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.
11th May 2022
Nurse Shayla shares what she loves about working for Pilgrims Hospices
Helping to improve someone’s quality of life, at a point when it’s most precious, can lead to great job satisfaction.
Shayla Raine, from Margate is a Pilgrims’ Palliative Specialist Nurse (PSN) at the Thanet hospice in Margate. She joined the team recently from a district nurse background. Shayla shares how she became interested in end-of-life care and what she loves about her role.
Shayla said: “I thought I knew end-of-life care well, it’s only being here at Pilgrims Hospices, that I realised that there is so much more to know and learn, so much more that families need support-wise and so much more time that is needed with the patient and relatives to enable a peaceful end.”
Palliative care nurses provide care that helps patients maintain physical, mental, and emotional health. They take the time to understand the needs of each patient in order to provide a customised treatment plan that provides lasting relief.
Shayla, who is originally from Suffolk, moved to Kent as a young girl and told us:
“Nursing was never something I thought of doing as I grew up, I sort of, fell into the job. I was a cleaner at QEQM hospital for about two years; loved what I was seeing and wanted to be a healthcare assistant. Whilst cleaning the ward one day, a visitor said ‘come and work for me’. When I asked what she meant, she informed me she was a nursing home manager. I said I wanted to be a carer not a cleaner anymore and I was offered an interview there and then.
“I worked for the nursing home for about two years, made my way to a senior position and often helped the trained nurses with their duties. One day, one of the nurses asked why I hadn’t done my nursing training? I never thought I would be able to, the manager arranged for me to complete my access level three course and helped me apply for nursing. I managed the course over four months and started my nurse training very quickly. Thirteen years on, I have never looked back.”
Shayla on her motorbike
Kate White, Head of Nursing, says: “It is a pleasure to welcome Shayla to our community nursing team in Thanet. She joins a team of experts providing high quality service to the people of east Kent and I am sure will be a great asset with her wealth of experience.”
Shayla added: “I have always been a community nurse since qualifying in 2010, became team lead in 2015 and completed my District Nurse degree in 2018-2019.
“I became an end-of-life champion for the community nurses and really loved the EOL/palliative side of my role. When I decided it was time to change my pathway, I saw the job advertised for the palliative specialist role and jumped at the chance.
“The team at Thanet are amazing, I have never felt so supported.”
Shayla explained: “It’s really important to look after your own wellbeing, and when I’m not working, I enjoy riding my motorbike, reading, and watch a lot of comedy to relax. I have lots of reptiles too, so I am always pre-occupied looking after someone or something!”
If you’re interested in a nursing or care career at Pilgrims, we’d love to hear from you.
Check out our current vacancies for more information and apply today:
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.
11th April 2022
Pilgrims Garden Festival: A summer date for your diaries!
The Pilgrims Garden Festival is back for a second year and Pilgrims Hospices can’t wait to welcome visitors back for a fun family day out.
Set to be hosted at Mount Ephraim Gardens on Sunday 24 July, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, visitors will enjoy a vibrant market area filled with local food and drink producers, plant sellers and makers all from around Kent.
Once the shopping has been done, you will be able to head over for some lunch at the traditional tea party or BBQ before pitching up a blanket in the family-friendly picnic area.
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And new for 2022 is the bar area, which will be stocked by local drink producers which you will be able to discover and enjoy with a bit of live music.
Bob encourages everyone to embrace Pilgrims Hospices care
When Bob Jager from Greenhill, Herne Bay was offered Pilgrims Hospices care, he didn’t think it was for him. That changed when he visited the Canterbury hospice; now, he wants to spread the word and encourage others to make the most of Pilgrims’ vital services.
Bob, a retired painter and decorator, recently spent time in the Canterbury hospice before returning home to his wife and family. Like so many people, he had heard about hospice care but never experienced it himself.
He said: “My wife, Dot, and our daughter, Lorraine, convinced me to give it a go. When I came to Pilgrims for the first time, I saw how beautiful it is.
“I thought it would be a horrible place. I’d only heard others talk about hospices and the things they said scared me, but I shouldn’t have listened to them. This is why we need to talk about it, because it’s been such a wonderful experience for me.”
Bob’s friend of 60 years, Denis Berwick, added: “Everybody fears it, especially as you get older. I always thought the same as Bob, but coming to see him at Pilgrims was the first time I’d been inside a hospice and I realise now how nice it is.”
Denis and Bob at the Canterbury hospice
Bob and Denis are keen fishermen and members of the Canterbury and District Angling Association (CDAA). Inspired by the care his friend is receiving, Denis plans to organise CDAA fundraisers for Pilgrims in the future to help ensure that others can benefit from Pilgrims’ compassionate care across east Kent.
Bob continued: “The care I’ve received has been wonderful, absolutely marvellous; I’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness, the politeness, the attitude and the friendliness of everybody here. I’m sleeping at night, I’ve got peace and quiet, contentment, and I’m happy. The Pilgrims staff are truly wonderful. The food is really cracking, too, you just can’t knock it.”
“My advice to anyone who is unsure whether hospice care is for them is: Go for it, most definitely. You’re silly if you don’t.”
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.
13th January 2022
Pilgrims nurse Peter retires after 44-year career
Peter Hall from Folkestone was a familiar face at Pilgrims Hospices since its first hospice opened in Canterbury in 1982. Originally a staff nurse, he eventually joined the community team and spent most of his career supporting patients in their own homes across east Kent.
Peter was born in Germany; his father was in the army, so the family travelled often before settling in Folkestone in 1977. He married his wife, Brigid, in 1982 and together they have three daughters: Ruth (36), Rosie (33) and Ann (31).
He said: “I left school with very few qualifications, just an Art O-Level at Grade C. Whilst loafing around, I bumped into a friend doing a pre-nursing course and became inspired by a desire to help people, particularly those who were ill. So, I gathered a few more O-Levels and was accepted into nurse training at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. As part of this, I also completed mental health training at Horton Road and Coney Hill hospitals in Gloucester.”
Pilgrims was built on a foundation of loving people and wanting to serve them at a difficult time. Although initially a Christian organisation, this broad, compassionate ethos laid the foundations for the holistic secular care we have now.
Peter
Peter qualified in April 1982 and shortly afterwards became a Pilgrims nurse; he received a royal handshake from the Queen Mother when she opened the Canterbury hospice that year.
From 1982-83, he worked on the Cheerful Sparrows ward at Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate. He also nursed on the intensive care unit (ICU) at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. Peter returned to Pilgrims in 1988 as a community nurse, supporting patients in the Herne Bay, Thanet and Folkestone areas.
He continued: “I was interested in the holistic nature of palliative care and felt it was a good way to combine my general nursing skills with my mental health training. Interestingly, myself and several ICU colleagues transitioned to palliative care around the same time – Frances Guthrie, the first community nurse at Pilgrims, Penny Coe, Debbie Corke and Jenny Farran. On the ICU, even if a patient is unconscious their families are there for us to talk to, so there are similarities in the way Pilgrims care for the whole family and support them after bereavement, too.
A local newspaper article from 2 November 1990, featuring Peter with his Pilgrims colleagues.
“I loved being out and about and visiting people in their own homes, it’s a different dynamic to the wards. Even though a patient is unwell, they’re still the boss – we don’t come to take over, just to advise and help them achieve their goals as best they can. I especially enjoyed Christmas, it’s fun to see how different families celebrate!”
Peter also worked short spells on the hospice wards. This helped to remind him what the ward environment is like and how colleagues work there, and he would often liaise with them to arrange patient admissions from home to hospice. They also support the community team with syringe driver training, so that nurses like Peter can set them up for patients at home or advise via telephone.
He added: “I worked with lots of lovely people and we were lucky to have access to many different specialities between us – occupational therapists, physiotherapists, counsellors, to name just a few – which is probably something I took for granted over the years. I’ve always found teamworking really enjoyable.
“It also ties in with what drew me to palliative care; Pilgrims was built on a foundation of loving people and wanting to serve them at a difficult time. Although initially a Christian organisation, this broad, compassionate ethos laid the foundations for the holistic secular care we have now.”
I worked with lots of lovely people and we were lucky to have access to many different specialities between us
Peter
During his long career, Peter saw much change within the nursing profession:
“When I started, each nurse had their own caseload, which helped maintain continuity of care but had its downsides, too. The move to corporate caseloads, although more bureaucratic, enabled colleagues to manage your patients if you had a day off. This is where multidisciplinary teamworking shines; everyone pitches in. On the whole, it’s much better for organisation and patient care.
“Over the years, the admissions process from community into the hospice has also greatly improved, which has been nice to see.”
Spending the last part of his career nursing through a global pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities for Peter and the wider Pilgrims workforce.
He said: “We had to do alot more online so it was tricky; IT is my nemesis! Fortunately, I had lovely colleagues who were very helpful and understanding – I’m not bothered about looking silly so am happy to ask for help. Everyone was so supportive of each other.
“I’d gone part-time by the time the pandemic started, so that eased things and not much changed for me. Telephone contact was a challenge initially, but it made me appreciate being able to visit people again when we could. We also realised that some things can actually be done more efficiently over the phone or online, so this learning will be taken into future practice. For example, we used to have in-person meetings at GP surgeries, which is very time-consuming with needing to travel back and forth, so doing these via Zoom is much better.”
Kate White, Head of Nursing at Pilgrims, added: “Peter has been the fabric of Pilgrims for so many years. His retirement is a great loss to us, but mostly to our patients and their families. Peter has always gone the extra mile, putting the patient at the centre of all he does. I have no doubt he will be remembered fondly by all the people whose lives he has touched. He takes with him a wealth of experience and knowledge as well as a great sense of humour. Peter is genuinely one of the kindest, nicest people you could wish to meet. He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body. He always smiles and has a moment to ask how you are.
“I wish Peter the very best for a long and happy retirement; I am sure he will fill his time continuing to help people, he won’t be able to stop himself!”
Upon retiring, Peter has no immediate plans other than to spend time with his wife and family.
He said: “I’m going to drift into it. I’ve got a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle that I’ve always wanted to do but never had the time, so that’s first on my list!
“My wife and I are going to tidy up our church’s garden. Our daughter, Rosie, gets married soon and we’re also planning a trip to Oklahoma, USA next spring to visit our eldest daughter, Ruth, and her family, which will be lovely. We have lots to look forward to.”
We’re looking for people to join us in providing outstanding quality care and support to those who need it most.
If you’re interested in a nursing or care career at Pilgrims, we’d love to hear from you.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 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.
11th January 2022
Bousfield family’s fantastic fundraising for local hospice care
Charlotte, Mark and Hugo Bousfield from Canterbury are keen supporters of Pilgrims Hospices; to date, they have raised more than £1,300 for the charity.
They fundraise in memory of Charlotte’s mum, Jane Mounter, who received Pilgrims’ vital end-of-life care at the Thanet hospice in 2017.
Jane
Jane lived in Beltinge, Herne Bay, where she was a well-known member of the local community. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and a much-loved ophthalmic nurse in the outpatients department at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.
Charlotte said: “She was the life and soul of the party and has left a big hole in our lives.
“When Mum was admitted to the hospice, I was frightened because I thought it was a place of sadness where everything would be very clinical – but I was amazed from the moment I walked in. I was overwhelmed by the kindness and care that Pilgrims’ staff offered, not only to Mum but to our whole family. We could use all the different spaces, including the beautiful gardens, the family room – which was ideal with Hugo, who was four at the time – and the small chapel area for quiet moments of reflection. My mum was made to feel comfortable, reassured and, most importantly of all, normal.”
Mark and Hugo have taken part in Pilgrims’ festive fun-run, Santas on the Run! in Herne Bay, every year since 2017. The family has also supported Pilgrims’ annual Trees of Love remembrance campaign and been involved with several other fundraising activities.
As a family, they fundraise to give back and say thank you for the care Jane received, helping to ensure that others can benefit from local hospice services.
Hugo with his granny, Jane
Charlotte added: “Pilgrims has become a cause incredibly close to our hearts; the work they do day in and day out to make the most painful moments in life a little bit easier, more bearable and totally human, is nothing short of amazing. We will always be grateful for those last moments with Mum in such a safe place.
Mark and Hugo at Santas on the Bay!
“They’re a great local charity, and we are forever connected to them through my mum. Pilgrims help thousands of people every single day to make their last moments with special people matter. Through fundraising, we hope to raise awareness of this great cause and offer a small gesture that might help other families in difficult times.”
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.
