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St Ann’s fundraising team members gain diplomas

April 3, 2024 | 11:26am

Two St Ann’s Hospice employees recently took the next step in their fundraising careers and successfully gained their Level 3 Fundraising Diplomas.

Marie Foster, Innovation and Digital Fundraiser, and Heather Bennett, In-Memory and Legacy Fundraiser, both completed the Level 3 Fundraiser Apprenticeship, which was fully funded via the Corndel Levy Pledge in partnership with Hospice UK. This is a professional development programme which uses gifted levy funds to enable learners to gain qualifications without any cost to the hospice.

The course also gave the team members a professional qualification, the Foundation Certificate in Fundraising and Foundation Certificate Qualified Membership MCIOF (FCert).

Marie has been a key member of St Ann’s Fundraising Team for over five years.


When I started the course in January 2023 it was with the aim of increasing my knowledge on all aspects of fundraising and putting my learning into practice here at the hospice to make me a better fundraiser. The bonus was gaining a professional qualification after assessment at the end of the course.

I’ve enjoyed the learning over this past year and also the opportunity to meet other UK hospice fundraisers. Although it was difficult at certain times, it was worth it to gain the qualification – and it’s always good to push yourself out of your comfort zone!


Marie Foster, Innovation and Digital Fundraiser

Heather, a former solicitor, has worked in the team for almost two years, having previously volunteered on the ward at the Little Hulton hospice.


It was so important to me to learn about the wider workings of fundraising and how we as a hospice, and I in my own role, can be there for our wonderful supporters.

Having a wider understanding of the importance of fundraising for charitable organisations means I can in turn be a better fundraiser for our supporters. Whilst at times the course was challenging, I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to learn more about the charitable sector.


Heather Bennett, In-Memory and Legacy Fundraiser

Everyone at St Ann’s would like to congratulate Heather and Marie on their commitment and achievements.

£1,000 raised in honour of school friend by Sale and District Lions Club

March 28, 2024 | 3:13pm

I am a longstanding member of Sale and District Lions Club and requested the club members agree to raising money for St Ann’s Hospice in honour of my friend who was cared for by the local hospice.

Steve spent the final few weeks of his life in the Heald Green site at St Ann’s Hospice last summer, with myself and my group of school friends appreciating the support he was given in this time.

Steve received fantastic treatment from the staff at St Ann’s, I was so impressed at how he was looked after and there was a lovely atmosphere in the hospice, which I didn’t expect before visiting.

Hospices are not places of doom and gloom; St Ann’s had a welcoming feeling when I visited to say my farewell to Steve and I’ve wanted to help them in some way since that day.

Every year Sale and District Lions Club hosts a comedy dinner for its male members, friends and family, and we choose a charity to support with the event. I organise the event each year and chose St Ann’s for this year’s event to commemorate Steve and raise much-needed funds for the hospice, with many other club members also having had personal experience of St Ann’s.

We were able to raise £1,000 on the night of the comedy dinner, with my group of school friends and Steve’s son and friends coming along to get together. All in all there were 70 people in attendance who were only too willing to support this very worthwhile charity.

The comedy dinner took place on the six month anniversary of Steve’s passing, so it was a lovely event that was very personal to those of us who knew Steve.

There were two comedians who were the entertainers at the event, with a raffle and other games also taking place to raise money for St Ann’s Hospice.

If you’d like to support St Ann’s Hospice and take part in a fundraising event or challenge to ensure the care they provide to local people like Steve can continue, please click here.

St Ann’s Hospice wins 3rd Sector Care Award

March 26, 2024 | 3:09pm

St Ann’s Hospice are thrilled to announce that we have won the End of Life Care Award at the 3rd Sector Care Awards 2024.

The national awards, which took place earlier this month in Birmingham, aim to uncover excellence, innovation and creativity in the voluntary care and support sector.

Emma Barclay, Head of Clinical Services at St Ann’s Hospice, says: “Our application focused on St Ann’s success in innovation by delivering the rehabilitative approach to palliative care.

“The rehabilitative approach is all about focusing on our patients wishes and goals to help them achieve what is important to them. For example, last year one of our patients wanted to make memories with her friends, as she knew she had limited time left with them. The whole medical team of doctors, nurses and therapists worked with her to plan an evening with her friends that she would remember.

“They decided on having a girly night in where her friends came to the hospice, with her room being adapted into a Saturday night space. A bartender from The Griffin Pub in Heald Green came to the hospice and the patient and her friends took part in a cocktail-making class.

“With everyone working together, we created a night that the person thoroughly enjoyed and achieve that goal of making memories.”

Emma and Gemma Peers, Head of Marketing and Communications, attended on behalf of St Ann’s. The other shortlisted organisations for the End of Life Care Award were Nightingale Hammerson and Galanos House, Royal British Legion.

St Ann’s were presented with the award by actress Sally Lindsay, who spoke highly of the hospice from her hometown of Manchester.


I could not be prouder of the brilliant St Ann’s Hospice clinical team! This is such a well-deserved award and recognition for the incredible work that they do each and every day! Well done Team St Ann’s.


Emma Dixon, Director of Clinical Services at St Ann’s

Everyone at St Ann’s is so grateful to have been shortlisted and to have won this award.

Unsung Manchester heroes you should know for International Women’s Day

March 8, 2024 | 9:24am

Barbara Thackray

 

Barbara Thackray is a nearly 86-year-old grandmother who has been supporting St Ann’s Hospice for over 10 years since her late sister Audrey was a patient at the hospice and wanted to give something back after the excellent care her sister received.

Barbara runs the Altrincham 10k, her hometown, and Trafford 10k every year – always being the oldest participant in both races. Barbara has raised over £21,000 through her fundraising and has also raised an incredible amount of awareness for the hospice.

Barbara took part in adidas’ ‘impossible is nothing’ campaign last year, where she was seen all over the world and promoted the hospice in a way that’s never been done before, with over 6 million views online.

To support Barbara with her fundraising please see her JustGiving page here.

 

Dr Moya Cole

 

St Ann’s Hospice was founded by an incredible woman, Dr Moya Cole OBE, with the Heald Green site in Stockport opening in 1971 and Moya was instrumental in the decision for St Ann’s to open a second hospice in Little Hulton in Salford in 1979.

Moya was born in 1918 and was originally from Cavan in Northern Ireland. Moya was a massive trailblazer for women as well as a huge intellect.

She graduated with a BSc degree in physics from Queen’s University in Belfast in 1939 and earning an even more impressive MSc a year later. This is a huge achievement for anyone, let alone for a young woman so many decades ago.

Moya spent nearly 30 years as a consultant working in radiotherapy and oncology, and among her achievements she did ground-breaking work on breast cancer too.

It is fair to say that without Moya Cole’s vision and determination there would be no St Ann’s Hospice. Yet almost unbelievably not many people know her name and her founding role in the hospice’s history.

Belinda Neild

Belinda Neild has been fundraising for St Ann’s Hospice over the last 13 years, originally in memory of her mum, and then father-in-law and mum’s siblings too.

Belinda’s Mum was a patient at the Little Hulton site of St Ann’s Hospice before she passed away at home in 2011. Her father-in-law and aunt have died at the hospice since, with lasting connections being made between her family and St Ann’s.

Last year Belinda hit the milestone of raising £27,000 for the hospice and is an incredible ambassador for St Ann’s and the hospice movement.

As part of her fundraising Belinda has run over 10 marathons in costume, including a Rubik’s cube, Forrest Gump and a sumo wrestler.

Belinda has several Guinness Book of Records to her name, two of which are the fastest time running a marathon dressed as an item of stationery – a red crayon first then as a pencil!

This May Belinda is embarking on her toughest challenge to date – a 50 mile ultra-marathon with 2593m of ascent on the trails in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

To add to this Belinda and her husband are taking on the London Marathon, which is just two weeks before the ultra-marathon. To support Belinda with her running adventures, please see the link here.

Liz Waring

One of the longest serving workers at St Ann’s Hospice is Liz Waring, who joined as an auxiliary nurse in 1985 and still works there today.

Liz now works as an Outpatient assistant, supporting the Being You Centre and Medical Outpatients to meet patients’ individual needs.

Liz has seen many changes over the years and has enjoyed being part of the expansion of services to meet the needs of patients in the Greater Manchester area. The completion of the new building at the Heald Green hospice site coincides with Liz’s 40th year at St Ann’s and she is excited to celebrate both.

One of the memories that she’ll never forget from working at the hospice is when Princess Diana visited St Ann’s in her first year of working there!

Liz says: “I love that every day is different at St Ann’s, it’s such a rewarding job and it’s a great place to work. Staff feel valued and I am supported by an amazing Team. The opening of the new building is very exciting and will make such an incredible difference to our patients and staff.”

To find out how you can support these incredible women who do so much for St Ann’s Hospice, see more here.

“I’m so grateful for the support St Ann’s Hospice’s Lymphoedema Clinic has given me”

March 7, 2024 | 1:23pm

I had cancer 26 years ago and as a result of the radiotherapy and chemotherapy I developed lymphoedema. At the time of being treated it wasn’t a consequence I thought much about, as you choose any option to save your life.

My lymphoedema is in my left leg and has been described as a severe case by the hospital that diagnosed it.

However, I’m very determined to do most things in life as I had done before, and still go on walks but wear the compression garments that help me so much.

This illness has obviously affected my life in so many ways and it isn’t easy wearing the garments which are a real nuisance, but I’m grateful that I can manage my leg and have as much support as I do.

The St Ann’s Clinic are amazing and have supported me so much. I used to travel quite far for treatment, but I’m glad I can go to the Heald Green hospice site which is just round the corner from me.

There is no cure for lymphoedema so you have to stay positive and appreciate any improvements, even if they are small or temporary.

The clinic have always been there for me and I can get back in touch with them whenever I need to, they get back to me so quickly and I’d definitely recommend the clinic to others with lymphoedema.

The St Ann’s team are used to seeing all kinds of lymphoedema and weren’t shocked when they saw the size of my leg which I really appreciated. They have so much knowledge around lymphoedema and are very accommodating with me.

Last year I had bandaging on my leg to lose the fluid and I went three times a week to the clinic which really helped.

When people think of a hospice they often don’t think of people going there who aren’t having end of life treatment, but they do brilliant work with outpatients and I couldn’t recommend them enough.

For more information on the Lymphoedema Clinic and other services that St Ann’s Hospice provide, please go to www.sah.org.uk/how-we-help/our-services.

Why St Ann’s Hospice’s Lymphoedema Clinic is so important

March 5, 2024 | 2:52pm

Lymphoedema is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the lymphatics causing swelling of the tissues and it can also predispose people to infection. Lymphoedema can occur anywhere in the body, with half a million people in the UK estimated to have the condition.

Lymphoedema can be present from birth due to congenital or hereditary cause, or it can be a secondary condition that is developed after having another illness such as heart disease and cancer. It can also be caused by trauma and repeated infections which in turn, cause damage to the lymphatic system.

The St Ann’s Lymphoedema team run an outpatients clinic at both of their hospice sites in Heald Green and Little Hulton.

Though the clinic is based in a hospice, most of their patients do not have a palliative condition. Some patients have been coming to the clinic for many years for advice and support to help manage their lymphoedema. Other patients can be discharged once their condition is stable and well managed, but they have the option to self-refer back if needed.

Rachel Underwood is an outpatient at the lymphoedema clinic, she says: “I’ve been an outpatient at St Ann’s Hospice’s Lymphoedema Clinic for the last 4 or 5 years and I’m so grateful for the brilliant team who have supported me so much.

“I had cancer 26 years ago and as a result of the radiotherapy and chemotherapy I developed lymphoedema. At the time of being treated it wasn’t a consequence I thought much about, as you choose any option to save your life.


When people think of a hospice they often don’t think of people going there who aren’t having end of life treatment, but they do brilliant work with outpatients and I couldn’t recommend them enough.


Rachel Underwood

The Lymphoedema Clinic provide education and practical advice to their patients to teach them how to self-mange their condition. They also measure and assess for compression garments, amongst a variety of other specialised treatments.

For more information about the Lymphoedema Clinic and what St Ann’s Hospice do in the community, see more at SAH.org

Donate the cost of a match day pint to help your team win the Manchester Donation Derby

March 1, 2024 | 12:25pm

We’re asking City and United fans to donate the price of a match day pint to your team’s page in aid of our Build it Together appeal for a much-needed new hospice in Heald Green, Stockport.

Which team will be the first to fund a pallet of bricks, a solar panel, or even a room in the new hospice?

This is the third time we’ve hosted the Donation Derby, and it’s currently 2-0 to Man United. Man United took the victory in June 2023 despite City coming out on top in the FA Cup Final, with fans raising a combined total of over £1,000. It was a repeat of those events in the first derby of this Premier League season, with City winning the match but United taking a narrow victory in the Donation Derby.


“We’re excited to host another Donation Derby, and calling for all United and City fans to get involved. City might have the edge on the pitch, but we’re looking forward to seeing if United can make it to third victory in a row in the Donation Derby!”


Anne-Marie Wynne, Head of Fundraising and Capital Appeal

If you’re not a fan of either team but still want to get involved and help to build the new hospice, you can! You can donate to the overall campaign on JustGiving instead of the team pages for City and United.

The fundraising pages for the Donation Derby are already open and can be found at the following links:

May the best team win!

The Manchester Donation Derby has been set up by St Ann’s Hospice for the purpose of raising funds for a new hospice in Greater Manchester. The event is not organised or endorsed by the Premier League or the clubs.

We are one of the headline charities for Totally Stockport KRAZY RACES!

February 21, 2024 | 3:35pm

We are thrilled to be partnering with the popular Stockport soapbox derby event taking place on Sunday 28th July.

Last year’s inaugural event welcomed over 15,000 people to watch the national award-winning event, and this year they’re looking for teams to compete.

A maximum of 40 teams made up of locals and business teams will build, design and of course race their wonderful and weird soapboxes through the centre of Stockport!

We’re excited to be working with Krazy Races and look forward to what promises to be another fantastic day for all the community.

The money raised will go towards our Build it together appeal for a new hospice in Heald Green, directly benefiting Stockport patients and their families.

We are now at the halfway point in our public appeal to raising the final £2 million we need to build a new hospice for the future of St Ann’s. In total, building the new hospice will cost around £22.5 million, which includes buying the land next door to the existing hospice site in Heald Green.

Find out more and donate to the Build It Together Appeal, go to www.sah.org.uk/newhospice.


“The driving ethos behind Krazy Races is rooted in our charity partnerships. 2023 was a record-breaking year for us with our events raising over £100,000 for charitable causes, including £20,000 for Stockport charities. Our ambition is to raise even more this year; through our partnership with both The Christie Charity and St Ann’s Hospice, we are confident that this is more than achievable with our 2024 partnerships, two household names that have made such a positive impact on the lives of so many people within Stockport.”


Sarah Belcher, founder of Krazy Races

Information on how to enter can be found on www.krazyraces.co.uk. If you would like to enter a team to fundraise for St Ann’s email supporter@sah.org.uk or telephone 0161 498 3631 and we’ll be delighted to support you with your fundraising.