Su and Zahra White walk with their memories along the Hadrian’s Wall Path
The month of June is a special time of year for Su and Zahra White, and this year they’ve chosen to walk with the memories of a very dear mum and nanny, as they challenge themselves to hiking 88-miles to raise funds for local hospice care by taking part in Pilgrims Hospices Hadrian’s Wall Path Virtual Hike.
In 2015, Su’s mum and Zahra’s nanny, Hazel Riddlesden, learnt that her cancer was now terminal. After being moved into a local care home in Herne Bay, the Pilgrims Hospices Hospice at Home Team began to support Hazel and her family to ensure she continued to live life well in mind, body and soul. The family were told that Hazel was now entering the final days of her life and together, they’d need to decide on the next steps. It was at this point that Hazel asked to be admitted to Pilgrims Hospices for her final days.
Mum asked to be admitted to Pilgrims Hospices in Canterbury as she felt they would provide the peaceful surroundings she wanted to live out her final days.” Su
Hazel spent 5 days with Pilgrims Hospices in June 2015, and the family received an overwhelming level of support and care from the nurses and the wider staff. At such a difficult time, this support enabled the family to spend Hazel’s final days together. Of the care they received, Su White said:
“I knew very little about hospices or the support they provide, but can honestly say that for the wider family it was like someone had taken away all the day-to-day stresses and wrapped all of us in a comfort blanket where we felt safe, and unconditional support. My daughter, Zahra, who was just 8 years old at the time, was very close to her wonderful nanny and she was included in the support given which was very important to us”
After spending so much time inside the house during lockdown, Su and Zahra were attracted to the Hadrian’s Wall Path Virtual Hike as it gave them a reason to explore their local countryside and to push themselves on their daily walks. The virtual hike also naturally fits with the time of year that they especially remember Su’s mum and Zahra’s nanny. Su and Zahra will be walking with the memories of Hazel this June to raise much needed funds to support the nurses, doctors and wider staff who are Still Here; Still Caring for individuals, and families, across east Kent who are living with an incurable illness.
The beautiful seaside town of Herne Bay is home to many public footpaths, open fields, woodlands and coastal paths. Su and Zahra will be taking advantage of these stunning backdrops for their daily hikes as they edge towards their goal of 88 miles to virtually complete the historic Hadrian’s Wall Path.
Su and Zahra have set up a JustGiving page to raise funds for Pilgrims Hospices – if you’d like to support their challenge, you can do here:
Care is provided from three hospice sites in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet 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.
27th April 2020
The Rotary Club of Thanet support Pilgrims Hospices
The Rotary Club of Thanet are unable to meet at the Royal Temple Yacht Club for their regular Monday evenings, during the coronavirus lockdown. They have generously donated their weekly meal money to local charities who are being affected within the community.
Neal Elliott from the Rotary Club said: “We are donating £1,000 to Pilgrims Hospices who are short of funds due to the current crisis, along with donations to other charities.”
Karen Kenward, Community Fundraising Manager said: “With the charity facing challenging times, together with everyone in the UK due to the COVID-19 outbreak this generous donation of £1,000 couldn’t have come at a better time.
“The past few weeks have been unexpectedly difficult for Pilgrims Hospices. Sadly, we recently had to ask most of our incredible 1,500 volunteers to stay safely at home, close our shops, cancel or postpone many of our fundraising activities.
“Despite this, our vital work has not stopped. We still continue to provide compassionate care and support at our hospices and in the community to ensure our patients, their families and our staff are all remaining safe.
The charity has developed and implemented lots of changes to adapt and respond at this time for the community that needs its services. It has been creative about how it can continue to deliver services both within its inpatient units and to those it cares for and supports in the community by telephone and online facilities.
It costs £14 million per year to run the full range of Pilgrims clinical services. To do this, the charity relies heavily on the support and generosity of the local community. It has to raise 80% of the £14 million and these costs are generated through fundraising and donations. The coming months will be an extremely challenging time for Pilgrims and it remains positive, creative and innovative to aim to be there for the next family that needs its clinical care.
Karen added: “I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for thinking of Pilgrims Hospices in such difficult times; we are so very humbled and grateful.”
Please note: All photos featured were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are so many ways you can continue to support Pilgrims, even from your homes. Visit the Pilgrims website for some virtual challenges and become a #StayHomeHospiceHero, helping to make a difference from your home.
We need you more than ever; our local community means everything to us.
Thank you.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,400 people in east Kent, who are 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.
20th April 2020
Rob’s head shave raises over £790 for Pilgrims Hospices
Local estate agent branch manager, Robert Lear from Oakwood Homes continues to fundraise for his local Pilgrims Hospices charity in spite of the current lockdown conditions. Rob’s spontaneous head shave has raised over £790 for vital end of life care within the community.
The ‘brave shave’ took place earlier this month at Rob’s and his partner Rebecca’s home in Ramsgate. At the prospect of keeping his locks well-groomed during these difficult times, Rob decided a head shave would be a good option and an opportunity to raise some funds for Pilgrims Still Here, Still Caring campaign by asking friends, family and colleagues to sponsor his daring deed.
Pilgrims is a charity very close to my heart.
Rob Lear
Rob who turns 35 later this month said: “Pilgrims is a charity very close to my heart, I have known friends who have been cared for by the hospice and I wanted to show my appreciation for everything they do; they really do a great job.
Rob before his brave shave
“I would just like to thank everyone who supported me and donated towards this amazing charity. Pilgrims Hospices go above and beyond to help and care for our loved ones. I’m delighted with the amount raised from the head shave.
“Thank you everyone and, stay safe.”
Rob is a regular Pilgrims supporter and has taken on challenges that have included charity go karting and chest waxing in the past. During lockdown he’s busy doing lots of cooking with Rebecca and enjoying Bluebell; their 7-month-old golden retriever dog.
Karen Kenward, Pilgrims Thanet Community Fundraising Manager said: “We are most grateful for the incredible people like Rob who continue to fundraise for our charity while in lockdown. It means we can continue to provide support for those who need our care the most within the community.
“It costs £20 to provide each hour of nursing care; Rob and his supporters have helped provide just over 39 hours to the next person who needs us. Thank you to each and every one of you that made a donation to make this possible and, most of all thank you Rob for taking on this challenge.”
There are so many ways you can continue to support Pilgrims, even from your homes. Visit the Pilgrims website for some virtual challenges and become a #StayHomeHospiceHero and help to make a difference from your home.
We need you more than ever; our local community means everything to us.
Thank you.
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,400 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. To offer these services charity must raise £11 million each year from the generous local community.
9th April 2020
The Heath family raise charity cheer in back garden
Richard and Joanne Heath from Herne Bay built a bar in their back garden, aptly named The Four Heath Clover. They started fundraising for Pilgrims Hospices along with friends and family who visited, in memory of Jo’s sister Julie Beal. The couple have raised £262 in the past 12 months and almost £700 since 2017 for the charity that is very close to their hearts.
Joanne’s sister Julie was cared for at Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury, after her long battle with cancer, she passed away in March 2010 aged 46 years.
We understand the importance of fundraising for this great cause.
Jo Heath
Jo said: “Having seen and experienced how well Julie was cared for in her final week with Pilgrims, we understand the importance of fundraising for this great cause. We have always been a family that love to take part in events to raise money for charity and have taken part in Pilgrims charity events and also play Pilgrims Lottery to support end of life care within our community.”
She added: “We built our home bar ‘The Four Heath Clover’ and held various fundraising days such as sports days, horse racing, ladies only and gents’ only nights. Everyone who attended always gave generously. Julie was a much loved sister, daughter, mum and auntie; she was always the life and soul of a family gathering.
“We do this in memory of Julie and to raise money to help Pilgrims Hospices to continue the wonderful work they do for the east Kent community.”
Leila Ilkhan, Pilgrims Community Fundraising Manager, said: “It was lovely to meet Richard and Jo and to thank them personally for their support in such an ingenious and creative way.
“They also generously have a Pilgrims collection pot on their bar for extra fundraising, we are extremely grateful to everyone who makes a contribution.
Thank you for supporting in such an ingenious and creative way.
Leila Ilkhan, Pilgrims Hospices
“I think this is a great bit of fundraising and I would love to share to hopefully inspire others to think about how they could fundraise for Pilgrims.”
Please note: This fundraising took place before the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you would like to fundraise for Pilgrims Hospices in the future,the fundraising team would love to hear from you. Although much of our current fundraising activities are paused due to COVID-19, there are many ways you can still support the charity, including joining Pilgrims Lottery, giving a one-off donationor planning an event for later on this year. We hope, that in time, supporters will be filled with positive spirit and ready to think about how they can get involved when we can all join together again in creative ways such as The Four Heath Clover.
Thank you again. Your support is very much appreciated!
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.
6th April 2020
Thanet Police Theatre Club raises £4,400 for Pilgrims Hospices
The annual pantomime production from the Thanet Police Theatre Club panto has raised an incredible £4,400 for Pilgrims Hospices care.
Cast members from the magical and hugely entertaining ‘Wizard from Auss’ met with Karen Kenward, Community Fundraising Manager for Pilgrims Hospice Thanet to celebrate the fantastic donation in support of the much-loved local hospice.
Martin Luke Douglas, the production co-director said: “Pilgrims Hospices is an important part of our community, we know our donation will be contributing to vital services for local people. I would like to thank everyone for continuing to support them at such difficult times for all of us.”
Karen said: “Each year the Police Theatre Club pantos are such great entertainment for the whole family. This year, it was even more special for me, it was my favourite.
“I would like to give a special mention to the most talented Jeff Barker, who played the scarecrow; what a wonderful performance, he’s so talented and the character was surreal!
“I have to say the whole cast were absolutely brilliant. I cannot wait to see next year’s Jack and the Beanstalk production.”
Pilgrims Hospices send hearty congratulations to the Theatre Club for giving such a brilliant performance and grateful thanks for this generous donation. The hospices are dependant on the local community to help support end-of-life care services; without them, we simply wouldn’t be here.
Please note: All photos featured were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
10th March 2020
Where’s Wally?
The annual Paws 4 Pilgrims fundraising dog walk will take place on Sunday 29 March in Deal. Tara Baltera from Margate with her daughter Lily are taking part, they will be walking Wally, the 5-year-old Dalmatian on the 5km walk along Deal’s beautiful coastline.
The gorgeous spotty dog is a rescue dog from Dalmatian Welfare and belongs to Tara’s friend Paul who will be joining them for their Sunday morning stroll to support end-of-life care within the local community.
By supporting our event you are helping to raise important funds and to help people to live well in every moment.
Karen Kenward, Pilgrims Hospices
Tara said: “We don’t have a dog ourselves and Lily loves dogs; we often take Wally out for walks, she’s wonderful company and enjoys lots of exercise, so it’s good for all of us.
Lily and Wally
“We enjoy supporting local good causes and this particular event is always such a lovely day. We always stay for the dog show after the walk and have a number of rosettes to show for it! Lily enjoyed winning dog most like its owner.”
Lily and Wally at Paws 4 Pilgrims
The walk takes the dogs and their walking buddies along the Deal coastline towards Walmer before returning. After the walk, there’s a fun dog show with lots of classes for furry friends to take part in. Could your dog be the ‘fastest sausage catcher’?
Come along and watch, there will be refreshments and stalls to enjoy too, it’s a great day out for the whole family.
Karen Kenward, Pilgrims Community Fundraising Manager at the Thanet hospice said: “It will be great to see Wally and her friends again this year. There are lots of our regular Paws 4 Pilgrims supporters registered and many new to the event too.
“By supporting our event you are helping to raise important funds and to help people to live well in every moment.”
You can register to take part here or come along and register on the day.
Event information
8.30am: Registration opens
10.30am – 12pm: 5k walk along the Deal coastal route
12pm – 3.30pm: Fun dog and agility shows
Entry prices
Early bird entry (closes 15/03/2020)
12 years and over: £8 / 11 years and under: £4 / Family: £20*
Standard entry (closes 22/03/2020) and on the day entry
12 years and over: £10 / 11 years and under: £6 / Family: £30*
* Family entry includes two people of 12 years and over plus two people of 11 years and under.
Fun dog and agility shows
There will be a fun dog and agility show after the walk, which dogs can be entered into for £2 per class or £1 per class for those who have entered the walk.
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 care on its wards, in people’s own homes and through the Wellbeing Programme held in Pilgrims Therapy Centres.
