St Cuthbert`s Hospice: Making every day count

Insight
St Cuthbert’s Hospice
Newsletter
Autumn 2010
St Cuthbert’s Hospice: Making every day count
www.stcuthbertshospice.com Autumn 2010| 1
Welcome
Welcome to the Autumn issue of Insight.
I’ve always loved being outside and
had an appreciation of the changing
seasons. From childhood, Autumn
has been my favourite season,
thanks to an October birthday and
several years spent living in the
USA where I would be in awe of
their spectacular ‘Falls’. The season
now also signifies for me a season of reflection and
remembering.
News
Helping Bereaved Children
in the Community
During the Autumn, we have our Annual General
Meeting here at the hospice, where we review all we
have done in the previous year. It is also the season
when we launch our Light up a Life appeal, which
helps people to remember a loved one. Last year, I was
privileged to take part in our very moving service for
Light up a Life at Durham Cathedral, and I remembered
a colleague in my reading.
As you write your Christmas cards this year, take a
moment to pause and reflect that statistically a third
of the people on your list will have been touched by
the work of a hospice. And if that person is you, or
someone you love, I want to reassure you that as your
local hospice we are passionate about providing the
very best care possible.
St Cuthbert’s is a special place, made possible by the
support of so many local people, and I invite you to
come and see our beautiful facilities for yourself. Join
us in Park House Café or spend a peaceful moment in
our new In Memory Garden.
As the hospice goes from strength to strength, I want
to thank all of you who make this possible by your
extraordinary efforts.
Contact Us:
Angela Dinsdale,
Chief Executive
St Cuthbert’s Hospice
Park House Road
Merryoaks
Durham
DH1 3QF
0191 386 1170
www.stcuthbertshospice.com
Editorial enquiries to:
emily.rosselli@stcuthbertshospice.com
Registered charity no: 519767
Company number: 2208426
VAT Registration number: 6057 711 48
2 | Insight Autumn 2010
Around 300 children in North
Durham will benefit from our
Children’s Bereavement Service
in the year ahead.
Illness or death within a family can affect children and young
people in different ways. Some may struggle at school or find
it hard to sleep for example, and it can lead to confusing
emotions such as fear, sadness, loneliness and worry. Our
dedicated Family Support Team is here to help children and
young people to understand their grief and make some sense of
illness and loss, using a range of activities and therapies.
“Children and young people don’t always articulate their
feelings verbally, so as a hospice, we have a responsibility to
help each child to express themselves in whatever way is most
appropriate to them,” said Christine Knowles, Family Support
Team Leader. “For example, some children find that drawing
faces can help them to understand how they are feeling,
and for others, making a ‘Memory Box’ about their parent or
grandparent is a powerful way of working through their grief.”
As the team builds links within the local community, their
counselling services will be available to children and young
people who do not have a connection to St Cuthbert’s Hospice,
as well as those related to hospice patients.
in Brief
Care Enhanced By Multimedia Project
Day Hospice guest Audrey Dowgray has rediscovered her
passion for painting, thanks to our Multimedia Project.
Experts in design, sculpture, poetry and photography have
been helping patients to explore new hobbies and find ways of
expressing themselves over recent weeks.
Audrey, who has been busy creating landscapes using clay,
watercolour and pastels, said, “Before I started coming to the Day
Hospice at St Cuthbert’s, I hadn’t painted for years, but recently I
have rediscovered my love of art thanks to the sessions.
“Whether I am using clay or paint, I find it very therapeutic to
be able to clear my mind and just focus on a landscape or a
beautiful sky, rather than thinking about all the negatives.”
Audrey’s mentor Edwin Fellows, a volunteer, said, “The main
focus is just to encourage everyone to join in, participate and
enjoy the pleasures of creating something completely unique
to them.”
Other Multimedia projects at the hospice include poetry
workshops and reminiscence through photography and music.
Christmas Card Collection is Launched!
Show your support during the season of goodwill by sending St Cuthbert’s Hospice Christmas Cards. We are very proud to launch
our exquisite collection of cards as well as a calendar, which showcases beautiful photography of Durham City. We also offer a
stunning selection of corporate Christmas cards which can be overprinted with your company’s details. Proceeds will help us to
provide free care and support to local people with life-limiting illnesses. Visit www.stcuthbertshospice.com or call 0191 386 1170
for details.
www.stcuthbertshospice.com Autumn 2010| 3
My name is Lorraine
Butler and my story
is like so many
other people’s. I
too never thought
that terminal illness
would affect my life
and my loved ones.
Lorraine Butler shared twenty happy years of marriage with her
husband Wilfred, before he lost his battle with prostate cancer
in November 2009, aged just fifty.
“Will left behind two cherished children, who will miss their
dad every day,” said Lorraine.
Will had worked as an Adminsitration Officer for the Crown
Prosecution Service, and lived with Lorraine and their two
children in Witton Gilbert.
“He was cared for in St Cuthbert’s Hospice’s tranquil setting,
where he was treated with so much kindness and respect,
always with a warm smile and humour. You could almost forget
the reason why you were there. Nothing was too much trouble
to improve Will’s quality of life.
“Throughout his battle with cancer he endured so much but
never lost his wonderful sense of humour, often entertaining
the nurses with his cheeky banter. He was truly a very brave
and remarkable man who touched so many lives and will be
deeply missed by his family and friends.
4 | Insight Autumn 2010
“The team of outstanding doctors, devoted nurses and
healthcare assistants, physiotherapists, counsellors, cooks,
housekeepers and volunteers at St Cuthbert’s Hospice all
played a part in making the treasured time Will had left with
his family as enjoyable and pain-free as possible. I draw
comfort from the peaceful ending Will had at St Cuthbert’s
Hospice and, for this, I will always be grateful.”
Lorraine, a graphic designer, took part in the Midnight Walk in
June in honour of Will, raising an incredible £900 for St Cuthbert’s
Hospice. Now, Lorraine is lending her support to our ‘Light up a
Life’ appeal, which invites people to celebrate the life of someone
special by donating to St Cuthbert’s Hospice in their memory.
“Will never lost his sense of
humour, often entertaining
the nurses at St Cuthbert’s
with his cheeky banter.”
“At the hospice, nothing was
too much trouble to improve
Will’s quality of life.”
A Day in the Life
Patients and their relatives often
compliment us on the welcoming and
comfortable setting of St Cuthbert’s
Hospice.
The lady responsible for making sure we provide a
friendly, homely atmosphere is Carole Lynn, our Guest
Services Coordinator.
“Being in a pleasant environment is essential to
someone’s quality of life, whether they are here for
a day patient appointment, visiting our Day Hospice
or spending some time in our In Patient Unit,” says
Carole. “Small things like a good home-cooked meal,
fresh flowers and soft clean bed linen can make such a
difference. It is so rewarding to hear many of the lovely
compliments from our patients and families.
“The Light up a Life appeal raises money for the marvellous
work that St Cuthbert’s Hospice does, caring for patients
and supporting their families - but Light up a Life is also a
meaningful way of remembering special people like Will,”
said Lorraine.
“With your support, this wonderful care that our family
experienced at St Cuthbert’s Hospice can continue to ease
the pain of many more families who are blighted by illness.”
We will pay tribute to all those remembered through Light
up a Life at a special service at Durham Cathedral on 12th
December at 6.30pm, bringing together the whole community
in memory of our relatives and friends.
Their names will be included in special Books of
Remembrance, which will be placed in St Cuthbert’s Hospice
after being dedicated at the Light up a Life service in Durham
Cathedral.
“As well as housekeeping, I organise the patients’ meals
with a team of dedicated staff and volunteers. For our
Day Guests this is a communal sit-down lunch, and for
our In-Patients, we prepare breakfast, lunch and tea to
be served in their rooms. We take pride in delivering
any individual dietary requirements. If someone fancies
something in particular, we will pull out all the stops to
make sure that it happens.
“Since Park House Café opened last September, the
kitchen team now makes sure that it is well stocked with
delicious home made produce, cakes, flatbreads, soups,
baked potatoes and lots more.
“Finally I also manage our purpose-built Education Suite,
which is hired by many local companies for meetings and
events. It’s a wonderful venue and we deliver a range
of hospitality requirements, from working lunches and
finger buffet to executive lunches.”
For more information about Park House Café or hiring
the Education Suite, contact Carole Lynn on 0191 386
1170 or carole.lynn@stcuthbertshospice.com.
If you would like to remember a loved one through Light up
a Life, contact us on 0191 386 1170 or visit
www.stcuthbertshospice.com.
www.stcuthbertshospice.com Autumn 2010| 5
For information on any
event, call 0191 386 1170.
Ripon and Skipton Coach Trip
11th September, 8am – 7pm, £12 per ticket
Sky Dive
2nd October, Peterlee
Parachute Centre, £70 deposit
There can be few events that offer the
sheer thrill, adrenaline rush and sense of achievement that
you’ll feel after you Sky Dive for St Cuthbert’s Hospice!
Contact us as soon as possible to secure your place. A
minimum sponsorship of £400 applies.
Silver Knights Ball
17th September, Lumley Castle, 7pm,
£60 per ticket
The fairytale surroundings of Lumley Castle will provide
the setting for this dazzling charity ball.
50/50 Dance
Thanks to the Mayor’s Appeal for choosing St Cuthbert’s
Hospice as one of the selected charities this year. Keep
an eye out for fundraising events!
8th October, Chilton and Windlestone WMC, 8pm, £6.
For tickets, call 01388 605770 or 0191 3770143.
Back with a bark!
Paws for a Cause – Sponsored Dog Walk
10th October, Houghall Woodlands, £10 registration per dog
Calling all dogs of Durham: your local hospice needs YOU! A furry army of over 100
dogs will be put through their paces at our second sponsored dog walk. Paws for a
Cause 2010 features a brand new 3-mile woodland route as well as fun treats and
challenges for your pooch including agility competitions and doggy bags!
ITV Tyne Tees presenter Philippa Tomson will join her Tibetan Terrier at Paws for a
Cause for the second year running.
Philippa, who is co-host of North East Tonight, is looking forward to taking her
beloved dog ‘BG’ out for his morning walk at the event on 10th October, where BG
will be joined by dogs of all shapes and sizes to raise funds for the hospice.
Philippa said, “I took part in Paws for a Cause last year, and it was a wonderful
event with a great atmosphere. I’m a massive and devoted dog lover so I’m thrilled
to be joining in again this year. I’ll make sure BG is on his best behaviour!”
Your dog can make a difference. Visit www.stcuthbertshospice.com to download
your registration form.
6 | Insight Autumn 2010
World Hospice Day, 9th October
Stocking Fillers
Support your local hospice and be part of the
global hospice movement! Contact our Community
Fundraiser on 0191 386 1170 if you’d like to hold your
own event to help us celebrate World Hospice Day.
13th November, St
Cuthbert’s Hospice,
11pm – 2pm
York and MacArthur Glen
Coach Trip
6th November, 8am – 7pm, £12 per ticket
Friday Night is Music Night
3rd December, Elvet Methodist Church,
6.45pm £7.50 (students and children £2.50)
Organised by the Rotary Club of Durham Bede. For tickets
call 0191 386 6772.
Christmas Flower Demonstration
9th December, Durham County Council
Chamber, 7pm, £8
Fans of flower-arranging will learn to create festive
displays for their homes, at a special event to raise
money for St Cuthbert’s Hospice. Those who attend can
watch up-close as florists create Christmas masterpieces
step-by-step. The festive arrangements will then be
available to win in a raffle after the demonstration.
Visit St Cuthbert’s
Hospice for a Christmas
shopping experience with
a difference! Offering an
alternative to high-street
chains and Christmas
crowds, you can browse our gift stalls at Park House
and find that special, quirky, charming or traditional
Christmas gift.
Concert for the
Feast of St Nicholas
10th December, Durham
Cathedral, 7.30pm
We are one of three charities to
benefit from an evening of festive
music, with readings by public
figures including children’s author
Anne Fine. Tickets available from
Tourist Information. Gold Tickets
(£30) include pre-event reception and parking on Palace
Green. Red Tickets are £12.50 or Green Tickets (students and
under 16s) are £8.
Autumn Raffle
£1 per ticket
£1,000 cash prize
Light up a Life Service
12th December, Durham
Cathedral, 6.30pm
Join us in the fine surroundings of
Durham Cathedral, as the
whole community pays
tribute to all those special
people remembered through
our ‘Light up a Life’ appeal. If
you would like to remember
a loved one through Light up a Life,
complete the enclosed form or contact
us on 0191 386 1170.
Volunteers are needed for events! Our
diverse diary of fundraising events simply
could not happen without the presence of
volunteers. Call us to register your interest.
By entering our Autumn Raffle 2010, you’ll be making a
very real difference to local families and not only that,
you’ll be in with the chance of winning a £1,000 cash
prize! Second prize is one year’s peak membership to
the plush Pace Health Club, and third prize is dinner for
four people at the fabulous Filini Restaurant – both kindly
donated by the Radisson Blu Hotel in Durham.
Just send your completed raffle stubs back to St
Cuthbert’s Hospice with your payment enclosed, no later
than Monday 13th December. The Autumn Raffle will be
drawn on Thursday 16th December.
Sponsored by
www.stcuthbertshospice.com Autumn 2010| 7
First pebble is placed in
our newly completed In
Memory Garden
A tranquil In Memory Garden has been created in the idyllic grounds
of St Cuthbert’s Hospice, hidden from view by beech trees.
A small bridge and a circular path offer a pleasant route for
visitors to amble around the garden, while they enjoy the gently
flowing stream and the roses, rhododendrons and azaleas.
The In Memory Garden was designed by Alan Jobson and
our vision was transformed into a reality by Brambledown
Landscapes, before volunteer gardeners put in the final
flourishes. The haven can now be enjoyed by the whole
community, including the thousands of families, patients and
volunteers who visit the hospice each year.
Ken Allday from Newton Hall was the first to pay tribute to a
loved one in the In Memory Garden, by placing an engraved
pebble in the stream in honour of his beloved wife Joan, who
died from cancer at St Cuthbert’s Hospice aged 74.
8 | Insight Autumn 2010
“The In Memory Garden means the world to me,” said Mr.
Allday, who was married to Joan for 56 years. “Joan absolutely
loved St Cuthbert’s and was at peace here, so the knowledge
that her pebble will be here forever is a comfort.”
“I come to the garden once a week, sit on the bench and think
about our wonderful life together. It’s become a routine that
I love – after I’ve visited the garden, I have a coffee in Park
House Café and I talk to the amazing staff and volunteers who
knew and loved Joan. When I pass away, my family will engrave
a pebble in my memory and place it next to Joan’s, so that we
can be together forever.”
Anyone can have a pebble engraved for the garden in return
for a donation to St Cuthbert’s Hospice; you do not need to
have a connection to the hospice. Please contact Lucy Baxter
on 0191 386 1170 or lucy.baxter@stcuthbertshospice.com.
How volunteering at St Cuthbert’s Hospice
helped Simon, 30, cope with Multiple Sclerosis.
Simon, who lives in Merryoaks, was a successful head chef
when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, aged just
25.
“When I was 19, I started getting a strange sensation
in my eyes, and pins and needles in my arms and legs,”
recalls Simon. “Six years later, I was diagnosed with
M.S. I couldn’t carry on working as a chef as the work
was too physically tough. I’d been so passionate about
cooking, so I was devastated to give it up.”
Simon’s whole outlook on life has changed since he
began volunteering for St Cuthbert’s Hospice. Simon
now helps with a range of admin tasks at St Cuthbert’s
and works in our charity shops once a week.
“Since I started volunteering at the hospice, life
couldn’t be better,” he says. “My self-confidence has
rocketed, I’ve met some great friends, and I am gaining
skills which will help me get back into employment.”
Volunteers at St Cuthbert’s Hospice have the chance to
gain NVQ qualifications in a range of skills. Simon has
started an NVQ in Business and Administration, which
will help him start a career in computing.
“It’s a big change from being a chef, but I have really
enjoyed the IT work that I’ve done at the hospice, and
it’s something that I can do sitting down. I’ve learned
how to organise spreadsheets, databases and mailings. It
makes you feel good to learn a new skill, so I’m feeling
great about the future thanks to St Cuthbert’s Hospice.”
More of our volunteers will be able to benefit from
training and development opportunities, thanks to a
£99,387 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The money
will be used to provide training, qualifications and
support for the hospice’s community of over 300
volunteers – without whom St Cuthbert’s Hospice
simply could not exist.
www.stcuthbertshospice.com Autumn 2010| 9
How can I help?
Choose Your Gift
By donating to St Cuthbert’s Hospice, your gift will help patients and their relatives to make every day count. We cared for and
supported around 1,000 local families free of charge last year, but we have to find £4,000 every single day just to meet our running
costs. With your gifts, we can help even more people to cope with the effects of life-limiting illnesses.
Please choose your donation by ticking a box below, and returning this full page with payment to St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Park
House Road, Merryoaks, Durham, DH1 3QF.
Tick here to donate
Tick here to donate
0
£3
£200
A traditional
Christmas lunch
Support a
bereaved child
£30 could pay for a guest to enjoy a home-cooked Christmas
lunch with guests and volunteers at St Cuthbert’s Hospice,
complete with a Christmas gift and visit from Santa.
£200 could provide the resources to help a bereaved
child or teenager to express and understand their grief,
through counselling, art, music, play or creative writing.
Tick here to donate
Tick here to donate
£60
Care at home
Give a relative a
break
£60 could pay for a therapist to come
out to visit a patient in the comfort
of their own home, helping someone to achieve what is most
important to them in their everyday lives – from walking their
dog to cooking their own dinner.
Tick here to donate
0
£37
£370 could fund a night of respite care in our In-Patient
Unit for someone whose loved ones care for them at
home, giving their carer a well-deserved break.
Tick here to donate
£150
Make someone’s day
£???
Or a gift of your
choice: £
£150 could pay for a guest to spend
one day in our relaxing Day Hospice.
On a typical day, guests take part in activities, excursions
and therapies, as well as receiving the best possible care
and advice.
(please give amount)
All gifts, however big or small, make a real difference to
people with life-limiting conditions in North Durham.
Your name:
Address:
Card number:
Start date:
Card security code
Postcode:
Name on card:
Telephone:
Billing address:
Email:
/
Expiry date:
/
(the last three digits on the reverse of your card)
Date:
I would like to pay St Cuthbert’s Hospice the amount of £
I am paying by card (please complete card payment details)
10 | Insight Autumn 2010
/
Signature:
I would like to be kept updated of St Cuthbert’s news and
events via post
and email
.
I enclose cash or cheque to the amount of £
(Please make cheques payable to St Cuthbert’s Hospice)
/
/
hIf you are a UK
tTaxpayer, under the
Government’s Gift Aid
scheme St Cuthbert’s Hospice can
reclaim the tax you have already paid on your gift.
This means that your donation can increase in value
by nearly a third at no extra cost to you. Please
sign the box below if you would like St Cuthbert’s
Hospice to reclaim tax on your gift.
for the last 4 years as Gift Aid donations.
It doesn’t matter what rate of tax you pay as long
as you pay an amount of income or capital gains tax
equal to the tax we reclaim on your donations in
that financial year. Please remember to inform us of
any changes to your tax status.
Please treat this and any future donations I make to
St Cuthbert’s Hospice and all donations I have made
Date
Signed
Regular Gifts
Regular donations via standing order are a simple way to give to St Cuthbert’s Hospice.
By becoming a Regular Giver, you can help us to guarantee our income and plan developments to our care services. Our loyal community
of Regular Givers also receive a special Thanks a Million newsletter, and are invited to an annual Regular Givers’ Evening.
Your name:
To the manager of
Address:
Branch address:
I would like to pay St Cuthbert’s Hospice (NatWest Bank PLC,
account number 38622777, sort code 52-30-44) the sum of:
Postcode:
Telephone:
£5
Email:
If you are a
UK Taxpayer,
under the
Government’s
Gift Aid scheme St
Cuthbert’s Hospice can reclaim the tax
you have already paid on your gift. This
means that your donation can increase in
value by nearly a third at no extra cost to
you. Please sign the box below if you would
like St Cuthbert’s Hospice to reclaim tax on
your gift.
Please treat this and any future donations
I make to St Cuthbert’s Hospice and all
£10
£15
Starting on
donations I have made for the last 4 years as
Gift Aid donations.
Bank
£25
/
And thereafter monthly
£50
/
quarterly
annually
Account number:
It doesn’t matter what rate of tax you pay
as long as you pay an amount of income or
capital gains tax equal to the tax we reclaim
on your donations in that financial year.
Please remember to inform us of any changes
to your tax status.
Sort code:
Account name:
Signature:
Date:
Signed
Date
I would like to be kept updated of St Cuthbert’s news and
events via post
and email
.
The Most Special Gift of All…
Did you know that one in five of all patients at St Cuthbert’s Hospice have their care funded
by a gift in someone’s Will?
Remembering St Cuthbert’s Hospice in your Will is a very
special way of safeguarding the future of the hospice, and
ensuring that our children and grandchildren will experience
the care, peace and dignity that they deserve.
We therefore ask you to consider leaving a legacy to the
hospice in your Will, after you have remembered your loved
ones. To thank you for your gift, we will cover the legal fees of
including St Cuthbert’s in your Will.
Your solicitor can help you to choose whether you would like
to leave us a specific gift, a fixed amount, or all or part of your
estate.
If you would like to make a difference to local people long
after your lifetime, contact Lucy Baxter on 0191 386 1170 or
lucy.baxter@stcuthbertshospice.com.
www.stcuthbertshospice.com Autumn 2010| 11
Midnight Walk Raises £80,000
Durham Constabulary Bikewise Team
support garden project
Andrew Pritchard and
friends on a Coast to Coast
Denise Robertson visits the hospice
Kate Adie at
Park House
St Cuthbert’s Hospice
Thanks for your support
The Gates Shopping Centre
supports St Cuthbert’s
Morrisons go yellow for hospice care
Our first Gentlemen’s Dinner raises £10,000
12 | Insight Autumn 2010