Sunflower memories grow vital donations for hospice
Hundreds came together for a colourful event this weekend celebrating cherished memories of their loved ones.
More than 800 people attended Pilgrims Hospices Sunflower Memory gatherings, to see beautiful sunflower plaque displays in the charity’s Canterbury, Ashford and Margate hospice grounds.
This was Pilgrims fourth annual Sunflower appeal and the biggest yet, so far raising an amazing £27,000 to support people living with an incurable illness in east Kent, with donations continuing to come in.
Sara Scriven, Pilgrims Hospices Individual Giving Manger, said: “The sunflower events are so uplifting. There was a lovely atmosphere of warmth and kindness as visitors took comfort in sharing their stories of loved ones and speaking with Pilgrims team. As well as the sunflower memory marker displays, our gardens were decked with beautiful sunflower seedlings, grown by Pilgrims gardeners and volunteers and visitors enjoyed gentle music and refreshments in the beautiful hospice grounds.”
Each year Pilgrims supports hundreds of local people coping with a life limiting illness and their families. The charity offers a range of services: from end of life care given on its wards, to its new wellbeing and social programme supporting people after they are diagnosed to live well and stay independent.
The summer appeal plays an extremely important role in Pilgrims campaign to support as many people as possible.
She added: “Each year this special appeal grows from strength to strength. We would like to thank everyone who has made our remembrance day so very special. This is such an incredible amount of money to raise for hospice care. Every £100 could pay for therapy sessions for a child coping with the loss of a loved one, so as you can see it will help to make a real difference to families needing our support.”
The sunflower memory markers will remain in the grounds of the three Pilgrims Hospices in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet over the coming two weeks with visitors welcome to view them.
If you wish to take part, Pilgrims will continue to accept contributions until mid August click Sunflower Memories, or call Pilgrims team on 01227 782062 or by visiting your local Pilgrims Hospice reception.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with a life limiting illness, find out about Pilgrims Hospices full range of services.
Our thanks go to:
The Westerleigh Group for their continued annual sponsorship of the appeal, Westgate Garden Centre for donating seeds and compost. Our amazing volunteers for growing 300 sunflowers from seed.
Best in Tents for lending the use of garden furniture at our Thanet and Canterbury events. Jonny Hepbir, Thomas Abrahams and Rachel Vernall for playing guitar at the events at such discounted rates.
26th July 2017
Vintage tea goes down a treat
Pilgrims Hospices Vintage Tea and Fair took place in the award winning Westgate Gardens, Canterbury on Saturday 15 July. Staff and volunteers transformed the gardens for visitors to enjoy delicious tea and homemade cakes along with live music, gift stalls and many of the traditional and much loved raffles and tombola. The afternoon raised over £5,000 for Pilgrims Hospices care.
Visitors were treated to entertainment by the KD Swing Band, Ukelear Power Ukelele Band, and the Oyster Morris Dancers. Sophie Douch, Pilgrims Hospices Community Fundraising Officer, said: “The afternoon was wonderful despite the weather being a little unkind for a while, our visitors stayed to browse the stalls and enjoy our old style games including hoopla and fish a bottle.
“The children also had lots to enjoy including story telling, face painting and tombola.”
Pilgrims Hospices retail team played a huge part in making the vintage tea party so successful. Tim Stuart, Retail Manager with his staff and volunteers had been seeking out interesting items from their shops, which contributed to the look and feel of the whole event.
We wish to thank sponsors Halsion Building Services Engineers and Regal Lettings, their generous donations helped to make the event such a wonderful success. Every £1 raised on the day will be spent on vital care and support for people in east Kent who are coping with incurable illness, and their families.
Pilgrims Hospice Ashford Summer Fair promises fun for all the family
On Saturday 5th August Pilgrims Hospice Ashford will be holding its ever popular summer fair in the grounds of the hospice in Hythe Road from 12noon to 4pm. Entry is free.
Some members of the nursing team will be there in Hawaiian dress to encourage you try your hand at winning a coconut.
You can relax for a short while on our dedicated cream tea area as you enjoy a cuppa and a scone served on delicate china.
A team from Nike at the Ashford Designer Outlet will be setting up goal and you can try your foot at beating the goalie.
Whether it is looking for buried treasure, fishing for bottles, buying a stunning plant for the garden or finding the perfect jigsaw there is something for everyone in this fabulous fun afternoon.
There will be a free park and ride from Mersham-Le-Hatch business centre with buses running throughout the fair.
So book the date in your diary and come and enjoy the delights of the fair in the wonderful setting of the hospice gardens which are maintained by an amazing team of volunteers.
Victoria Friar, Community Fundraising Manager explained the difference your support makes: “£20 will pay for an hour of nursing care. Last year the money raised by the fair was able to provide for 1125 hours of nursing care. Please help us to achieve that again this year
“I would like to offer a special thank you to Andrew & Co who have sponsored the fair this year. This means that every penny raised can go directly to patient care.”
If you or someone you know is coping with a life limiting illness and you think you may benefit from Pilgrims support, talk to your GP or Healthcare Professional about the options or click here to read about our Wellbeing and Social Programme.
17th July 2017
Green fingers grow sunflowers for Pilgrims Memories Appeal
Volunteer gardeners Isobel and Carol have been busy planting and carefully tending the young sunflowers in readiness for Pilgrims Sunflower Memories remembrance appeal later this month. All of the plants, compost and pots have been generously donated by Jackie Young, owner of Westgate Garden Centre. Sunflower Memories, now in its fourth year, is a beautiful way to celebrate the life of someone you love whilst supporting Pilgrims Hospices. In return for a donation, a sunflower memory marker with the name of your loved one written upon it will be placed in the Pilgrims Hospice garden of your choice to form a sunflower celebration.
300 sunflowers are being grown by Pilgrims gardeners and volunteers for supporters to purchase at hospice receptions and at the Sunflower Memories events. The events will take place on each of Pilgrims Hospices sites in Thanet, Canterbury and Ashford on weekend of 29th July where supporters can share their memories, enjoy an afternoon tea and cake and gentle music in the knowledge their support will be providing care for many other patients, families and their friends in east Kent.
Jackie from Westgate Garden Centre said: “It has been a great pleasure to provide Pilgrims Hospices with the products and seeds for the appeal. So many of us have known someone who has needed Pilgrims support over the years, I’m proud to be part of this valuable appeal. When Sara Scriven from the hospice approached me for my help I didn’t hesitate to agree.”
Last year our appeal raised almost £28,000
Pilgrims Individual Giving Manager, Sara said: “Last year our appeal raised almost £28,000 for Pilgrims care, we hope our generous supporters will help us to continue our work by donating again this year. Each £1 donated to this appeal helps to provide care for over 2,300 people who need our care at home in or in one of the hospices.”
It’s very easy to make a sunflower dedication or just donate to our appeal by clicking donate, by calling our Supporter Relations team on 01227 782062 or by collecting a form from one of Pilgrims shops.
“We welcome everyone to come and view the sunflowers on display. We hope it helps our supporters to strengthen those cherished and happy sunny memories. Supporters are welcome to take their sunflower memory marker home after the event.” added Sara.
Each year Pilgrims supports hundreds of local people coping with a life limited illness and their families. The charity offers a range of services: from end of life care given on its wards, to its Wellbeing and Social Programme supporting people after they are diagnosed to live well and stay independent. Care is provided from three hospices site as well as in patients’ own homes.
14th July 2017
Champions of Charity Week
Thomas Sharman House students celebrate a successful charity week by raising £1026.40 for their chosen charity
Students from Thomas Sharman House at Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School in Ramsgate took part in their annual charity week to support Pilgrims Hospices. Throughout the week activities were held including cake sales, funky tie and shoes day and one of the students, Hansaka Senviratne, having his head shaved and legs waxed. Fellow student Liz Ellis said: “It was so funny watching Hansaka getting his legs waxed and his head shaved. We’ve never laughed so much.” Their enthusiasm to exceed last years total raised was evident when the students roped the teaching staff into the fundraising too with a teachers vs students Dodgeball game. Sammy Wu commented: “When else can you pay money to throw balls at teachers?”
Victoria Cackett, Head of Thomas Sharman House said: “It was a privilege and pleasure to work with the students in my house to raise money for such a worthy cause. To see young people fired up and excited about raising money was wonderful. As a house we are proud of the amount we have raised and hope it will help Pilgrims Hospices to continue it’s amazing work.”
What a fantastic donation this is
The students who organised charity week were; Liz Ellis, Charlotte Mayes, Matt Williams, Hansaka Senviratne, Tyne Goold, Sam March, Melissa Palmer, Sammy Wu and Joe Eldred. Charlotte said: “It was amazing helping and watching people raise money to make an amazing difference to peoples lives, especially as I know people who have been in the Pilgrims Hospices care.”
Caroline Dixon, Community Fundraising Officer for Pilgrims Hospices said: “What a fantastic donation this is, the students have all worked so hard to make their charity week a success and they should be very proud of themselves. I also want to thank Mrs Cackett, Mr Harris and the other staff in Thomas Sharman House for their continued support of our charity. I’m looking forward to supporting the students at next years event.”
If your school or college has been inspired by this story and would like to arrange a fundraising event and want to speak to one of the fundraising team click here, we would love to hear from you.
Harrison’s Night to Shine for Pilgrims
On Saturday 30 September, 8 year-old Harrison Cummins will bring all his family along to take part in A Night to Shine, Pilgrims Hospices new signature walk. Harrison’s mum Holly Loudon, then aged 28, was cared for by Pilgrims Hospice Ashford in 2015.
Elaine Williams, Holly’s mum, explained how Harrison began to fundraise: “When Holly became very ill, pre-school and after school care became increasingly difficult. The headteacher at Ashford Prep School, where I worked, suggested Harrison move to our school as this would help enormously.
“Pupils in his new class held a cake sale for charity. He was so impressed by the amount of money raised that he asked if he could do the same for Pilgrims, so the idea for Harrison’s first ever Super Café was born.”
Harrison’s first Super Café was held at the Riverside Inn in Ashford. Holly worked there part time for many years, so Teresa Lewis, the owner, was keen to lend her support for the event. The first year they raised more than £13,000 and the following year more than £11,000.
Richard Yeates, Ashford Prep School Headteacher, nominated Harrison for an award as a Young Hero, which he won. Following this, he was invited to the Houses of Parliament on 23 June to meet and have afternoon tea with Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury. Harrison was presented his award for being a Young Hero by Jon Coles, CEO of United Learning.
To continue with his fundraising, Harrison wants to bring all his family together: his dad, Pete, his grandmothers, Elaine and Tricia, his grandfathers, Bill and Graham and his aunt Laura to take part in A Night to Shine, the new Pilgrims walk. With the opportunity to walk either 5k or 10k in Ashford, he is convinced everyone can join in.
During the walk, Harrison and his family will be able to lay a lantern in memory of Holly and spend the evening remembering her in a really positive way.
Victoria Friar, Community Fundraising Manager at Pilgrims, said: “We are so excited by our new walk. With all three hospices taking part in a walk on the same night, we hope to make this one of the biggest walks in Kent.”
But Harrison being Harrison will doubtless use the opportunity, with so many people being there, to promote his third Super Café. This will be held at Ashford Prep School in Great Chart on Saturday 9 December, again in aid of Pilgrims.
A Night to Shine is Pilgrims Hospices brand new sponsored walk that takes place on Saturday 30 September 2017 in Ashford, Broadstairs and Canterbury. You can choose from a range of distances including 5k, 8k or 10k. Register now and join Harrison for a walk to remember.
If you or your family are experiencing Pilgrims care, find out about the support we can offer through our Wellbeing and Social Programme.
