Tony and Sharon renew wedding vows with the help of Pilgrims Hospices
Tony and Sharon Reed from Ashford were married for 23 years; they had wanted to renew their wedding vows for a long time, but as Sharon says: “Life gets in the way, so we kept putting it on hold.”
When Tony became unwell with cancer and was referred to Pilgrims Hospices in November 2022, he wanted to prioritise the vow renewal to make special, lasting memories with Sharon and their wider family. Thanks to a team effort by Pilgrims’ staff and volunteers, Tony and Sharon’s wishes were fulfilled; they renewed their vows at the Ashford hospice on 16 November 2022.
Sharon first mentioned the vow renewal to Les Rood, a Reception Volunteer, who passed the message to Cat Darkins, Spiritual Care Lead, to get the ball rolling.
Cat said: “’It is a privilege to be able to facilitate important life events at the hospice. We aim to keep what is important to the patient at the centre of what we do. We want to be able to help people make special memories and live life as well as possible for as long as possible. Tony and Sharon had been considering a vow renewal for some time, so for the whole of the hospice to help make it happen made it even more special.”
Sharon and Tony with Rodney the PAT dog
Cat officiated the ceremony, which was attended by the couple’s family and friends, with Tony’s sister and brother-in-law joining via video link from France. The hospice chapel was decorated by volunteers as a surprise for Tony and Sharon, and the catering team provided sandwiches and light refreshments. Volunteer Ginny Taylor arranged flower donations from a local Tesco store. Rodney the PAT dogmade a very special guest appearance, and was a great support to Tony as he was saying his vows.
Sharon said: “We were so excited; we chose our outfits and our bouquets were made by friends. Another friend, Hayley, took photos for us. Tony loved having Rodney there; he was patting away and didn’t stop smiling all day. It was amazing, really beautiful.”
Hannah Sanders, Ward Sister, worked closely with Tony and Sharon and played a vital role in helping to organise their special day.
She said: “Providing this opportunity to both Tony and Sharon to renew their vows was a privilege; I saw the love they had for each other and wanted to pull out all the stops to make their wish come true. All the staff were brilliant, and I feel very proud to be a part of such a caring and supportive team.”
Tony had his own room at the hospice, complete with a Cuddle Bed, an extra wide and adaptable hospital bed that enables patients to lie next to their loved one. This allowed Sharon to stay over and be close to Tony. They also enjoyed visits from family and friends, including their daughter, Chloe, and grandson, Ethan.
Tony and Sharon in the Cuddle Bed alongside Sarah Martins, Deputy Head of Nursing, Hannah Sanders, Ward Sister and Cat Darkins, Spiritual Care Lead
Sharon continued: “After the ceremony, so many people came to Tony’s room for a chat, to ask how we were and see the photos. All the hospice staff and volunteers are amazing, they’re like one big family.”
Tony added: “The whole day made me really, really happy. Other patients and their families saw our ceremony going on and it brought them so much joy, too.
“Everyone at Pilgrims is wonderful. They’re so helpful and just want to do what’s best for you; they listen to your wants and needs and give amazing care. I would tell anyone being offered hospice care to jump at the chance.”
In September 2025, Sharon reflected on the memories Pilgrims helped her and Tony to make, and kindly shared her thoughts almost three years on from their special day:
“It was so wonderful being able to renew our wedding vows at the hospice, surrounded by wonderful staff, family and friends who came to celebrate our day. I can’t thank Pilgrims enough for helping Tony’s last wishes happen. I will be forever grateful; it is a memory I will always cherish.
For anyone thinking that it’s something they would like to do, just speak to the Pilgrims staff, they are always happy to help. Even though it was a very sad time, it is a beautiful memory, and it gives me great comfort during hard times to know how happy Tony was that we were able to renew our wedding vows.“
Pilgrims Hospices care for thousands of 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.
23rd December 2022
Team Chocolate Orange share the love with Pilgrims Hospices
A Chocolate Orange treat for staff on all three Pilgrims Hospices sites was delivered by Allan Pippard from Faversham Town Walking Football in December 2022.
Allan and his wife Joanne arrived with 300 donated oranges to bring festive cheer to staff throughout the charity on behalf of Team Chocolate Orange. It’s their way of sending a much-deserved thank you for providing essential services 365 days a year, caring for those in need and their loved ones, and for always being there when they are needed.
The Team Chocolate Orange campaign was started by Chris Lamb, whose son, Elliott, spent a lot of time in hospital and very sadly passed away just before Christmas 2010, aged just four years old. The following year, Chris decided he wanted to do something positive to cherish Elliott’s memory and Team Chocolate Orange was born. Seeing the campaign as a way to turn a negative into a positive, Chris embarked on a mission to thank NHS staff for all they did and decided to give a Chocolate Orange to as many of them as he could.
Having started in St. Helens, Merseyside in 2011 with 145 Chocolate Oranges, the campaign, now running in areas from Newcastle to London, has resulted in over 100,000 donated Chocolate Oranges being gifted to deserving recipients.
Allan and Jo have a personal connection to Pilgrims Hospices; Jo’s Mum, Diane Mewett was cared for by the Canterbury care team in the Spring of 2017. Diane expressed a special wish to be part of her daughter’s wedding and celebrate alongside her family. Allan and Jo brought their wedding plans forward, and the team at the hospice did everything they could to help the family make a truly memorable day. A fabulous white wedding and blessing took place within the gardens and family room, where Diane was able to share the couple’s special day.
Jo and Allan with Jo’s mum, Diane, on their wedding day at the hospice
While delivering the chocolatey treats, they were reunited with some of the care team who looked after Jo’s Mum.
Allan said: “We are delighted to be the bearers of these treats for the hospices, we are regular supporters of Team Chocolate Orange at Faversham Walking Football and are delighted to be here to deliver some good cheer to Pilgrims.
“The care that the whole family received while Diane was at the hospice was very special, and the wedding gave us a life-long special memory to keep.”
Leila Ilkhan, Pilgrims community fundraising manager said: “On behalf of everyone at Pilgrims Hospices I would like to say a very big thank you to you for thinking of our charity and delivering Chocolate Oranges for our staff to enjoy.
“It is heart-warming to see people in our community wanting to spread some joy and I look forward to sharing your token of gratitude with our nurses, doctors and wider clinical teams over the next couple of days.
“Team Chocolate Orange has started something truly fantastic, and it is wonderful that you are bringing this to Kent to continue this generous act of giving.”
Pilgrims support thousands of patients and their families in east Kent each year. The gift of a Chocolate Orange to each of the team will no doubt be enjoyed with a cup of tea on tea breaks and lunch times. Pilgrims wish to thank Allan and Joanne Pippard and Faversham Walking Football for such a kind gesture and would like to wish them a very merry Christmas.
You can keep up to date with Team Chocolate Orange on Facebook and Twitter.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to thousands of 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.
Tree-mendous news!
Tree-mendous news, Pilgrims Hospices Christmas Tree Recycling is returning to Canterbury, Ashford and Thanet this festive season.
The environmentally-friendly fundraising initiative makes saying farewell to your festive fir as easy as possible, so that you can enjoy a hassle-free end of the festive period, in the knowledge that you are supporting a much-loved local charity.
Help Pilgrims to take care of the planet and hospice patients one tree at a time!
All you have to do is register on Pilgrims’ website and make a donation of your choice. Pilgrims’ volunteer elves will collect your real tree from your doorstep, where it will continue on a journey to be recycled.
There’s no need to mess up your car with pine needles, Pilgrims volunteers will do all the hard work for you and, in return, you will be helping to support the vital end-of-life care of local people through your donation.
Kate Duddell, Pilgrims Hospices Fundraising Manager said: “It’s really important to dispose of your real tree in a sustainable way. We are grateful for the support of Canterbury City Council, the incredible ongoing support of Ashford Borough Council, who have now supported the campaign for 11 years, Thanet District Council, and the huge number of volunteers, and local businesses who give up their time to help us raise vital funds in early January. Our last, and first, Christmas Tree Recycling campaign raised in excess of an amazing £42,000 and more than 2,250 real trees were collected by Pilgrims Hospices across east Kent. We hope the lovely and supportive local community will do the same again this year.”
Canterbury area
The doorstep collections will take place between 6 – 9 January 2023, but you need to register by midnight on Monday 2 January to book your collection. If you live in Canterbury, Sturry, Chartham, Bridge, Herne Bay, Chestfield, Whitstable, Seasalter or surrounding villages within the Canterbury City Council area, Pilgrims’ elves will come and collect your real Christmas tree!
Ashford area
The doorstep collections will take place between 14 – 16 January 2023, but you need to register by midnight on Monday 9 January to book your collection. If you live in Ashford, Tenterden, Charing, Wye. Appledore, Chilham or surrounding villages within the Ashford Borough Council area, Pilgrims elves’ will come and collect your real Christmas tree!
Thanet area
The doorstep collections will take place between 6 – 9 January 2023, but you need to get registered by midnight on Monday 2 January to book your collection. If you live in Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Margate, Westgate-on-Sea, Birchington, St Nicholas-at-Wade, Minster or all the surrounding villages Pilgrims elves will come and collect your real Christmas tree!
Faversham drop-off recycling station
If you live outside of the Canterbury City Council area, you can still support Pilgrims Hospices and recycle your real Christmas tree. You can bring your tree to Pilgrims designated drop-station at Macknade, Faversham, ME13 8XF on Saturday 7 (9:00 – 16:00) and Sunday 8 (10:00 – 16:00) January 2023. Please book online in advance here for the drop-off station at Macknade.
The scheme is delivered with the fir-tastic support of Kent County Council (KCC) and Kent’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC), FCC Environment, together with the local councils, all the parties are helping Pilgrims to recycle the trees; all for a good claus.
For information or images, please contact the Pilgrims Hospices Fundraising team at [email protected].
For more information about KCC, please visitkccmediahub.net.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to thousands of 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.
2nd November 2022
Maddie: “Pilgrims is a beautiful place where illness can be forgotten”
Maddie from Ashford was diagnosed with a terminal illness in July 2021.
She attends Time to Create, a weekly art therapy group at Pilgrims Hospice Ashford, which is helping her to live well and make the most of each moment.
Coming to Pilgrims for the first time
Maddie’s dad received Pilgrims’ care, so the family already had first-hand experience of the local hospice charity and its wellbeing services. He also enjoyed Time to Create sessions at the hospice.
Maddie said: “It was great for him; it got him out of the house, he made friends, and he loved the food! We’re still in touch with one of his friends’ wives, which is really nice.”
Before her diagnosis, Maddie was always active; she rode horses and was a keen baker. She said: “I was in two minds about being referred to Pilgrims; I hadn’t been to the hospice since Dad died. But having seen the care that he received, I decided to give it a go. As well as coming to the groups, I’m monitored by Pilgrims and they check my medications. Marion, one of the counsellors, pops in to see me, and Gary the maintenance engineer says hello, too – he was here when Dad was in the hospice. So there is continuity, and I feel supported in several ways.”
The activities give me the opportunity to do what I used to, albeit in a different way. I’ve had to learn to be a bit more relaxed, but I’m getting there. I can’t paint or draw or colour, that’s why my own little projects work well for me.
Maddie
Melissa Friend
Although Maddie can’t use her hands anymore, Melissa Friend, Wellbeing Practitioner helps her to take part in all the creative activities on offer. These have included candle making and building terrariums, indoor gardening containers that hold plants.
Maddie continued: “I’ve made friends and I love coming together with everyone. You can chat, participate or not, just whatever you feel – there’s no pressure. The activities give me the opportunity to do what I used to, albeit in a different way. I’ve had to learn to be a bit more relaxed, but I’m getting there. I can’t paint or draw or colour, that’s why my own little projects work well for me. Mel helps me a lot; we almost work in tandem – she is, in effect, my hands. That makes me really happy, and I look forward to coming here each week.
“Pilgrims is a beautiful place where illness can be forgotten. You can forget everything for a short time; it doesn’t change anything, but you can forget and share experiences with others. We all benefit in our own individual way.”
Maddie’s legacy
Through attending Time to Create sessions, Maddie has begun producing artwork for friends and family. She feels that it has brought her closer to her sister and her wider circle of friends.
She said: “Now people know I come to the group, they ask me to make them things; they want something to remember me by. Let’s face it, I have a terminal illness – but Time to Create gives me the chance to build a legacy for my loved ones to have when I’m gone.”
Maddie loves sunflowers and they are a running theme in her artwork: “They’re like my trademark!” she says. She has recently made a sunflower picture for her sister, and a framed teddy bear for a friend’s son, which includes a small sunflower decoration. Pink buttons also feature in Maddie’s artwork. She explained: “Pink was Mum’s favourite colour, so the buttons represent her and the sunflowers are me. I know that means a lot to my sister.
“Taking photos of my work also makes me feel connected to my friends and family, because I can show them and they benefit from that, and I think that’s really important.”
To find out more about the Wellbeing services offered at Pilgrims, visit:
Pilgrims Hospices cares for thousands of 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.
6th October 2022
Community project helps Pilgrims clean up
County Square domestic team member with Sharon Tomey, Carol Kennedy and Marilyn Kirton from Pilgrims domestic team and Stacey Bell, Retail Scheme Director of County Square Shopping Centre
County Square Shopping Centre recently purchased new equipment to support Pilgrims Hospices’ domestic team with funding from their Community Project.
County Square is a Gold Service Award winner for best cleaned shopping mall in its class; and as long-term supporters of the local hospice, they continue to help clean up by funding new trollies to make keeping the hospice spic and span, just that little bit easier.
Two Kärcher Eco cleaning trollies worth more than £2,000, have been delivered to the grateful domestic team. Stacey Bell, Retail Scheme Director of County Square Shopping Centre visited the hospice to see the trollies in action and chat with the staff who are putting them into practice.
Stacey said: “We are extremely pleased to support Pilgrims Hospices by providing the new cleaning trollies to help the amazing domestic team with their important and valuable work. We’re delighted the trollies are proving so useful. I hope the new easy to move eco carts go some way to helping with the busy domestic roles.”
Marilyn (Maz) Kirton, from Pilgrims domestic team told us:
“It’s great to have the wonderful new eco trollies, we can contain all of our equipment as we work throughout the hospice, they are helping to make our work more streamlined. We’ve had lots of comments from patients and colleagues as we support throughout the hospice departments, with lots of smiles and laughs about our brand new sports model trollies!
“We are very thankful that Stacey and her team at County Square were thinking of us; we are so pleased with the new equipment.”
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to thousands of 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.
Pride of Pilgrims is nominated for Pride of Britain award
Pilgrims Maintenance Engineer Gary Kirton, feels honoured to be named in the top four nominees for Fundraiser of the Year in the ITV Meridian, Pride of Britain Awards.
Gary from Kingsnorth, Ashford has been fundraising ever since the late 1980s when he started a sweepstake on the Grand National horse race, which grew into a club that started supporting lots of charities. Over the years, Gary has raised almost £300,000 for charitable causes including Pilgrims Hospices where he has worked as an integral part of their maintenance team for 12 years, and has raised between £70,000 and £80,000 for the charity that’s so close to his heart.
Gary said: “I was completely surprised and very honoured when I heard I’d been nominated for a Pride of Britain Award. I must say a massive thank you to those who nominated me!
“I’ve been fundraising for so long, it’s a very important part of my life, and I know my efforts are helping to make a difference to people who really need support. My wife Marilyn (Maz) is my rock; she also works as a domestic team leader for Pilgrims Hospices. I couldn’t have done most of the fundraising events without her, she’s always supportive and on hand and has joined me on many challenges including the London Marathon in 2018.
“I have some amazing memories, and incredible experiences from running 12k dressed as Penguins with Maz, to sportsmen’s dinners with celebrity guests, Peter Shilton and Frank Bruno.
“I’m currently undertaking a UK racecourse tour, visiting 41 different courses and planning to finish at Aintree in December; to date this has raised nearly £20,000.”
One particularly special memory would be Pilgrims bingo evenings when friends, supporters and colleagues came to the Ashford hospice community rooms to be part of the fun. On some occasions, patients and their families joined us to enjoy the entertainment. Over the six years of hospice bingo, it raised £35,000 for hospice care.
Gary
Gary fell very ill in 2007 and had major heart surgery at the William Harvey Hospital.
He said: “I owe them my life, and will always be grateful for their care, and for Maz and her quick reactions when contacting the doctors. Without her, the outcome could have been very different. After recovering, I was even more determined to continue to raise funds for important causes, and I’m inspired by so many people who achieve such great things. More recently I’ve become great friends with Bob Champion MBE/OBE who is so inspirational to cancer sufferers. Bob fought against cancer in 1979 and came back to win the greatest horse race in the world, the Grand National on Aldaniti in 1981, showing cancer can be beaten.
“One particularly special memory would be Pilgrims bingo evenings when friends, supporters and colleagues came to the Ashford hospice community rooms to be part of the fun. On some occasions, patients and their families joined us to enjoy the entertainment. Over the six years of hospice bingo, it raised £35,000 for hospice care.”
He added: “I’ve always worked in hands-on professions, my work at the hospice is full of problem-solving and I’m very proud to be part of such a great team.”
When Gary has time to relax, he enjoys spending time with his step daughters Charlotte and Kirsty and the grandchildren, some well-deserved nights out with his wife Maz and watching sport on TV.
Congratulations on your nomination Gary, you are truly an amazing fundraiser, we are all very proud of you here at Pilgrims Hospices.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to thousands of people in east Kent coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity supports patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress. Care is provided from three hospice sites in Thanet, Canterbury and Ashford, as well as in patients’ own homes. To offer these services to patients and their families, the charity must raise £11 million each year from the generous local community.
