Tiles of Joy, creativity, connection and moments of happiness at Pilgrims Hospices
Photograph: Palak Sharma, Wellbeing Practitioner with Kavita Sodhi, Wellbeing Practioner Lead
A beautiful community art project, kindly funded by the Cantiacorum Foundation, is bringing colour, creativity and connection to Pilgrims Hospices, as patients, carers, staff and volunteers come together to take part in Tiles of Joy.
Led by ceramic artist Jayne Wright of JAW Ceramics CIC, Tiles of Joy began in 2023 in partnership with Power of Women (POW) Thanet, with an inspiring workshop at the Margate Caves.
Since then, the project has grown into something truly special, with more than 2,000 handcrafted tiles created by people across Thanet and beyond.
The project has united a wide range of community groups, from local schools and heritage organisations to social inclusion initiatives and arts groups, nurturing creativity and connection across the area.
More recently, Pilgrims’ Wellbeing groups have been taking part in the inspiring Tiles of Joy project. Patients, carers, Stepping Stones bereavement groups, staff and volunteers were invited to create their own ceramic tiles, each reflecting what brings them happiness. During the sessions, participants explored clay by scraping, indenting and shaping their designs, supported throughout by Jayne, who then carefully fired each piece before returning them ready for display.
Now proudly displayed at the hospices in Ashford and Thanet, these unique artworks form beautiful, fixed installations, each tile telling its own story and together creating a lasting celebration of community, creativity and care.
The experience has been both thought-provoking and uplifting. Participants have not only enjoyed the hands-on creative process, but also the special experience of seeing their work become part of a shared piece of art, something that will continue to bring comfort and joy to all who visit.
The project has also inspired Pilgrims’ Wellbeing team to explore how clay and creative therapies could play a bigger role in future sessions, opening up new opportunities to support patients and families through creativity and wellbeing activities.
Ann with the Tiles of Joy mural at Pilgrims Hospice Ashford
As the Wellbeing team shared:
“It has been such a meaningful experience for everyone involved. Seeing people relax into the process, express themselves so freely, and then light up when they see their finished tile on display, has been incredibly special.”
Ann Mapley, a Wellbeing patient at Pilgrims Hospices who took part in the sessions, said:
“The brief was to design tiles that meant something to us, and for me that was my grandchildren. One of them loves George’s Dragon and the other loves snails, so I created a dragon and a snail on my tiles. It was such a fun afternoon, there were lots of laughs and giggles as we all tried to get everything just right with help from the lovely ladies running the session.
“Seeing the mural come together has been wonderful; it looks so lovely now. I first found out about the project through a leaflet that had been brought in, and I’m really glad I took part.”
Tiles of Joy is a reminder that even small moments of creativity can have a lasting impact, bringing people together, sparking reflection, and creating something truly meaningful.
Anne Mapley Tiles Of Joy 2
Anne Mapley Tiles Of Joy 1
Ann’s tiles
Follow Tiles of Joy on Instagram to find out more:@tilesofjoy
Pilgrims run a wide range of wellbeing groups and activities designed to support patients to live well, stay connected and enjoy the best quality of life possible.
For more information on Pilgrims Hospices’ Wellbeing Programme:
Call the Pilgrims Hospices Advice Line on01233 504 133
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
12th August 2026
Pilgrims Hospices’ Store50 wins Pride display award with spectacular upcycled window
A creative Pride window at Pilgrims Hospices’ Store50 has been named a joint winner of a national charity retail competition, with judges praising its style, upcycling and attention to detail.
The Canterbury shop’s eye-catching display was entered into The Charity Retail Consultancy’s Pride Display Competition 2026, where it was selected as joint winner.
One of the judges even compared the striking design to an Alexander McQueen outfit.
Watch the winners announcement by The Charity Retail Consultancy:
The alternative, punk-inspired display was created by Store50 team member Hannah Golding, who has developed and reused elements of the window over several years.
At the heart of the display are an elaborate pair of wings and harness, handmade using discarded and donated materials including rag clothing, denim and old handbags.
The wings alone took months to create, with hundreds of tiny scallop-shaped pieces individually cut and attached to create their feathered appearance.
Store50 Pride 3
Store50 Pride 4
Store50 Pride 2
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Store50 Pride 5
Hannah said: “I wanted to create more of a festival look, but something more deconstructed and abstract, so the mannequins didn’t need to be fully dressed.
“The wings and harness have become a bit of a constant in the window. I made the wings around three years ago using used cardboard and materials that would otherwise have been thrown away.”
The sustainable creativity continues throughout the display. The male mannequin wears a pom pom mohawk made from rag t-shirt yarn and blue IKEA bags, while the female mannequin wears a hoop skirt made from garden rods and covered in t-shirt yarn, alongside a corset created from donated clothing and handbags.
Many of the materials used are items that might otherwise have ended up as waste, demonstrating how creativity and imagination can give unwanted materials a completely new life.
For Hannah, the wings also have a particularly special meaning. They were the last part of the project her dad helped with before he died, making the wooden batons used to join and secure them.
She said: “The wings hold a special place for me because they were the last thing my dad helped with before he died. He made the wooden batons to join and secure the wings.”
The Pride window is just one example of the imaginative displays regularly created at Pilgrims Hospices’ Store50, where donated clothing, and other pre-loved items are given a new lease of life while raising vital funds for hospice care across east Kent.
The Charity Retail Consultancy praised the Store50 display for its “style, upcycling and attention to detail”, recognising the creativity and hard work that went into bringing the design to life.
Hannah and the Store50 team are delighted to have their work recognised.
The award highlights not only the visual impact of the display, but the values behind it, creativity, sustainability and the belief that something unwanted can be transformed into something extraordinary.
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
11th August 2026
Fashion, furniture and online finds: Pilgrims Hospices’ Chartham store has it all
Pilgrims Hospices’ Chartham Furniture, Fashion & Home store expanded in February 2026 to include a brand-new clothing, haberdashery and children’s offering. Always busy and bustling, it’s a firm favourite in the local community, with many regulars returning again and again in their quest for a bargain.
On the shop floor, staff and volunteers accept donations, sort stock, and serve at the tills. The store also houses the charity’s e-commerce team. Behind the scenes, whilst shoppers browse beautiful homewares and pre-loved treasures, they sort through thousands of items in preparation for listing on eBay and Vinted.
But although everyone has different roles, they work together seamlessly, enjoying a cuppa and a laugh as they share a common goal – to ensure that compassionate hospice care continues to be available for families across east Kent.
Volunteers find friendship and connection at Pilgrims
Richard Cope from Chartham, affectionately nicknamed Grandad by his retail colleagues, has volunteered at the shop for six years. After retiring from his job at Nasons, a large department store in Canterbury, he wanted a role where he could still meet people and be social. Richard’s dad was cared for at the Canterbury hospice, so he has a personal connection, too.
Alongside his volunteer role, Richard is also a School Crossing Patrol (SCP) at a local primary school, helping pupils to stay safe on the school run.
He said: “I love volunteering here; it’s the same reason I enjoy being a lollipop man – I meet so many people, and everyone is friendly and chatty. It’s such a lovely environment.”
Richard Cope
Ros Sawyers and Ieda Hogarth, both from Ashford, are regular volunteers at the shop; between them, they have contributed 46 years of dedicated service to Pilgrims. Ros started out working in the Wellbeing team at the Ashford hospice, supporting patients in the Therapy Centre, before moving into the fundraising team and helping with events.
That’s how she met Ieda, who was a fundraising volunteer.
Although both now volunteer their time in the retail team, they continue to be involved with Pilgrims events, including the annual summer and Christmas fairs.
Ros said: “The hospice is such a happy place; it’s sad at times, of course, but we always had a laugh and we gave a lot of happiness to patients and families.
“You meet people from all walks of life – that’s why I’ve always loved my roles at Pilgrims.”
Ieda added: “I’m on my own at home, and a lot of our volunteers are in the same boat – so for us, this is a great opportunity to be social.
“I’m not saying we’re all lonely, but it’s a friendship group, separate from family, and it provides a completely different outlet. Ros and I have made so many great memories over the years, it’s lovely.”
Ros Sawyers and Ieda Hogarth
Ginevra Arnaldi joined the team in January 2026 as a Supervisor for the new clothing outlet, ahead of its opening a month later:
“I really enjoy being creative in the shop, putting together displays and arranging items; it’s lovely when customers notice, appreciate and compliment us on this!
“Everyone here is so friendly. It’s a perfect way to volunteer for anyone who’s interested in clothing and fashion. If you want to spend a few hours having fun and making a difference at the same time, this is the place for you.”
eBay, Vinted and beyond
Pilgrims has run a successful eBay shop for many years, and more recently started selling second-hand clothes on the app Vinted. They are also looking to expand to TikTok Shop in the future.
Amy Calver, a Lister within the e-commerce team, has doubled average monthly sales on Vinted in the past year, growing them by a solid 87%; Amy said a recent favourite find was a donated Max Mara bag that sold for £90 on eBay.
Gill Ramsay, Assistant e-commerce Manager, added:
“It’s an important source of revenue for Pilgrims; using these platforms, we can maximise the profit we make from donated items. We have a much bigger audience online than we do in the shop – on eBay in particular, there are 134 million active buyers worldwide. This helps us to sell collectibles and rare items that are unique, not just within the UK, but abroad as well.”
“We’re a small team and we rely heavily on volunteers to list items for us. This takes time, as we need to clean the items, research them to make sure they’re worth listing, then photograph them before uploading them online. It’s time-consuming, so even on a good day, an effective Lister can only really list about 20 items over a seven-hour period.
“We always welcome new volunteers; we just ask that they give at least three hours to get the most out of it. We’re a friendly team of all ages – from very young people, to our oldest team member who is 82! We provide full training on the computer systems, so that isn’t a barrier for anyone. It’s a fantastic opportunity to come and help us make lots of money for Pilgrims.”
Slow Fashion Soph
In July 2026, Canterbury-based social media influencer, Soph Newman – @slowfashionsoph on Instagram – spent a day volunteering with the e-commerce team. A second-hand fashion connoisseur, Soph regularly visits charity shops and makes video content about her finds:
“I’ve loved getting to learn about the eBay and Vinted process, sorting through donations in the warehouse and choosing some amazing bits – I wanted to buy everything! The team helped me to understand the picking process, and I enjoyed seeing how items get photographed and uploaded online – what the team look for and what brands sell best. I’m making my own content around this because I want people to shop with Pilgrims; it’s such an important cause.”
Soph Newman (Slow Fashion Soph) 2
Gillian Ramsay (e Commerce Manager) With Volunteer Soph Newman (Slow Fashion Soph)
Chartham Furniture, Fashion & Home is the newest addition to Pilgrims Hospices’ family of shops across east Kent, all offering an easy, enjoyable way to shop more sustainably while supporting compassionate end-of-life care.
Don’t forget – you can also donate your pre-loved items directly at the Chartham store; and if you’re a taxpayer, Gift Aid adds an extra 25% to the value of your donation at no extra cost, helping your generosity go even further.
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
10th August 2026
Research updates from Pilgrims Hospices
We’re excited to share the latest news from our Research team, who support Pilgrims Hospices in delivering compassionate end-of-life care across east Kent.
Lisa Gower
Celebrating our first internship awardee to support future research leadership and improve patient care
One of our trainee AdvancedClinical Practitioners, Lisa Gower, has been successful in winning a funded award to undertake a Research Internship with the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration.
Lisa is one of 24 in the first cohort of interns across the Kent, Surrey and Sussex region who started their nine-month placement in March 2026.
The initiative is designed to help more health and care staff build research skills, support evidence-based improvements to services, and widen access to research opportunities across the region. Interns gain valuable experience through placements, mentorship, academic modules, and small-scale research projects. Lisa plans to undertake some palliative care research modules and networking time with Kings College London, and develop a research project to help support referral of patients with end- stage liver disease to the hospice.
Well done, Lisa!
For further information about the Applied Research Collaboration, visit:
Research to understand biological changes in cancer patients to improve their care
Towards the end of life, the body undergoes a profound shift in metabolism. Dr Coyle and researchers at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool have organised the METEL research study to look at changes in the body of cancer patient’s as their disease progresses and towards the end of life. There is very little known about these changes in a person’s body at this incredibly important time, and they will be using urine samples to look at these changes.
The aim of the study is to help accurately predict when someone is nearing the end of life, which is currently hard for clinicians to do, and often occurs only hours or a few days before death. Knowledge of these changes will help clinicians with decision making about care and help avoid treatments that may be unnecessary or burdensome.
In the future, the researchers may also be able to use the samples for other research, for example to help develop various tests and/or treatments that will hopefully improve the care future patients receive.
Pilgrims Hospice Thanet inpatient unit is one of 30 research sites around England that is collecting samples for this study. Dr Anna John is leading the study at the hospice. If a patient is eligible to take part, the patient/loved one will be approached by the study team at the hospice to see if they would like to participate. Participation is voluntary and will not affect the care they receive.
Watch a short video about the METEL study:
Would you be interested in helping the hospice review its research?
Pilgrims undertake research and receives many requests from researchers to undertake research in the hospice. All projects are reviewed by the hospice Research Facilitation and Governance Forum for their agreement to start, and their oversight whilst projects are running, through quarterly meetings.
We’re currently looking for a public member to join the forum as a volunteer to provide their perspective. This role will help us to ensure the research we do is designed and conducted appropriately for the people we care for.
Interested in this role?
To find out more, please contact our Research Facilitator:
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
7th August 2026
Will you support Pilgrims?
Isabel Smith, Senior Trusts Fundraiser, with Ryan Crown and Adrian Button from the Hospital Saturday Fund
Supporting a charity through your business is a sustainable way to raise vital funds for Pilgrims Hospices whilst increasing brand visibility at the same time.
A commercial partnership simply means raising money for a charity through product sales or service delivery, and is an easy way to embed fundraising into your daily activity. Whether you are a big corporate or a small family-run business, this is a partnership that can work for you.
Our Corporate and Trusts Partnerships Manager, Leila Ilkhan, will guide you every step of the way, ensuring the partnership is tailored to suit your business needs and putting in place the necessary agreements. All you have to do is share how your business is making a difference in the community by doing what you do best.
Could Pilgrims Hospices be your 2027 Charity of the Year?
£30,000 for 300 years
Earlier this year, we were delighted to celebrate an extraordinary year of fundraising support from Furley Page Solicitors. The law firm marked a very special anniversary and chose Pilgrims as their 2026 Charity of the Year. From climbing the Three Peaks to hosting in-house events, the team raised a staggering amount of money. Through this support, a number of projects have been made possible, including equipment for Pilgrims’ community nurses, complementary therapy teams, and furniture to make our family lounge in the Canterbury hospice feel extra homely.
Leila Ilkhan, Corporate and Trusts Partnerships Manager, with Aaron Spencer, Partner and Head of Private Client and Chair of the Furley Page Foundation
See more ways that your business can support Pilgrims:
Sarah and Danny from Injection Development Garage Services in Hersden have been committed supporters of the hospice for many years. Each year, the team sit down with our partnerships team to decide on the year’s fundraising activities.
Driving forward hospice care
This year, Sarah and Danny decided to make a donation for every engine service completed during the summer months. This is a great way for clients to feel part of supporting a charity, boost business revenue, and requires little time to run.
The team at SGS Energy based in Thanet has recently come on board as a Pilgrims Partner by pledging to make a donation for every domestic solar installation carried out.
What we’ve funded recently
Our Trusts fundraising team work closely with departments across the charity, creating a wish list of projects and items needed to deliver our services. Many of the pieces of equipment used in our hospices are funded through donations, and we would like to say thank you to the Trusts and Foundations that have supported our work.
Earlier this year, the Hospital Saturday Fund donated £2,000 to fund a bladder scanner. This piece of equipment means our nurses can preserve patient dignity and manage their pain non-invasively.
A donation of £30,000 from the Albert Hunt Trust also helped our team to buy 25 syringe drivers, which are used on our inpatient units, providing continuous medication to help manage symptoms and provide comfort to patients.
The Cantiacorum Foundation funded our Tiles of Joy project, which welcomed patients, carers and people who attend our bereavement groups to create their own ceramic tiles, each reflecting on what brings them happiness. This project helped participants to relax and be part of a wider meaningful experience.
Find out more about the support we receive from Trusts and Foundations:
If you’re feeling inspired and would like to talk to our fundraising team about how you can get involved with supporting the hospice, email [email protected].
Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate, specialist care free of charge to thousands of people in east Kent each year who are living with life-limiting conditions. Support is offered in patients’ homes, in the community, and at our three hospice sites in Canterbury, Thanet and Ashford. We also run a 24-hour advice line.
