Jo and Jim’s journey supporting local hospice care
Reverend Jo Richards and husband Jim from Canterbury are keen supporters of Pilgrims Hospices; over the years, they have raised more than £1,600 for local hospice care.
As a priest and rector in the area, Jo often supports those approaching the end of life, and in 2012 she did her chaplaincy placement at Pilgrims.
The couple have also experienced first-hand Pilgrims’ holistic, compassionate services through loved ones cared for by the charity.
Jo and Jim at the Pilgrims Way Challenge 2021
In 2008, the couple’s close friend and their daughter Hannah’s godmother, Dawn Smith, died in the Canterbury hospice. Three years later, Jo’s grandmother, Mary Pocock, died in the Margate hospice.
Jo said: “I hold Pilgrims close to my heart, both personally and professionally. When Dawn died, that was the first time I had experienced the love, care and attention Pilgrims’ staff give to their patients. It just seemed different to anything I’d witnessed before. Then when my grandmother died, again the same level of care and compassion was offered to her and our family. One abiding memory is that she died just after her 95th birthday; on that occasion, her bed was wheeled into a room where the whole family gathered around her and we celebrated with food and a cake – a memory to cherish forever.
“More recently, as the local priest, I have been called to offer bedside prayers and last rites to those who are close to the end; again, nothing is ever too much trouble for the Pilgrims team. Likewise, through members of our congregation I have seen first-hand what the Hospice at Home service means to those who wish to die at home.
“The whole hospice movement, from its inauguration in 1967 at St Christopher’s Hospice in London by Dame Cicely Saunders, resonates with me. I really believe in its philosophy, enabling someone to have a ‘good death’ along with the love, support and care given to the family.”
Jim added: “Pilgrims is an important part of our east Kent community, offering a connection to people from all walks of life when they need it the most. I’m keen to support a local charity, and I admire the work of the hospice movement in providing the best care and experience for those with terminal illnesses, and the support it provides to their families and friends.”
In 2019, Jo and Jim completed the Pilgrims Way Challenge, choosing the 35km route from Canterbury to Dover. They took part again in 2021, this time walking the longest distance – 55km from Wye to Dover. Jim will undertake the Cycle Challenge for a second time on Sunday 22 August 2021. During lockdowns, the couple completed the Walk the Underground virtual hike and Jim is currently doing the UK End to End Virtual Cycle.
Jo continued: “My passion is walking, and to get fit for the 55km was a real challenge; the 35km route was manageable, so we wanted to push ourselves to go further. It was a personal challenge and to do it for the hospices, to raise awareness and support them, was the very least we could do. We’ve had support from family, friends and the congregations in Canterbury of the three churches I’m responsible for: St Dunstan’s, St Mildred’s and St Peter’s. The event organisation was incredible all the way through – the welcome from volunteers was lovely and the food along the way was excellent. We very much want to do it again next year.
“Pilgrims offer an invaluable service. It is a resource available to us all, and therefore should be funded by us all. It’s the least we can do to help support it financially.”
Main image taken by Andrew Hastings.
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.
28th July 2021
Kathleen’s London Marathon journey for Pilgrims Hospices
Kathleen Neame (49) from Whitstable knows from experience about the vital end-of-life care Pilgrims Hospices provides across east Kent. To give back and say thank you, she will run the Virgin Money London Marathon for Pilgrims on Sunday 3 October 2021 in memory of her dad, John Richard Smith, and her friend, Lisa Goldsworthy.
Kathleen with her dad
John was cared for by Pilgrims in 2008 and died aged 63. Lisa was cared for by the charity in 2019 and died aged 49.
Kathleen said:
“My main experience of Pilgrims was with my dad. It’s hard to put into words how grateful we were to have the hospice in our lives at such a terribly difficult time. The care given to Dad and all our family was second to none; we were treated with dignity and kindness at all times, and Dad felt safe and very relaxed there. As a family, we were given so much support both before and after he died.
“Every year, we attend Pilgrims’ Trees of Loveservice at Christmas and this is where I feel closest to my dad.
“Pilgrims will always have a huge place in my heart. I will always be grateful that we were able to make the most of those precious last days of my dad’s life.”
Kathleen has already raised more than £2,000 for Pilgrims by running the Canterbury 10 Mile Road Raceand the London Vitality Big Half. The London Marathon will be her first marathon and her biggest challenge yet, and it takes place just three days before her 50th birthday. She continued:
“I ran the London Vitality Big Half in 2020; it was an amazing experience from start to finish. This year, I’m doing something I said I would never do and that is run the London Marathon. It’s a huge challenge for me but one I feel grateful to be able to undertake in memory of loved ones and as a thank you to Pilgrims.
“So many people have had positive experiences of Pilgrims, it’s a local charity close to many peoples’ hearts. Pilgrims’ care meant so much to my dad and our family, and I want to help to make sure that this vital resource is available for others in the future.”
Kathleen is being supported in her fundraising by family, friends and colleagues. She also organised a car boot fair to boost her sponsorship. She added:
“By undertaking this marathon journey I wish to remind people how important Pilgrims is and to raise as much money as I possibly can. This is and will continue to be an incredible experience that I’m so privileged to be able to take part in, and I am going to cherish it as much as I can.”
Inspired to follow in Kathleen’s footsteps and run the London Marathon for Pilgrims? Charity places for 2022 are available; apply here.
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 July 2021
Pilgrims Hospices help family make lasting memories during COVID-19
In January 2021, Malcolm Ball from Oare near Faversham was referred to Pilgrims for pain management of his terminal colorectal cancer.
He and partner Amanda Brown decided they wanted to become civil partners; they’d been together 20 years but never married.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities to do this were limited, but Pilgrims helped to make it happen and give the family memories that will last forever.
COVID-19 has presented unique challenges for hospice care, with restrictions impacting on peoples’ end-of-life experiences. Despite this, Pilgrims has adapted and continued to go above and beyond for patients and families in these extraordinarily difficult times.
After a few weeks in the Canterbury hospice, Malcolm found that not only was his pain stabilised, but also that the hospice itself came to feel like a refuge. He made friends with other patients and staff, particularly Steve Allwright, a Healthcare Assistant (HCA).
Amanda said: “It made an enormous difference to him that Pilgrims staff were always on call, ensuring he received the best care. Steve felt like a friend to Malcolm and made the hospice feel like a home away from home.
“Everyone at Pilgrims went beyond the call of duty to look after us, both emotionally and physically. Martyn Yates, Spiritual Care and Complementary Therapy Lead, was fantastic in helping us organise our civil partnership. We planned for it to happen in Sittingbourne but Malcolm was very poorly by the set date, so with Martyn’s help we sought an exceptional licence to marry in our own home.
“However, when the day came, Malcolm was anxious and didn’t think he’d be able to leave the hospice, which had become a place of sanctuary and safety for him. With his sister, Karen, and brother-in-law, Tim, waiting outside to bring him home, our plans looked in jeopardy.
“Steve, who was off work that day, gave up his time to come in and chivvy Malcolm into the car: “Do you want to get married?” Malcolm replied yes, so Steve said, “Well come on then, I’ll come with you, let’s go”. And with that Malcolm came home for a fantastic ceremony surrounded by flowers. Our son, Emil, and his partner, Tracy, were witnesses. We couldn’t have a party due to lockdown, but the ceremony was broadcast via Zoom to family and friends near and far.”
Malcolm with his son, Emil
Steve added: “During the time Malcolm spent with us, I got to know him quite well. Even through his tough days we always had time to chat and I was honoured to accompany him to his wedding. Amanda was a tower of strength during Malcolm’s illness and he could not have picked a better partner to help him through his journey. It was a privilege to have known them both.”
Steve also helped Malcolm produce a voice recording to leave as a legacy for Amanda, using The Blackbird Project initiative developed by Pilgrims.
Steve said: “One Saturday morning, Malcolm and I sat down and scripted an agenda of his life with Amanda; there were around twenty five parts to his story. Once we had put this in place, Della Green, Occupational Therapist, recorded Malcolm’s story with him, which was then transferred to a memory stick and given to Amanda. I think it was one of the longest recordings ever made since the conception of The Blackbird Project, over an hour long.”
Amanda added: “It feels very special being able to hear Malcolm’s voice now, talking about our life together. It’s hard too while things are still raw, but I know that having the recording of him speaking about some of the things that meant the most to us both will be a lasting comfort.”
In those last days, everyone at Pilgrims did all they could to allow me as much time as possible with Malcolm, calling me back overnight when there were changes, and I was able to be with him at the end. That care and consideration has done much to ease the trauma of the last year.
Amanda
Malcolm stayed at home for three weeks after the ceremony before returning to the hospice for his final days, as he had wanted.
Amanda continued: “In those last days, everyone at Pilgrims did all they could to allow me as much time as possible with Malcolm, calling me back overnight when there were changes, and I was able to be with him at the end. That care and consideration has done much to ease the trauma of the last year.
“Pilgrims is the most amazing place. I feel so lucky, as I know Malcolm did, that we were able to benefit from the care offered. If only there could be a Pilgrims or other such hospice everywhere; to have that level of individual attention and care is something I wish for everyone.
It’s been such a comfort since Malcolm’s death to be able (with a little licence) to talk about us as husband and wife, and to have the memory of our wedding in our living room, with the support and love of family and friends watching it online, however distant. I hadn’t realised how important it would feel to me, but it means the world.
Amanda
“And as for our civil partnership ceremony, it wouldn’t have happened without the enormous generosity and pure kindness of all the staff involved; Steve above all, but also everyone who went above and beyond. On the day itself, when I started to think it might all fall through if Malcolm couldn’t get home, I discovered that behind the scenes, Pilgrims and the register office staff had been working together to try to ensure it could happen.
“It’s been such a comfort since Malcolm’s death to be able (with a little licence) to talk about us as husband and wife, and to have the memory of our wedding in our living room, with the support and love of family and friends watching it online, however distant. I hadn’t realised how important it would feel to me, but it means the world.”
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.
1st July 2021
Sandi’s London Marathon for running buddies and Pilgrims Hospices
Sandi Starling from Ashford will take on the Virgin Money London Marathon for Pilgrims Hospices on Sunday 3 October 2021. She is a volunteer run leader for Hamstreet Runners, and is raising money in memory of fellow group member, Mark Hinson, and the spouses of two others who were all cared for by Pilgrims.
Sandi has already raised more than £1,200 for hospice care across east Kent, aiming to reach her £2,000 fundraising target before the big day.
Mark after winning his age category for Hamstreet Runners at Wittersham 5-mile run in 2016
In 2020, during lockdown, Mark was diagnosed with kidney cancer and died within three months. Sandi said:
“It was a massive shock to all of us, not least his wife, Belinda, and daughter, Anna, who are also members of our running group. Mark was a lovely man and a really helpful runner; he always took the time to help others. Many of us are still getting over his sudden loss.
“Belinda told me how lovely Pilgrims staff were when they cared for Mark in his final days, especially during the difficult situation with COVID. They made sure that Belinda and Anna could talk to Mark on the phone and video call when visiting was restricted.”
Two other group members – Ian Kirby and Julie Buckland – experienced Pilgrims’ care when their spouses, Nicky and Guy, spent time in the Ashford hospice at the end of their lives. Both spoke very highly of the care that Nicky and Guy received.
Ian said: “Nicky spent her last days in a quiet room at the hospice. The care and sensitivity shown by staff was such a help at a very dark and traumatic time. They do incredible work in very difficult circumstances, and they deserve our gratitude and support.”
I’m running in Mark’s memory, to say thank you to all the Pilgrims team who made his very last days the best they could be. I want people to realise that the hospice is a fantastic place and be aware of the services it provides.
Sandi
Sandi continued: “To have had two runners lose their spouses was awful for them, but as a running group the loss of Mark really hit us. We are so grateful for what Pilgrims did for him.
“Due to COVID, we couldn’t attend Mark’s funeral or do anything to celebrate his life. Our running group stood on the village green as he made his final journey, all wearing our running tops to say our goodbyes, but I wanted to do more. Running the London Marathon for Pilgrims will be a perfect way to honour Mark, raising money for the charity that helped him when he needed it most. Although he would have been able to run those 26.2 miles in half the time I will!”
Ian and Nicky
Sandi has run marathons before but this year’s London Marathon will be a very special event. She is being supported in her fundraising by family and friends, and is planning a coffee morning where people can pay to run and eat cake afterwards.
She added: “I’m running in Mark’s memory, to say thank you to all the Pilgrims team who made his very last days the best they could be. I want people to realise that the hospice is a fantastic place and be aware of the services it provides. One of my current runners, Charlotte Davies, is a Pilgrims nurse, and I often say to her that people who give end-of-life care are heroes.”
Sandi
Charlotte said: “The ability to continue providing high quality end-of-life care that is free to patients and their relatives is imperative. As a nurse, I see first-hand what it does for people. Home visits, accessing physio, occupational therapy and counselling support; all this enables people to try and live with as much quality as possible. I’m sometimes asked if Pilgrims services are free, and people are surprised to learn that there is no cost to them.
“Fundraising like Sandi’s is vital to Pilgrims; it helps ensure we can continue reaching the people who need us.”
Sandi continued: “It won’t be fast or pretty, and who knows what it will be like on the actual day with restrictions, but I’m determined to run those 26.2 miles. All the way round I’ll be thinking: “Mark would run this twice as fast as me but would stay with me if I needed help.”
“I’ll be motivated knowing that he’ll be with me somewhere when the going gets tough, saying: “You didn’t need to do this for me”, but I wanted to do something and this is it.”
Inspired to follow in Sandi’s footsteps and run the London Marathon for Pilgrims? Charity places for 2022 are available; apply here.
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.
25th June 2021
Hospice nurse Charlotte runs seaside Brighton Marathon for Pilgrims
Charlotte Davies (35) from Ashford is a community Palliative Specialist Nurse at Pilgrims Hospices, so she witnesses first-hand the positive impact Pilgrims’ care has across east Kent.
As a keyworker, Charlotte has continued to work on the frontline throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but her support for the charity doesn’t stop there. On 12 September 2021, she will run the Brighton Marathon to raise vital funds for Pilgrims and help ensure its services remain free to all those who need them.
Charlotte in her Pilgrims uniform
Charlotte worked in intensive care before joining Pilgrims in 2014; initially a community nurse, she changed roles to work as the Ward Sister for one year. After maternity leave, she returned to Pilgrims as a community nurse, a role that she enjoys immensely.
Charlotte completed a degree in End of Life Care in 2015 and began an MSc in Palliative and End of Life Care in 2019.
She said: “As a Pilgrims community nurse, I’m privileged to visit people in their own homes. We provide holistic care, including symptom management advice, psycho-social support and referrals to both internal and external services. Being able to continue providing high quality end-of-life care to people in east Kent is imperative. Pilgrims services are free, and fundraising ensures that we can keep offering them.
“So many people are kind enough to take time out from their busy lives to raise money to ensure our patients and relatives continue to receive the care they need.”
Charlotte originally planned to run the Brighton Marathon as her first ever marathon, but then COVID hit and the event was postponed – first to April 2021 and then to October 2021. So instead, her debut marathon was the Kent Spring Marathon in October 2020, which she also ran in aid of Pilgrims.
Being able to continue providing high quality end-of-life care to people in east Kent is imperative. Pilgrims services are free, and fundraising ensures that we can keep offering them.
Charlotte
As part of her fundraising for Brighton, Charlotte is selling colourful memory ribbons; these are being sewn to her Pilgrims vest, which she will wear on marathon day, and each one will have written on it the name of someone who has died. Anyone can purchase a memory ribbon, and they are not only for people who have been cared for by Pilgrims.
Charlotte’s memory ribbons
Charlotte said: “My aim is to run in memory of people, regardless of who they were or where and when they died – for example, four ribbons are for my grandparents who weren’t cared for by Pilgrims. They are a visual reminder of who I’m running for. This makes it all the more personal for me; I will be honoured to run in memory of so many people and when the going gets tough over 26.2 miles, I’ll be reminded why I’m running.
“If someone would like a ribbon, they can donate via my JustGiving page and tell me the name to go on it by leaving a comment when they donate. I’ve suggested a minimum donation of £3 per ribbon, but people have been giving more than that, which is lovely! Any amount is much appreciated.”
Lydia Todd, Challenge Events Fundraiser, said: “Charlotte has been waiting so long to run Brighton Marathon and I can’t wait to finally see her cross the finish line and receive her well-deserved medal. Charlotte’s idea to run in memory of people, by carrying their memory ribbon with her, is truly heart-warming. It’s turning her fundraising, and personal challenge, into a community event and it’s amazing to see people come out to support her efforts in full force. We’re proud to have her as a member of #TeamPilgrims!”
Charlotte added: “People can sometimes be surprised to learn that Pilgrims’ services are free. Through fundraising, we can help ensure that they remain accessible to all those who need palliative care and support in east Kent.”
You can keep up to date with the Charlotte’s fundraising journey and purchase memory ribbons on her JustGiving page.
Inspired to follow in Charlotte’s footsteps and run the Brighton Marathon for Pilgrims? Charity places are available; register here by 5 August 2021.
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.
10th May 2021
Nursing at Pilgrims: What it has meant to lead through a pandemic
To celebrate Nurses’ Day 2021, we spoke to Kate White, Head of Nursing at Pilgrims Hospices, about how she and her team have risen to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Although it has been a difficult year, Pilgrims nurses have continued to provide vital, compassionate and holistic end-of-life care to people across east Kent. The pandemic has also provided opportunities to strengthen nursing practices, which will have a lasting, positive impact on future hospice care.
How have nursing practices and patient care at Pilgrims changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began?
The pandemic has brought infection control and prevention into sharp focus. The care we give at Pilgrims has remained at the highest standard, but having to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) requires us to take more time preparing to give care rather than being able to be spontaneous.
At the start of the pandemic the policies, procedures and systems that we’re so accustomed to were changing rapidly, sometimes several times a day. It was often hard to keep up, but Pilgrims staff embraced what was needed and continued to provide excellent patient-centred care.
Pilgrims nursing team L-R: Kate White, Steve Allwright, Laura Gooch, Sheila Moorhead, Carol Lightfoot, Michelle Swann, Sam Waters and Donna Shanahan
What have been some of the challenges presented by COVID-19 and how have Pilgrims nurses overcome them?
The biggest challenges relate to our everyday communication; talking to patients whilst wearing a mask takes away the personal touch and the non-verbal communication a smile can convey. Our community team had to adapt to talking to patients over the phone rather than face-to-face visiting. This can be very difficult for both patients and staff, especially when discussing sensitive issues; it doesn’t come naturally to everyone, does it?
Nothing will ever replace the closeness of a loved one, but we have tried to offer reassurance and comfort in these very difficult times.
Kate
We also had to find other ways of communicating with relatives, as our visitors policy restricted who could come into the hospices in order to ensure we safeguarded our extremely vulnerable patients and our staff, who were keeping hospice services going. It has been very distressing for so many, but we have used technology to bridge the gap and help enable people to keep in touch.
We’ve also used the Matching Hearts project, where the patient has one crocheted heart and we give the other to the family to try to help them feel connected.
Nothing will ever replace the closeness of a loved one, but we have tried to offer reassurance and comfort in these very difficult times.
Have any positives come out of the pandemic?
As a team we’ve proved our ability to change at a rapid pace when required, to find new and inventive ways of working.
Those of us who have been in healthcare for a long time have never experienced such a coming together of so many providers, and this has had a lasting and positive impact on patient care and service delivery.
Kate
There has also been some brilliant collaborating with our healthcare colleagues in the wider community including East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Kent Community Trust, Kent County Council and primary care services. We shared issues around capacity, PPE supplies and staffing, plus anything else we were able to help each other with. It also provided a chance to update everyone on our current situation; we called in every day, seven days a week, to ensure our patients had the best care and our staff had the best support. Pilgrims was the only charity to join this call, and from this we became involved in supporting nursing homes by teaching their staff how to use PPE.
Those of us who have been in healthcare for a long time have never experienced such a coming together of so many providers, and this has had a lasting and positive impact on patient care and service delivery.
Kate White, Head of Nursing at Pilgrims Hospices, with nurse Debbie Todd. The artwork is displayed on the ward at the Canterbury hospice. The hands are a show of unity, strength and teamwork. Staff put one hand on the paper on each shift they came in for, choosing the colour that represented how they felt. It reflects the rainbows painted by children during the pandemic to thank key workers.
What does a post-COVID-19 future look like at Pilgrims, and how will Pilgrims nurses lead patient care within it?
We’re told that the pandemic will be around for a while yet, so we will continue to provide the best infection control and prevention we can. Our infection control team, led with the expertise and dedication of nurse Debbie Todd, will ensure we are kept up to date with all current guidelines and practices. I have no doubt we will continue to deliver high quality, holistic care to our patients and their families, whatever the situation is, to the best of our ability.
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.
