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Theme: #StAnnsCare

You’ve helped us reach £500,000

January 26, 2023 | 1:12pm

I’m delighted to say that thanks to the wonderful generosity of our supporters, St Ann’s has now raised £500,000 towards it’s Build It Together appeal to build our new Heald Green hospice. There’s still a lot of fundraising left to do, but we are that bit closer to making our new hospice a reality. 

Within that big number of half a million pounds are lots of individual acts of kindness and generosity – people have run for us, walked for us, baked cakes for us and of course donated directly to us too!

Depending on where you live, you may not know that St Ann’s has two hospices in Greater Manchester – one in Little Hulton, Salford and one in Heald Green, Stockport. Understandably, most people know and care deeply about the hospice that is closest to where they live – especially if it was where we cared for a loved one in their final days. Both of our hospice sites are hugely important to us as we plan for the future care needs of Greater Manchester and parts of Cheshire and look to safeguard hospice care for future generations. 

Our existing Heald Green hospice has served us well, but it was never intended to be a hospice at all – it was originally a school. And at over 150 years old, and with Victorian plumbing and a roof that often needs patching up, we cannot keep making do and mending for much longer.   

As you might expect, many of the donations we have received to our Build It Together appeal for a new hospice have been made in memory of loved ones. Below are just a small sample of the lovely messages we have received. We are lucky to receive many messages like this every day and as Chief Executive an important part of my role is to make sure that we never take for granted the special place that St Ann’s has in the hearts of our supporters and local community. 


I would like to thank St Ann’s for the end-of-life care they gave to my sister. They made her last days as pain-free and as pleasant as possible. She was no longer afraid to die. Thank you.



We thought she had longer. Sadly, it was only a month. During those last four weeks the care received was exemplary delivered with compassion, dedication, tenderness and when possible, even humour. Providing us both with what we needed.



The hospice must continue! My wife spent three weeks at St Ann’s Little Hulton in early 2017 whilst a medication plan was devised for her. I looked after her at home then for six months until she died. It was her wish to die at home.


It has been touching that people from across Greater Manchester have been donating to our appeal – including people who live nearer to our Little Hulton hospice. Our hope is that our new purpose-built hospice will transform end-of-life care provision for people not just in Stockport, but across Greater Manchester.  

In total, building the new hospice will cost around £21.5million, which includes buying the land next door to our existing hospice site. This will be money well spent. Unlike our more modern hospice in Little Hulton, Heald Green has very few private bedrooms for patients and very limited outdoor space. The new hospice will include private bedrooms for our patients so they and their loved ones can have the privacy they deserve at this important time. We are taking care to build our new hospice into the existing landscape – meaning there will be much bigger gardens, and lovely mature trees surrounding the hospice building. A suitable environment is such an important part of feeling comfortable and that is why we at St Ann’s our working so hard to make the new hospice a reality. 

 We are so grateful to each and every person who donates to our appeal and helps us to get one step closer to our new hospice becoming a reality. Especially in this current economic climate, we cannot thank you enough for your support. 

If we are to reach our demanding fundraising target of needing to raise at least another £1.5 million, the ongoing help of the community and businesses from across Greater Manchester will also be crucial. So, if a company, school or community group you know or work for has not already decided on a charity to support in the year ahead, our Fundraising Team would be delighted to hear from you! 

The next step in our plans is to complete the purchase of the land next door to our existing hospice. Expect more news on that in the spring! 

 Meanwhile, you can support our appeal by donating here or by phoning 0161 498 3631. 

Let’s Build It Together

There are lots of ways you can get involved – with your help, we can build our new Heald Green hospice.

Find out more




Fiona wins bronze award at the British Journal of Nursing Awards

July 1, 2022 | 11:43am

Fiona, a lymphoedema specialist at St Ann’s Hospice, collected a bronze award at the British Journal of Nursing Awards 2022.

The honour took her by surprise as she was even unaware she had been nominated and she is not actually a nurse, her prize coming in the Chronic Oedema Nurse of the Year category.

Fiona, who is also affiliated to Macmillan in her role as a palliative care specialist, has treated patients at Heald Green and Little Hulton in nine years at St Ann’s.


I feel slightly embarrassed by the award, but it’s nice to get the recognition for our lymphoedema work and, if anything, it highlights how important our services are.

I love my job and making a difference to people who might have been searching for treatments over a long time to help them manage their condition. It’s an under-staffed and under-resourced service in this country.

More people than you think suffer from lymphoedema, which can lead to other problems like wounds, infections and sepsis.

“People with cancer can experience lymphoedema, but it can also be congenital or occur due to other conditions such as vascular problems and cellulitis.

It limits what people can do in their life. One lady I treated recently had swollen ankles and couldn’t get her shoes back on after not going outdoors for two years in the pandemic. After three weeks of treatment, she was able to send us a photo of her at her local restaurant.
People are grateful there’s a service out there which helps them get a better quality of life.


Fiona Sanderson

Lymphoedema is a swelling caused by an impaired lymphatic system and affects any part of the body. Most common areas are arms or legs, but the head, neck, breast, abdomen and genital area can also be affected. It is estimated that lymphoedema affects between 263,000-422,000 people in the UK

Support for you

When you’re living with a life-limiting illness, you can experience physical, psychological, emotional or social issues which mean that you don’t quite feel like you.

The Being You Centre at St Ann’s is here to help you get back to feeling like yourself again.

Find out about The Being You Centre




Neil embarks on a gruelling adventure for St Ann’s

June 11, 2022 | 8:40pm

His late mum Jo and St Ann’s Hospice counsellor Hazel Wilcock, who helped him cope with his grief and who also died, will be uppermost in his thoughts. So too close friend Jamie Horrocks, from Irlam, whose family set up a trust after he took his own life in 2013.  

 Their memories will be honoured when Neil attempts a 2,000-mile journey from Lisbon back to his home in Salford, including a major detour south to Gibraltar! 

 Using his trusty black bike, Neil hopes to complete his poignant ride in two weeks and raise funds for St Ann’s and the trust which bears Jamie’s name.  

 Days after mum Jo died of cancer in 2017 in the care of the St Ann’s Hospice @Home team, Neil received bereavement support from Hazel, the charity’s senior counsellor. 

   


Hazel was inspirational and changed my life, helping me through the darkest times I’ve faced in terms of grief, mental health and depression. I’m half way through a podiatry degree at Salford University and wouldn’t be doing that without Hazel. This challenge is a tribute to my mum, Hazel and Jamie. Mum had wanted to stay at home and St Ann’s were very forthcoming, offering support to cater for her needs and wishes.
The Jamie Horrocks trust highlights the importance of getting support, talking and normalising conversations around mental health.


Neil Williamson

Hazel died in an explosion at her home in Bury early last year.  

 To sponsor Neil visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/neil-williamson18 

Could you do something amazing like Neil?

Find out how you can fundraise for St Ann’s Hospice

Here!




Smith Goodfellow colleagues take on the Manchester Midnight Walk in memory of Gloria

May 17, 2022 | 10:48pm

They will be remembering Cathy’s late mum Gloria Anderson (78) who was a patient at St Ann’s Hospice in 2014.

The 10k walk, organised by the charity, returns after a three-year absence and it is not too late to take part.

Colleagues at Smith Goodfellow, where Cathy is MD and Jen is business development manager, will join them and hundreds of other walkers leaving Manchester Cathedral at midnight for a circuit of the city centre.


Our family has a long-standing connection with St Ann’s which is a fantastic local facility.

Mum was born in Cheadle and ran the information offices in Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall for many years, so St Ann’s was a place she’d definitely have told people about.

I grew up in Cheadle Hulme and was involved with the church youth group on Swann Lane which quite often did things for the hospice – every year we would go carol singing to raise funds.

The palliative care mum received at Heald Green was superb. They made those final weeks of her life bearable because her cancer was fairly horrendous and we’ll also never forget the way they supported us as a family and made us feel welcome. It’s a remarkable place.


Cathy Barlow

Smith Goodfellow also have a professional link with St Ann’s, with the Stockport-based construction PR firm spreading the word about the exciting new hospice building which is planned.

Other employees participating are Cathy’s husband and co-owner Paul Barlow, Jen’s husband Dave Heil, Kelly Oldham, Jodie Affleck, Daisy Dicker, James Gee, Hayley Mayer and Emily Kehoe, along with Luna, the office dog.

The moonlit walk costs £21 for a standard adult entry, or £10 each for a group of 4 or more – come along and join Luna and the Smith Goodfellow team. For those unable to make it, a virtual walk is also available.

Thinking about signing up for the Manchester Midnight Walk?

Find out more information and sign up

Here!




Equity of care

May 17, 2022 | 10:24pm

Sadly, for many reasons, there are lots of people from local communities that historically haven’t had access to the same levels of health care as they deserve. 

There are lots of reasons for this, but at St Ann’s we believe that everyone, whatever their background and whoever they are, deserves the same high quality care at the end of their life as they do when they’re born. 

Sometimes palliative or end of life care can be seen as less of a priority, but ensuring people access to specialists and other experts, are listened to, and that their wishes are met as fully as possible as they near the end of life is so incredibly important – and it also helps those closest to them.  After all, we don’t stop being ourselves when we are nearing the end of our life; we still have things which are important to us, that we want to do and share, and goals we want to achieve. 

A recent announcement that hopefully palliative care is to be specifically recognised within health legislation for the first time in England, with a possible amendment to the Health and Care Bill, is a significant step forward in the statutory footing of palliative and end of life care.  This recognises the importance of these services, and also highlights the need for proper funding for the care of patients with palliative and end of life needs.  We are hoping this will lead to an even greater focus on the importance of specialist care for local people and will be watching developments closely – being loud and proud about the importance of that care. 

When it comes to hospices, there are many communities that historically haven’t always thought of us as a place that might be able to support them or their loved ones.  Whether that’s because of religious beliefs – many presume we are a Christian organisation because of our name, when actually it’s because our first hospice site is situated on St Ann’s Road North in Heald Green – cultural, or other individual reasons, we’re really keen to break-down barriers and reach as many members of our local community as possible. 

We’ve been doing lots of projects to spread the word about our care, and how it can benefit people right from the point of diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, right through their treatment and beyond.  We’ve been developing services too, aimed at reaching into a variety of communities at the heart of our city to improve access to specialist hospice care for anyone who needs it. 

For example, our award-winning homeless palliative care service is there to support people without a home who have a life-limiting illness, acting as a vital cog to join together various spokes of social and health care across the city. Those we’ve worked with have given their appreciation, whether that’s for supporting them through their illness, helping them to get their affairs in order, reconnecting them with loved ones, or supporting those who have suffered a bereavement.   

We’ve also been reaching out to members of the LGBT+ community to help improve access to our services, as well as people in prison, and individuals with learning disabilities. 

We know that while there’s a huge amount of work going on in this area, there’s still lots to be done, but we’re really proud of the work we’ve been doing to improve the lives of local people.   

We’re always keen to spread the word and improve access to care for all, so do get in touch if you’d like to know more. 

Interested in reading more news stories from St Ann’s?

Our news page is right

Here!




A big thank you to our nurses for International Nurses Day!

May 10, 2022 | 9:14pm


Thanks to all of the incredible hospice nurses who chose to work at St Ann’s Hospice, for their hard work, commitment, expertise and compassion. On this day we celebrate the amazing contribution that our nurses make to the lives of so many patients and their families, and thank them for their contribution.
As a nurse, and Director of Clinical Services at St Ann’s Hospice, I am proud of our team, and to work in organisation which invests in nursing, their development, their well-being and their growth.



Emma Dixon, Director of Clinical Services

Stockport lender donates £32k for new hospice facility

May 10, 2022 | 8:13pm

The ambitious project, which will see St Ann’s Hospice replace its current outdated building on St Ann’s Road North in Heald Green with a purpose-built modern facility on land adjacent to its current site, has received a donation of £32,000 from Together, a specialist lender based at Cheadle Royal Business Park.  The funding will pay for one of the state-of-the-art counselling rooms in the new build. 


At St Ann’s, our support isn’t just about physical care, it’s truly holistic, with emotional and psychological wellbeing services playing a hugely important part in the care we provide to patients and those closest to them. The counselling rooms in the new building will provide an opportunity for patients and their families, friends or carers to talk confidentially about any distress or difficulties they are experiencing. There will also be areas where we can support people when a loved one has died, giving them a comfortable and confidential space to discuss their thoughts and feelings. Demand is high for these services, and the new hospice in Heald Green will have a suite of three dedicated counselling rooms, self-contained to maintain privacy and ease of access. They will be designed to be light and airy, providing a calm and relaxed environment for the individual to be able to work through their feelings with our specialist, supportive team. We can’t thank Together enough for their amazing support. We really do appreciate it, and their generosity will make such a huge difference to the lives of local people. We’re really pleased they are happy to be part of this exciting project in our history – helping us to continue to provide world-class care right here in Greater Manchester.


Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of St Ann’s Hospice

Rachel McMillan sat in the hospice gardenholding a metal forget-me-not

The team from Together chose St Ann’s as charity of the year in 2020, with Covid restrictions meaning their planned fundraising activity had to be rolled over to 2021 – including a group from the organisation taking on the Great Manchester Run as part of Team St Ann’s. 

 The business pledged to raise £32,000 for the hospice, and topped up money raised from ongoing activities with a donation to ensure that the charity could fund one of the counselling rooms. 


We’re really proud that we’ve been able to give this donation to St Ann’s to help the community around us. The hospice is close to the hearts of many of our colleagues and, as with all of Together’s other charities, we’re passionate about the work supported by our ‘Let’s Get Giving’ charity fundraising pillar. St Ann’s plans for a new facility, including the counselling suite, are impressive and will be a great asset to people in the local community affected by life-limiting illnesses.


Kevin Fisher, HR Director at Together

In addition to the counselling suite, the new hospice building will also comprise a 27-bed inpatient unit, including 21 en-suite bedrooms with access to private outdoor terraces.  The development will feature modern outpatient and day therapy services, offices, a coffee shop which will be open to the public, landscaped gardens, and improved car parking.  

The new St Ann’s Hospice building has been designed with the environment in mind, being ecologically efficient, using the latest green initiatives including a green roof, PV panelling and grey water solutions. The car park will have electric charging points and plentiful room for bicycles.  


Our current building in Heald Green is more than 150 years old and is no longer fit for purpose. If we don’t create this new facility we are at real risk of having to close services in the future. The state-of-the-art hospice will ensure we can continue to serve our local communities now and for decades to come too. Local people with life-limiting illnesses deserve the very best care, and with the kind and generous support of organisations like Together we will be able to carry on providing specialist care from right here in Stockport. We are looking forward to starting to build later this year, so are really keen to hear from any other organisations, business or individuals who might also be able to provide much-needed support. Please do get in touch as we’d love you to be part of this exciting moment in the history of care provision in Greater Manchester.


Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of St Ann’s Hospice

St Ann’s Hospice provides care from its sites in Heald Green and Little Hulton, as well as a range of community and outreach services.  It is one of the oldest and largest hospices in the UK, and celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.  

Are you interested in seeing plans for our new hospice?

Find out more information

Here!




Forget-me-not 2022

May 6, 2022 | 8:06pm

Hundreds of people from across Greater Manchester will be taking part in the St Ann’s Hospice Forget-me-not Spring Appeal, which gives people the chance to reflect and celebrate the life of a loved one. 

Appeal dedications are made alongside a donation to St Ann’s, with money raised helping the front-line clinical teams to continue providing specialist care to local patients.  Supporters can also create an online dedication in the hospice’s online Memory Meadow if they wish. 


Our annual Forget-me-not appeal is a beautiful way to come together to celebrate the lives of people we love. Anyone can take part – you don’t necessarily need to have any connection with the hospice.

It’s always incredibly moving seeing how many people join us for the appeal, and when reading their dedications and messages about family members and friends too. The kind donations supporters make when taking part in the appeal make a real difference to the hospice. We simply couldn’t continue to provide care without our local community, so can’t thank everyone enough.



Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of St Ann’s

Rachel McMillan sat in the hospice gardenholding a metal forget-me-not


Many people find the gardens at our hospice sites are a place of tranquillity and a space to reflect. The Forget-me-not flowers in our gardens come back every year and help us to remember people we have cared for and supported.

Nature and being outdoors is shown to help wellbeing, and outside space is so important for that. This appeal encompasses that feeling of Spring perfectly, as we look back and reflect, whilst also looking forward to the care that it will enable us to provide for people in the future too.

Please do visit our website or call the team and join us for this year’s Forget-me-not Spring Appeal, while supporting a local cause.


Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive of St Ann’s

The hospice will also be holding three special Forget-me-not Spring Appeal services, for people of all faiths or none, giving an opportunity for reflection and celebration of the lives of loved ones.  There will be two in-person services on 11th June – 10am at the St Ann’s Hospice site in Little Hulton, and 2pm at the hospice in Heald Green – as well as an online service which will be available online from 16th June. 

 

Watch our virtual Forget-me-not 2022 service here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSe-vA96IYw

 

St Ann’s Hospice is one of the oldest and largest hospices in the UK, providing care to thousands of people every year from its sites in Little Hulton and Heald Green, as well as via a range of community and outreach services.   

 

For more information on St Ann’s, or if you would like to take part in the Forget-me-not Spring Appeal to remember someone special

or find out more about you can attend one of the services, please call 0161 498 3631 or

Click Here!