2nd March 2018

    Slimming World members donate Christmas goods in aid of Pilgrims Hospices

    Three Slimming World consultants have brought in gifts to Pilgrims Hospices donated by slimming clubs across Ashford.

    Julia Males, Amanda McLaren and Angie Bishop were delighted to present Alison Wilshire, Community Team Leader at Pilgrims Hospice Ashford, with a large selection of goodies that will be used to boost fundraising.

    Julia explained: “After Christmas, many of our members are unsure what to do with some of the wonderful food gifts they’ve received, which whilst delicious are somewhat calorific and not very diet-friendly.

    We would like to say a huge thank you to every member who has donated a gift. They will be used throughout the year by the fundraising team to raise much-needed funds for local hospice care.

    Alison Wilshire, Community Team Leader at Pilgrims Hospice Ashford

    “With a renewed enthusiasm for losing weight in the New Year, these are often temptations that are too hard to bear, but many are reluctant to simply throw them away. So the perfect solution was to collect them all in and donate to Pilgrims.”

    Alison said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to every member who has donated a gift. They will be used throughout the year by the fundraising team to raise much-needed funds for local hospice care.

    “Care is provided from our three hospice sites in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet, as well as in patients’ own homes. To offer these services to patients and their families we must raise £11 million each year from the generous local community.”

    If you have items you’d like to donate to Pilgrims, you can drop them off at:

    We appreciate each and every person who considers donating items to Pilgrims. Your donations raise vital funds to help us continue providing compassionate care in east Kent.

    Find out more about how money raised by your donations can help.


    If you or someone you know is coping with a life limiting illness and you think you may benefit from Pilgrims free services, talk to your GP or Healthcare Professional about your options or click here to read about our Wellbeing and Social Programme.

    28th February 2018

    Barretts of Canterbury pantomime raises vital funds for local hospice care

    Local business Barretts of Canterbury has raised an amazing £5,365 for Pilgrims Hospices with their annual pantomime production at the Marlowe Theatre.

    This year’s pantomime was Peter Pan and saw a fantastic cast take to the stage, including Shaun Williamson, best known for playing Barry Evans in Eastenders, and Gemma Hunt, who presents Swashbuckle on CBeebies.

    The annual pantomime is always at the top of local families’ festive to-do lists, and Managing Director, Paul Barrett, kindly ensures that his employees, their families and friends are able to attend. Additionally, all money raised from the discounted ticket sales is genorously donated to three local charities; this year, the chosen charities were Pilgrims Hospices, Kent, Surry and Sussex Air Ambulance and Porchlight.

    Pilgrims would like to say a big thank you to Paul for choosing us to be a beneficiary of this incredibly generous gesture; the money raised will make such a positive difference to the lives of people across east Kent who are living with incurable illness.

    Lydia Todd, Community Fundraising Officer at Pilgrims Hospices

    Each charity is also invited to hold a collection on the night. Pilgrims volunteers made the most of this opportunity by going along and getting into the festive spirit, and those who collected were offered tickets to the show. They thoroughly enjoyed the night and were particularly touched by the generosity of the audience who donated to Pilgrims.

    Barretts raised £16,095 through this year’s pantomime, and Paul Barrett hosted all three charities at the Jaguar showroom in Canterbury to present them with cheques for £5,365 each.

    Pilgrims Hospices, Kent, Surry and Sussex Air Ambulance and Porchlight receiving cheques from Barretts

     

    During the past five years Barretts’ annual pantomime has raised a stunning £24,215 for Pilgrims, which is enough to pay for 1,000 hours of specialist nursing care in east Kent.

    Lydia Todd, Community Fundraising Officer at Pilgrims Hospices, said: “Pilgrims would like to say a big thank you to Paul for choosing us to be a beneficiary of this incredibly generous gesture; the money raised will make such a positive difference to the lives of people across east Kent who are living with incurable illness. Barretts is a long-standing supporter of Pilgrims and we can’t thank their staff enough for always ensuring the Marlowe pantomime is such a great success.”


    If you or someone you know is coping with a life limiting illness and you think you may benefit from Pilgrims free services, talk to your GP or Healthcare Professional about your options or click here to read about our Wellbeing and Social Programme.

    26th February 2018

    The gift of a cuddle can make all the difference

    Pilgrims Hospices is asking people to share the love by giving a cuddle this Spring and making a small donation to their new Give a Cuddle appeal that launched in February.


    Pilgrims is raising funds to provide each of its three hospices with a Cuddle Bed; these extra wide and adaptable hospital beds will enable patients to lie next to their loved one at the hospice, whether that’s husbands, wives, partners, children, grandchildren, grandparents or friends.

    Kate White, Senior Nurse Manager, said: “Everyone loves a cuddle and cuddling is even more important to those families whose loved ones are ill. It’s been linked to reduced anxiety and the release of feel-good hormones, supporting pain relief and promoting better sleep.

    Everyone loves a cuddle and cuddling is even more important to those families whose loved ones are ill.

    Kate White, Senior Nurse Manager at Pilgrims Hospices

    “Only this January, Tony, the husband of one our patients, Gill, had such kind words to say about the care his wife had received. He explained that his one wish was that he could have been able to share a cuddle with his beloved wife during her final days.”

    Tony said: “Each evening as we fell asleep at the hospice, I held Gill’s hand between her bed and the chair I slept in, but it wasn’t the same as having a cuddle at home. To have those extra nights together cuddling would have been such a comfort to both of us.

    “I’m so pleased to be able to support the Give a Cuddle campaign. Gill would simply love the thought of others benefitting from such special time with their loved ones, and I have truly realised the importance of having just one more cuddle.”

    Each of the beds costs £10,500, and Pilgrims hope to secure local support for a Cuddle Bed on each of the hospice sites in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet.

    We put the people using our services at the centre of all we do.

    Sara Scriven, Individual Giving Manager at Pilgrims Hospices

    Sara Scriven, former Individual Giving Manager, said: “We put the people using our services at the centre of all we do. We wrap our arms around the whole family as well as the person who is ill. Tony’s story has shown us how important it is for us to offer people using our wards a bed that’s big enough for two people to lay side by side; to make our dream a reality we need to raise £31,500 in total.”


    Each year Pilgrims supports hundreds of local people coping with a life limiting illness, and their families. We offer a range of services: from end of life care given on our wards, to our Wellbeing and Social Programme supporting people after they are diagnosed to live well and stay independent.

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