Making a Will is making a difference for hospice care
Wills specialists at Boys & Maughan have donated £21,800 to vital services at local Pilgrims Hospices following two successful Make a Will Months.
The firm’s offices in Canterbury, Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate and Birchington waived their usual charge for 108 individuals and couples who wished to make a will, instead donating their fees to Pilgrims Hospices.
The money was raised in two month-long campaigns, the first ending just before the first lockdown in March 2020 and the second in March this year. A number of local firms take part in Make a Will Month and Boys & Maughan’s grand total was confirmed by the hospice this week.
Sara Scriven, Individual Giving Manager at Pilgrims Hospices, said: “The sums Boys & Maughan has raised over the past two years are enough to fund a specialist palliative nurse here at Pilgrims for over seven months, so we are enormously grateful for these donations. Boys & Maughan’s private client team is held in high regard by the hospices and should be exceptionally proud.”
Staff at all our offices were delighted to take part in Wills Month once again this year.
Simon Crooks, Boys & Maughan
Simon Crooks, Partner at Boys & Maughan’s Canterbury Broad Street office, said: “Staff at all our offices were delighted to take part in Wills Month once again this year. Pilgrims Hospices is a charity that most people have had some experience of receiving support from and makes a huge contribution to the community.
“Talking to people who took part in the campaign, many of them said that they had been putting off the task of making their will and knowing that their donation would make a difference inspired them to take stock and plan ahead. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our clients who took part.”
The sums Boys & Maughan has raised over the past two years are enough to fund a specialist palliative nurse here at Pilgrims for over seven months.
Sara Scriven, Pilgrims Hospices
Boys and Maughan’s total for Make a Will Month 2021 was £9,350 from 46 wills and last year they raised £12,450 from 62 wills. 2021 was the eighth year in a row that the firm has taken part in the scheme and its will-writing team met with people from across east Kent who were keen to take up the opportunity.
Photo: (From left) Andrew Baker, Sara Scriven from Pilgrims Hospices, Kat Gray, Sarah Richards and Simon Crooks.
Pilgrims Hospices cares for more than 2,500 local people each year, free of charge, during the most challenging time in their lives. They offer care and support in people’s own homes, in the community and in their inpatient units as well as running a 24-hour advice line.
Local business supports Pilgrims Hospices with ‘25 acts of giving’
To celebrate its 25 year anniversary, Ramsgate-based company Business Computer Solutions Ltd. (BCS) is encouraging staff to volunteer for local causes in a ‘25 acts of giving’ initiative. Helen Bradley, Sales Administrator, from Broadstairs and Khan Tomlinson, Systems Administrator, from Ramsgate chose to volunteer for Pilgrims Hospices. They each wanted to give back to the hospice charity that serves their local community.
Helen’s hand-crafted decorative bottles
On 24 June 2021, Helen and Khan gave up their time to volunteer at Pilgrims’ Broadstairs shop. In addition, they donated several items to sell in the shop including jigsaws, photo frames, a desk tidy, books, an armchair rest organiser and a room diffuser. Helen also contributed decorative bottles that she made using new, empty wine bottles with lights inside.
Helen said: “I love a good charity shop, and this one is my favourite in Broadstairs; the staff and volunteers are so friendly. I wanted to get involved and interact with the local public.”
Khan added: “It’s been really fun meeting customers and so interesting to see exactly what goes into managing a charity shop. The volunteers work so hard, and I was surprised how much stock gets donated and processed behind the scenes.”
Mandy Hawkett, Retail Area Manager at Pilgrims, said: “I’d like to thank Helen and Khan for supporting Pilgrims as their chosen charity. I am really proud of Pilgrims’ retail stores and our dedicated shop teams, so I was delighted when Helen approached us regarding the ‘25 acts of giving’ project and her wish to spend the day in our lovely Broadstairs store. The team take pride in their store, creating a fabulous atmosphere to shop and volunteer in.
“It was such a lovely day. Khan worked on the till delivering excellent customer service, and Helen put out new items of stock, ensuring the displays were looking their best throughout the day; both were supported by the experts, our wonderful volunteers.”
Tim Stewart, Retail Business Development Manager at Pilgrims, added: “It’s so important to us that local businesses like BCS support us in what we do. It’s great that their staff came to our Broadstairs shop to see first-hand just how hard our staff and volunteers work to get the most out of the donations we receive. There is a perception that charity shops are simple and straightforward to operate, but I’m sure Helen and Khan can now confirm that there is so much work that goes into getting donated stock ready for sale!
“BCS staff donated so much lovely stock to us on the day, and they were able to Gift Aid it which made the donations 25% more valuable. We’re really pleased that Helen and Khan chose us as their preferred charity, and even better that they took the time out of their busy schedules to come into the shop and help run it for the day; I’m sure they went home exhausted but feeling very fulfilled.”
Other BCS employees are volunteering across Thanet in several capacities, getting involved with beach cleaning, community gardening projects and girl guiding.
Martin Hynes, Managing Director at BCS, said: “At BCS we have always felt businesses should play a role in helping their local communities. We have embraced this philosophy over the last 25 years, which has seen us support various local charities and good causes, including with our most recent ‘25 acts of giving’ where the entire BCS team participated in helping local causes, to celebrate our 25 years in business. We would like to thank Pilgrims for helping make this possible; our team have gained a great deal out of the experience, and we hope to have inspired other local businesses and residents to do the same.”
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
28th June 2021
Pilgrims Hospices and The Beaney collaborate on art exhibition
What makes you unique? At Pilgrims Hospices we spend a lot of time finding out what matters to each of our patients as individuals, so that we give them the care that is right for them. With this in mind, we decided to ask children across east Kent to think about what makes them special and to create a work of art that expresses their individuality – what makes them unique.
‘Self Portrait’ by Alice Zhang
In 2020, Pilgrims ran an art competition for primary and secondary schools in east Kent that asked ‘What makes you unique?’ to coincide with Dying Matters Awareness Week. The exhibition was postponed due to COVID-19, so shortlisted entries will now be on display in the Front Room at The Beaney, Canterbury from 3 July-1 August 2021.
This is an amazing opportunity for children to have their artwork shown in an exhibition that will be seen by over 10,000 visitors.
Susan Hambidge, Senior Education and Training Administrator at Pilgrims Hospices, said:
“I have been overwhelmed at the response to What makes you unique? It has been a joy looking through the thoughtful and thought-provoking artworks entered by a wide variety of schools across the region. I hope everyone who visits the exhibition is moved to reflect on what matters to them and why it’s important to talk about it.”
A judging panel chose the shortlisted entries and will choose the winners. All prize winners will receive a framed certificate, and their school will win a selection of art materials generously sponsored by The Pelegrin Trust.
Paul Russell, Programming Officer at The Beaney, added:
“As an organisation that puts children and health and wellbeing at the forefront of what we do, we are delighted to host an exhibition of artwork by east Kent schoolchildren organised by Pilgrims Hospices. Valuing one’s (and others’) individuality and encouraging conversations about relevant issues such as end of life care is vital, and we are very much looking forward to a thought-provoking, lively, and unique exhibition from these talented young people.”
Judging panel
Casey Brett is a practising artist in photography and film and an award-winning lecturer, currently working at Ashford College.
Pauline Davis has a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art and is currently Chairman of The Arts Society Canterbury.
Christopher Jones has a BA in Fine Art specialising in site-specific temporary installations and community art engagement, and he is the Wellbeing Practitioner Team Leader at Pilgrims Hospices.
Sue Sharp, Director of Income Generation and Marketing, Pilgrims Hospices.
Emma Thomson studied Graphic Design before going on to write and illustrate 159 children’s books, including the much-loved Felicity Wishes titles.
Mandy Williams, former Head of Education and Training at Pilgrims Hospices.
Please contact Pilgrims Education Department on 01227 821 616 or email [email protected] if you have any questions or would like further information.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
25th June 2021
Hospice nurse Charlotte runs seaside Brighton Marathon for Pilgrims
Charlotte Davies (35) from Ashford is a community Palliative Specialist Nurse at Pilgrims Hospices, so she witnesses first-hand the positive impact Pilgrims’ care has across east Kent.
As a keyworker, Charlotte has continued to work on the frontline throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but her support for the charity doesn’t stop there. On 12 September 2021, she will run the Brighton Marathon to raise vital funds for Pilgrims and help ensure its services remain free to all those who need them.
Charlotte in her Pilgrims uniform
Charlotte worked in intensive care before joining Pilgrims in 2014; initially a community nurse, she changed roles to work as the Ward Sister for one year. After maternity leave, she returned to Pilgrims as a community nurse, a role that she enjoys immensely.
Charlotte completed a degree in End of Life Care in 2015 and began an MSc in Palliative and End of Life Care in 2019.
She said: “As a Pilgrims community nurse, I’m privileged to visit people in their own homes. We provide holistic care, including symptom management advice, psycho-social support and referrals to both internal and external services. Being able to continue providing high quality end-of-life care to people in east Kent is imperative. Pilgrims services are free, and fundraising ensures that we can keep offering them.
“So many people are kind enough to take time out from their busy lives to raise money to ensure our patients and relatives continue to receive the care they need.”
Charlotte originally planned to run the Brighton Marathon as her first ever marathon, but then COVID hit and the event was postponed – first to April 2021 and then to October 2021. So instead, her debut marathon was the Kent Spring Marathon in October 2020, which she also ran in aid of Pilgrims.
Being able to continue providing high quality end-of-life care to people in east Kent is imperative. Pilgrims services are free, and fundraising ensures that we can keep offering them.
Charlotte
As part of her fundraising for Brighton, Charlotte is selling colourful memory ribbons; these are being sewn to her Pilgrims vest, which she will wear on marathon day, and each one will have written on it the name of someone who has died. Anyone can purchase a memory ribbon, and they are not only for people who have been cared for by Pilgrims.
Charlotte’s memory ribbons
Charlotte said: “My aim is to run in memory of people, regardless of who they were or where and when they died – for example, four ribbons are for my grandparents who weren’t cared for by Pilgrims. They are a visual reminder of who I’m running for. This makes it all the more personal for me; I will be honoured to run in memory of so many people and when the going gets tough over 26.2 miles, I’ll be reminded why I’m running.
“If someone would like a ribbon, they can donate via my JustGiving page and tell me the name to go on it by leaving a comment when they donate. I’ve suggested a minimum donation of £3 per ribbon, but people have been giving more than that, which is lovely! Any amount is much appreciated.”
Lydia Todd, Challenge Events Fundraiser, said: “Charlotte has been waiting so long to run Brighton Marathon and I can’t wait to finally see her cross the finish line and receive her well-deserved medal. Charlotte’s idea to run in memory of people, by carrying their memory ribbon with her, is truly heart-warming. It’s turning her fundraising, and personal challenge, into a community event and it’s amazing to see people come out to support her efforts in full force. We’re proud to have her as a member of #TeamPilgrims!”
Charlotte added: “People can sometimes be surprised to learn that Pilgrims’ services are free. Through fundraising, we can help ensure that they remain accessible to all those who need palliative care and support in east Kent.”
You can keep up to date with the Charlotte’s fundraising journey and purchase memory ribbons on her JustGiving page.
Inspired to follow in Charlotte’s footsteps and run the Brighton Marathon for Pilgrims? Charity places are available; register here by 5 August 2021.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
23rd June 2021
Pilgrims Matters virtual edition – Spring 2021
Welcome to the virtual edition of Pilgrims Matters – Spring 2021! As summer approaches, we take time to focus on our hopes for the future.
The past year has been a year of firsts for many of us, giving us new perspectives and ideas. COVID-19 has dominated our conversations and our thoughts, and has had a huge impact on how we go about our everyday business.
We hope this online edition of Pilgrims Matters provides some inspiration for other ways you can get involved, and tells you a little more about how your incredible support has enabled Pilgrims to be Still Here, Still Caring.
Please keep safe and well.
Best wishes,
The Pilgrims Hospices team
15th June 2021
Mike’s Folkestone 10K fundraising for Pilgrims
Michael Moore from Elham Valley, Folkestone joined over 900 eager runners on this year’s popular 10-kilometre race from Folkestone seafront toward Hythe and back.
The regular runner decided this year, to run and raise funds for Pilgrims Hospices along the way.
Mike set aside time from his busy role as a keyworker, in a London university, to train for his charity dash and support the local charity.
My wife Jackie was formerly a nurse at Pilgrims Hospices therefore I have an understanding and insight into the amazing and inspirational work of the dedicated team of staff and volunteers. Mike
Mike Moore
Mike said: “I know how important Pilgrims is to the local community, the charity has been supporting end-of-life care in our area for more than 38 years.”
Many participants of the popular annual 10K race regularly raise valuable funds for local charities. Mike added: “I’ve always taken time to look after myself and stay fit; I’ve entered organised running events before but this was the first time I’ve run for charity. It really was a beautiful sunny day and we all set off along the Folkestone Coastal Path, and I was delighted to have been placed 400th with a finish of 1 hour and 37 seconds on the day. I’d set myself a £200 target for fundraising which I was delighted to have achieved. Thank you to those who’ve made a contribution to my JustGiving page, we now have £215 for Pilgrims.
“It was great to be cheered along by my wife Jackie and our 18 month old son.”
You can add to Mike’s JustGiving fundraising pagehere.
This year alone, Pilgrims Hospices has to raise £11 million through voluntary donations in order to run our full range of services. Sponsorship raised through events like these helps us to continue caring for local people at the end of their lives.