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Theme: News story

Our very first Bubble Rush run went with a pop!

July 5, 2019 | 2:21pm

Hundreds of families from across Greater Manchester had a very bubbly time on Saturday, as they gathered in Wythenshawe Park for our latest fundraising event.

Our very first Bubble Rush run went with a pop, as participants took on a 5km course, complete with bubble stations pumping out masses of multi-coloured foam.

We’re hoping the sponsored event has raised lots of money for the local patients and families we care for.

Participants each received a special medal on the day, with everyone over the age of three also receiving a t-shirt for completing the course.


It’s fantastic to see people from our local communities across Greater Manchester all coming together and having fun at an event like the Bubble Rush.  People of every age took part, getting messy and having a great time in aid of our patients. As a charity that needs to fundraise £20,000 a day so we can carry on providing specialist care to our patients and their loved ones, we rely on the kind support and generosity of local people.  We’re always amazed by the unceasing passion for St Ann’s that people across Greater Manchester show us, and seeing everyone gathered together at the weekend raising money was one of those occasions.  Huge thanks to everyone who took part.  We hope you had a great time, and we can’t wait to see how much everyone has raised in sponsorship.


Eamonn O’Neal, Chief Executive

To return your sponsorship or find out more about other events and ways of supporting the hospice, please visit our fundraising page, call 0161 498 3663, or email events@sah.org.uk

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Couple take on challenge in honour of dad

July 5, 2019 | 2:16pm

The memory of a respected Bramhall journalist who volunteered for St Ann’s Hospice is being honoured by his family.

Terry Lovell, who was northern news editor of Sunday newspaper The People, died in the hospice last September, aged 73.

Daughter Jessica and husband Steve will run from their home on the Wirral to St Ann’s in Heald Green before cycling home.

The couple hope their seven-year-old springer collie Molly will join them for part of the journey to mark the first anniversary of his death.

Jessica and Steve will also undertake a 165-mile bike ride to the hospice from Milton Keynes on Friday, July 5.

The recruitment company EasyWeb Group where she is an account director are helping towards her £5,000 fundraising target.

Colleagues Stephen Grainger and Adrian McDonagh will join them with proceeds shared with Willen Hospice in Buckinghamshire where a friend of Adrian’s father passed away.

* To support Jessica go to justgiving.com/fundraising/jessica-smith78


My dad was a patient at St Ann’s for around four months and the care and support provided for all of us, including my sisters Alex, Sophie and Lizzie and brother Sam, was outstanding. They made an awful situation easier. St Ann’s is a charity and only a third of its funding comes from the NHS which means it needs to raise £20,000 every day to keep the hospice doors open. Dad used to help by serving from the drinks trolley.


Jessica

Cyclists get heroes’ welcome home from family, friends and football stars

July 5, 2019 | 12:10pm

On Sunday 9th June a group of cyclists set off from Barcelona to Manchester to fulfil a promise made to the father and friend of the group.

Last year when Charles Mitten died at St Ann’s Hospice in Little Hulton, the family were so struck by the welcome they had received in the final hours of his life that they wanted to do something to give back.


We felt helpless, and wondered what we could do to help so I told my dad that we would be raising money by cycling from Barcelona to Manchester in 2019. He told us that it was a bit much, and asked if we could avoid the mountains, but I explained we couldn’t move the Pyrenees.


Andy Mitten, Charles’ son

The team of five cyclists were made up of Andy, his brothers, Jonathan and Sam, plus friends John-Paul O’Neill and Steve Price. They also had lots of generous support for helping with everything from driving, massages, cooking and cleaning.

It took eight months of planning and training for the challenge. The route was 1200 miles in total via Girona, Perpignan, Carcassone, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Cognac, Angers, Cherbourg, Portsmouth, Oxford, Birmingham and finishing in Manchester.

After 16 days cycling the group were greeted at Old Trafford Football Ground by family, friends, plus football stars Andy Cole, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs. After interviews and hugs all round a welcome home party was held in the Stretford Suite at Old Trafford.


Following the fantastic care my dad received at St Ann’s Hospice we promised my dad we would give something back to them. We know St Ann’s is a charity and that they need to raise £40,000 for a new ambulance, and that’s what our target was. People throughout this city can benefit from this ambulance, we can’t get our dad back, but some positive can come from his passing. A big thanks to everyone who donated and those who welcomed us back at Old Trafford. Thank you also to staff at Old Trafford for putting on the welcome party for us all. My dad was the head of a football family and we’re all big Manchester United supporters so a welcome home at one of our favourite places seemed fitting. We had some really tough conditions cycling and lots of punctures, probably about 30 in all! But we’re all buzzing to finish it, although I don’t ever want to sit on a bike ever again!


Andy Mitten

A few hours before they reached the finish line they reached the target of £40,000 and are now closer to £50,000.


This was an incredible challenge that the group took on, they’ve all shown real dedication and determination and we’re so thankful that they decided to do it to raise much needed funds for St Ann’s. It was amazing to welcome them all back in Manchester. The ambulance will make a big difference to our inpatients, and also our outpatients who come to the hospice for appointments and day therapy.


Anne-Marie Wynne, Head of Fundraising at St Ann’s

The team has gathered the support of sponsors including Red Army Bet, Meadows Gin, Brittany Ferries, and Fat Heads. Others are also walking the length of Hadrian’s Wall and playing in a football tournament to raise additional funds for the cause.

To donate to the team’s fundraising page, please visit:  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/barcelonamanchesterbikeride

CERA Cycloan leads the way

July 2, 2019 | 3:40pm

CERA Cycloan directors Christine and Brian Pendlebury

Stockport-based CERA Cycloan was set up five years ago by fellow directors Brian Pendlebury and wife Christine.

The business also supports charities, with St Ann’s Hospice the latest to receive a donation from its online sales.

Brian’s father George (79), from Cheadle, was cared for by the charity and his death in 2009 gave the couple an idea.


My mum Margaret was lonely and isolated and didn’t know what to do so we decided to loan bikes to over 65s for free. It means they can enjoy physical and social activity with like-minded people and we organise leisurely family bike rides for all ages on Saturday mornings.


Brian Pendlebury

Each day six students from schools and local authorities learn mechanical and business skills while refurbishing donated bikes in the Higher Hillgate workshop.

Another six helpers work in the art and design workshop where items such as lamps, clocks and handbags are made for sale online.


We’re an alternative education provider and the bikes are a way of changing behaviour. A lot of our students go on to become car mechanics, apprentices or undertake further education.

The refurbished bikes are sold online, or donated to job seekers or apprentices. Rather than pay commission to an online sales site we decided to donate that percentage to charity.



Brian Pendlebury

The company has two teams taking part in Cycling Sportive in aid of the Seashell Trust on Sept 15. Visit ceracycloan.co.uk

Thinking about fundraising for St Ann’s?

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Come along to one of our Summer Fairs!

June 18, 2019 | 4:09pm

We’re holding two family-friendly summer fairs to kick off the holidays in style.

The summer fairs will take place on Sunday 21st July from 12 noon to 3pm, and will be held at our hospice sites on St Ann’s Road North in Heald Green and on Meadowsweet Lane (off Peel Lane) in Little Hulton.

Each fair will include a range of stalls and refreshments, as well as activities, facepainting, tombolas and raffles.

Entry to the fairs is just £1, with accompanied children free.


St Ann’s will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in 2021, and we’re proud to have been part of our local communities for all of those years. We simply couldn’t care for our patients and their families without those local communities, and we really value the amazing support we receive every single day from people across Greater Manchester.

Our annual summer fairs are always a highlight of our fundraising calendar, and we look forward to seeing families and friends gathering together to have a great time whilst raising money for our patients. Everyone is welcome, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again this year.



Eamonn O’Neal, Chief Executive of St Ann’s

Come along to one of our events this Summer!

For more information on the summer fairs, or other forthcoming St Ann’s fundraising events or activities, click the link below.

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Football journalist kicks off fundraising for new ambulance

June 18, 2019 | 3:03pm

The team, who are all cycling in memory of Charles Mitten, includes Andy Mitten, one of Charlie’s sons, who is also a football journalist and editor of the Manchester United fanzine United We Stand.

The group will be meeting and speaking to professional footballers along the way to help spread the word about their epic charity challenge.


Dad died in St Ann’s in Little Hulton in 2018.  He was only 69, and as a man who never stopped complaining about Manchester United, he seldom complained about his own pain.  We felt helpless, and wondered what we could do to help so told him that we would be raising money by cycling from Barcelona to Manchester in 2019.  He told us that it was a bit much, and asked if we could avoid the mountains, but I explained we couldn’t move the Pyrenees.



After dad died, some of the others I’d told about the ride were still keen to do it, and along with lots of generous support from others who are up for helping with everything from driving, massages, cooking and cleaning, we set about eight months of planning.
We know St Ann’s is a charity and that they need to raise £40,000 for a new ambulance, and that’s what we’re working towards. It’ll help their inpatients and also their outpatients too, and we’d love as many people as possible to sponsor us if they can. Every pound helps.



Andy Mitten

The team has also gathered the support of sponsors including Red Army Bet, Meadows Gin, Brittany Ferries, and Fat Heads, and their friends are also walking the length of Hadrian’s Wall and playing in a football tournament to raise additional funds for the cause.


What a phenomenal effort the team are all making to help us raise much-needed funds for our ambulance. I don’t know where to start in thanking them, it’s an incredible challenge.
It’s amazing how many people are already sponsoring the group. We’re all keeping track of their progress on social media and via their justgiving page, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them all back when they reach Manchester. Thanks so much to all of the group for their dedication and all the training they’ve put in too. The money they raise will make such a huge difference to our patients, and we really do appreciate everything they are doing in memory of Charlie.



Eamonn O’Neal, Chief Executive of St Ann’s

To donate to the team’s fundraising page, please visit  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/barcelonamanchesterbikeride

Want to read more about this fantastic challenge?

Read Andy’s blog

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Woodford Walkers support St Ann’s in Midnight Walk style

June 18, 2019 | 10:09am

One member of the group, Stewart Walker, is a volunteer at St Ann’s and he volunteered at one of our biggest events, The Manchester Midnight Walk. Following the walk, Stewart asked the hospice whether there were any spare Midnight Walk t-shirts for him and his group to wear for their next walk to Alport Castle in the Peak District.

The group saw a fundraising opportunity and everyone donated £5 to complete the walk in their Manchester Midnight Walk t-shirts and the group raised £60 in total!

Thank you to the Woodford Walkers, we hope to hear about more of your walks soon!

Can you think of any fundraising ideas that you can get on board with to raise funds for St Ann’s?

For more inspiration and ideas click the link below or if you have an idea and you want any support with it please get in contact with us by call us on 0161 498 3631 or emailing fundraising@sah.org.uk.

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Alex’s wheelie good fundraising challenge

June 11, 2019 | 4:35pm

But riding 194 miles around the island of Majorca was a more demanding challenge for the novice cyclist.

Alex safely completed the Mallorca 312 – so named to reflect the kilometres covered – within the 14-hour limit.

The tough winding route, climbing mountains and exploring  coastal paths, took him near the capital Palma, his home for the last seven years.

Alex hopes to raise £2,500 for St Ann’s Hospice from his adventure  in memory of late uncles Ian Haig and Alan Haig who were both patients there.

Last December he also lost his mother-in-law Terresa Provost who was treated by a hospice in Michigan, USA, where she lived.

Alex is engineer and second-in-command on a 30-metre sailing yacht moored in Palma and which will shortly set sail for Turkey and Greece.


St Ann’s isn’t just a facility. It’s a group of compassionate, hard-working individuals who provide genuine love and care. It receives only a third of its funding from the NHS and the rest comes from donations.
Cycling is new to me and this was the biggest challenge I’ve ever done. Palma is a Mecca for large yachts and the owner of my yacht kindly made the biggest single donation to my fundraising.



Alex Marsh

Would you like to take on an amazing fundraising challenge like Alex?

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