have access to light touch therapy whilst empowering volunteers with the skills needed to communicate effectively to improve holistic care.Method Members of the hospice team met with a representative from the funder to discuss ways in a grant could be used optimally and to suit the ethos of both organisations with the aim of addressing the challenges of an aging population and increasing demand on the hospice. A working group was formed with volunteers surveyed for opinions and interest in the project. Training packages were then created and delivered to teams of volunteers over six months with data collected on course content and intended future use of skills developed.Results Volunteers are now implementing light-touch therapy in the hospice and in wider community settings including bereavement support groups and care homes, reducing staffing costs and increasing the reach of people receiving the positive benefits. Over this period, there has been an increase from three trained staff to an additional 55 trained volunteers.Conclusion Grant funding has been successful. Training and supervision are ongoing during this period to ensure confidence and ability. At the end of the funding period (12 months), vacancies for lead therapy volunteers will be released with the remit of delivering future training sessions to new volunteers, demonstrating a sustainable model.