The Lord Mayor’s end-of-summer afternoon tea supports Pilgrims Hospices
Pilgrims Hospices alongside The Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Jean Butcher, hosted a lovely end-of-summer afternoon tea event on September 21st at Westgate Towers in Westgate Gardens, Canterbury. The event was organised in support of Pilgrims Hospices, which is the Lord Mayor’s chosen charity for the year 2023. Pilgrims Hospices provide palliative care services from three sites in, Canterbury Ashford and Thanet, in the community, and people’s homes across east Kent.
The event was attended by members of Canterbury City Council, charitable trusts, High Sheriffs, and respected members of the community.
During the afternoon tea, volunteers from the charity prepared a beautiful spread, which was served on traditional china tableware. These traditional touches added to the elegance and charm of the event.
The PIlgrims Hoslices Team With Lady Mayoress Di Baldock Web
Rosie Duffield MP With PIlgrims Nurses Lorna Moss And Laura Gouch Web
PIlgrims Trustee Elizabeth Sharp With Rosie Duffiled MP Web
Nadra Ahmend CBE, DL, High Sherriff With Cllr Michael Dixley, Deputy Leader Canterbury Council Elizabth Sharp, Pilgrims Trustee
Nadra Ahmed CBE, DL, High Sherriff Of Kent With Lord Mayor Canterbury Jean Butcher Web
Lord Mayor Of Canterbury, Jean Butcher With Sue Sharp Director Of Income Generation PIlgrims Hospices (1)
Lord Mayor Jean Butcher With PIlgrims Fundraising Manager Kate Duddell Web
Jon Sillett PIlgrimd Deputy CEO With Lord Mayor Jean Butcher Web (1)
One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by Sue Sharp, Pilgrims Director of Income Generation, and Jon Sillett, Deputy Chief Executive for Pilgrims Hospices. They spoke passionately about the care provided by Pilgrims, and focused on how community and corporate stakeholders can contribute to Pilgrims Hospices’ essential fundraising efforts, and support the hospice’s mission. Sue also explained how the support of 1300 dedicated volunteers is vital to the running of the hospice services, from catering, administration, patient support and within the retail shops across Kent.
The Lord Mayor also spoke fondly of her years of work as a Health Care Assistant at the Canterbury hospice, and shared smiles with Senior Ward Nurse Laura Gouch, and Health Care Assistant, Lorna Moss who were guests attending on behalf of their colleagues. It was a delightful and meaningful event, that brought together community members to support a worthy cause.
Many of the attendees said, it was indeed a heart-warming and meaningful gathering, bringing together the community to support a vital cause and a most enjoyable afternoon tea.
If you would like to become involved and help support end-of-life care services at Pilgrims Hospices, please contact Fundraising@pilgrimshospices.org the charity would love to have your support.
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 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.
6th February 2019
Pilgrims benefit as Wahl UK’s charity of the year
International grooming, styling and personal care products specialist Wahl UK presented their Charity of the Year, Pilgrims Hospices, with an amazing fundraising cheque for £6,079.44 recently.
Wahl UK has been fundraising for local charities over a number of years, however, in 2015 they started selecting a charity of the year. They now focus fundraising on supporting local, independent charities that are close to their heart. The staff decide which charity they’re going to support each year. David Goodman, Managing Director of Wahl UK, said: “The staff nominate charities, then we take a vote and Pilgrims Hospices won by a clear majority last year.”
Wahl also headline sponsored Pilgrims charity fun run, Santas on the Run! In 2018 and entered over 30 members of staff into the fun. “We are very proud to have supported this event. Santas on the Run was a fantastic, fun way to end the year.” Mr. Goodman told us.
He added: “The staff raised an incredible £1,445 in sponsorship for the fun run!”
We are very proud to have supported PIlgrims Hospices
David Goodman, Wahl UK
Wahl organised a range of fundraising activities in the office for Halloween & Christmas, a member of staff made a skydive and they donated boxes upon boxes of toys and clothes to Pilgrims Hospices retail shops. The charity team also organised a quiz night for staff, family and friends. The quiz night was a great success with it being their most successful quiz night to date!
The company match-funded the money raised by the charity team in the office fundraising and they also generously match-funded the sponsorship raised from Santas on the Run!
I had no idea they had achieved such a huge sum, it was a brilliant surprise!
Lydia, Pilgrims
The team kept their fundraising total a secret during the year, it wasn’t until they handed Lydia Todd, Pilgrims Fundraising Officer the cheque that the amazing total was revealed.
Lydia said: “I had no idea they had achieved such a huge sum, it was a brilliant surprise!
“It was an absolute pleasure to work with the team at Wahl over the past year. They have been so committed and enthusiastic about their fundraising and support Pilgrims Hospices. It’s great to see such a large company so invested in supporting local charities; the money that they’ve raised during 2018 will have a great impact on people in their local community who are living with an incurable illness. Pilgrims can’t thank the team enough for all of their hard work and support”
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,300 people in East Kent 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.
3rd July 2018
M&S Charity of the Year campaign raises vital cash for Pilgrims
Staff and customers at Marks & Spencer Canterbury Maybrook Simply Food have donated more than £11,500 to the Pilgrims Hospices charity this year. The fundraising and catering teams, along with some regular Pilgrims volunteers, visited the store to thank them for the amazing donation and for nominating them as Charity of the Year for 2017/18.
Alex Dobson, Marks & Spencer Operations Manager, said: “We support a local charity each year, our staff submit nominations and the most popular is selected.
“Our staff were very keen to support Pilgrims; many of our team have a personal connection to the hospice and value the services the charity offers.”
Pilgrims volunteers Elaine Newman, Dan Baker and Rose Link are regulars on in-store collection days. Elaine said: “We love this store and enjoy coming here on collection days. The staff are always friendly and welcoming and customers really appreciate the work we do.”
We love this store and enjoy coming here on collection days.
Elaine Newman, Pilgrims Volunteer
Lydia Todd, Community Fundraising Officer at Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury, said: “It’s such a huge fundraising total; we’re delighted that M&S has supported us this year. Not only with the in-store collections and additional till collections, but they also make an enormous contribution in food donations for our hospice kitchens.
Ian Ashton, Pilgrims Hospices Catering Manager, came along to thank Alex and his team and said: “The generous food donations allow my catering team to provide a wide variety of meals for patients, helping us to be flexible and meet individual needs in the most effective way.
“Our chiller van collects and delivers the gifted products to the hospice, where they can be frozen or stored and planned into menus.
“Pilgrims catering team work with tight budgets; the support from M&S helps us to provide perfect nutrition and variety for patients.
“The sweets, tins and flowers generously given are also used to support fundraising activities like our Vintage Tea and Fair that will take place in Westgate Gardens, Canterbury on Saturday 21 July.”
Pilgrims volunteer Elaine Newman, Debbie Newman from M&S cafe with Leila Ilkhan and Lydia Todd from Pilgrims Canterbury fundraising team
Lydia explained “With the generous support of the community and local businesses we can continue supporting the many patients, families and their friends who need our help in such difficult times.”
If you’d like to make a contribution or help to support local hospice care, Pilgrims would love to hear from you.
Pilgrims Hospices provides care 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. Find out about the wide variety of service Pilgrims offer.
