“There’s nothing I don’t enjoy about my role in Pilgrim’s retail.
“I love the people I meet every day, and the staff and volunteers create such a positive atmosphere, we make a great team.”
She told us: “I’ve enjoyed a career in hairdressing, owned a property development company and later spent time as a publican in Wiltshire.
“I returned to my hometown of Whitstable with my daughter to be closer to family who needed our support. While we settled here as part of the family support network, I decided that dedicating some time to volunteer for a local charity, would be very positive for me too.
Being a Pilgrims volunteer is an amazing experience, the atmosphere was very special, everyone gets along and really appreciates the fact that they are doing something very positive for a very special charity.
Vanessa
“I applied to volunteer at the Pilgrims shop in Whitstable, it’s such a good way to make new friends and keep in touch with what’s happening locally. As well as helping others, volunteering was great for my wellbeing too.
“I started by helping for one morning each week initially, the manager Lorraine was managing two shops in Westgate and Whitstable and needed her volunteer workforce to help with the smooth running of the shops. I really enjoyed being part of the team and definitely wanted to offer my time to charity rather than work for a local supermarket or business.”
Vanessa found great satisfaction in her role as a volunteer, helping people to find and make a purchase, match an outfit or find a gift, she quickly progressed to four and five days each week and became a supervisor at the weekends; and eventually joined the Pilgrims team as a paid manager at the general retail shop.
She added: “Being a Pilgrims volunteer is an amazing experience, the atmosphere was very special, everyone gets along and really appreciates the fact that they are doing something very positive for a very special charity.
“Even though I don’t have a background in retail, I absolutely love sharing the shopping experiences with our customers. They come back time after time, to support Pilgrims, and most love to chat in a friendly environment and really enjoy finding something special or just a little different from the high street experience. People enjoy knowing that their purchases (and donations) are truly making a difference for the people who need our help the most.”
Our volunteer workforce is absolutely invaluable, we couldn’t run our shops without them.
Mandy Hawkett, Retail Area Manager at Pilgrims Hospices
Vanessa’s daughter also volunteers at the Whitstable shop, and finds the time she spends helping customers, really boosts her confidence and helps her to achieve new skills.
Mandy Hawkett, Pilgrims Retail Area Manager said: “The family are a brilliant addition to the Pilgrims retail team in Whitstable.
“Our volunteer workforce is absolutely invaluable, we couldn’t run our shops without them. Volunteers Week takes place 1-7 June every year. It’s our chance to recognise the fantastic contribution they make. Our volunteers truly make a difference to the lives of people across east Kent who are living with incurable illness. Thank you!”
Volunteers’ Week is a chance to say thank you for the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. It takes place 1-7 June every year and is an opportunity to celebrate volunteering in all its diversity.
We’re accredited by REVAMP, a quality mark for Volunteer Involving Organisations developed by Stronger Kent Communities, a leading provider of support for the voluntary sector in Kent.
Each year, Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to thousands of 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.
Are you interested in sustainable clothing purchases? Do you love to search for that special pre-loved item in your local charity shop?
Do you think about how much high quality clothing goes to waste, landfill or lays unloved in someone’s wardrobe?
You will love Pilgrims Hospices pop-up kilo event on Saturday 28 May 2022 at St Peter’s Methodist Church Hall in Canterbury.
For those who’ve not had the experience of perusing the rails for vintage or retro clothing, pre-loved high street and some designer items, this is an awesome event not to be missed, the doors open at 10am. For just £5 per kilo, you can seek out a completely new style or find some items that will give your current wardrobe a new lease of life or a new twist in your styling.
Mandy Hawkett, Pilgrims Retail Area Manager said: “We’re very excited to bring our first ever Kilo Sale to shoppers in the Canterbury area. We are providing the bags, all customers need to do is pick their items and pop them in the bags for us to weigh. It’s only £5 per kilo and you can buy as much as you like on the day. We will have a huge variety of stock, so there’s definitely something for everyone.”
There won’t be changing facilities available at the venue, therefore taking a tape measure to check sizing would be something to think about on the day. Shoppers can pay by cash or card at the event and there will be a pop-up cafe for light refreshments too.
Mandy added: “Pilgrims charity shops are an important part of the community, providing local employment, productive volunteering opportunities to a range of age groups and stability to ailing high streets. The environmental benefits through the re-use and re-purposing of pre-loved items are hugely important. And… apart from all of these reasons, we all love to seek out that very special item at a very special price.”
Whether it’s a gentleman’s jacket, some new work gear, a branded t-shirt or something for a special occasion, we will do our best to help you find the perfect items to suit your needs.
St Peter’s Methodist Hall is on St Peter’s Street, Canterbury CT1 2BE, look out for the Kilo Sale banners outside, the event runs from 10am to 4pm.
All the money raised from the sale will help to run Pilgrims Hospices services in Canterbury, Ashford and Thanet along with supporting people to live well in their own homes.
Please come along, it’s free to come in and you are sure to find something special for you or someone in your family.
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.
9th November 2021
Charity Shop Gift Cards to help local hospices and the environment too!
Pilgrims Hospices is the first charity in the country to accept a new multi-retailer gift card that can be used exclusively in charity shops.
The Charity Shop Gift Card is backed by the Charity Retail Association (CRA), and will be sold and accepted in Pilgrims Hospices’ 30 shops, helping to raise valuable funds for end of life care for thousands of people in east Kent.
Tim Stewart, Pilgrims Hospices Retail and Business Development Manager, said: “Pilgrims are delighted to join the scheme right at the very beginning. We truly believe that the Charity Shop Gift Card will help generate much needed funds for the hospices and help introduce new people to charity shopping.”
As well as boosting charity funds, money spent by cardholders will have a positive effect on the environment by supporting the growing second-hand revolution, which is being led by the environmentally aware Gen Z and Millennials, and is reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.
Charity shops divert around 339,000 tonnes of textiles away from landfill or incineration every year, saving councils millions in annual waste disposal charges.
The gift cards themselves are recyclable and compostable.
The Charity Shop Gift Card has been developed by Gift Card CIC, a social enterprise, and gives regional and national charities that are members of the CRA their first opportunity to tap into the many billions of pounds gift card market.
More charities across the country will join the scheme in the coming weeks and months.
Local authorities and other support agencies can also choose to partner with the scheme and use pre-loaded gift cards to distribute the financial assistance they provide to individuals and families, which will then be spent in participating charity shops.
The Charity Shop Gift Card is a member of Social Enterprise UK, and the Gift Card and Voucher Association.
If you’re interested in becoming a member of Pilgrims’ retail volunteer workforce, find out more at:
People are inspired and motivated to support us for lots of reasons. Many of our volunteers have personal experience of the palliative care and support we offer to patients and their families; some have a special interest or skill that makes a valuable contribution to Pilgrims. Volunteering can also help you to gain new skills in an area you’ve always wanted to develop.
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.
30th June 2021
Local business supports Pilgrims Hospices with ‘25 acts of giving’
To celebrate its 25 year anniversary, Ramsgate-based company Business Computer Solutions Ltd. (BCS) is encouraging staff to volunteer for local causes in a ‘25 acts of giving’ initiative. Helen Bradley, Sales Administrator, from Broadstairs and Khan Tomlinson, Systems Administrator, from Ramsgate chose to volunteer for Pilgrims Hospices. They each wanted to give back to the hospice charity that serves their local community.
Helen’s hand-crafted decorative bottles
On 24 June 2021, Helen and Khan gave up their time to volunteer at Pilgrims’ Broadstairs shop. In addition, they donated several items to sell in the shop including jigsaws, photo frames, a desk tidy, books, an armchair rest organiser and a room diffuser. Helen also contributed decorative bottles that she made using new, empty wine bottles with lights inside.
Helen said: “I love a good charity shop, and this one is my favourite in Broadstairs; the staff and volunteers are so friendly. I wanted to get involved and interact with the local public.”
Khan added: “It’s been really fun meeting customers and so interesting to see exactly what goes into managing a charity shop. The volunteers work so hard, and I was surprised how much stock gets donated and processed behind the scenes.”
Mandy Hawkett, Retail Area Manager at Pilgrims, said: “I’d like to thank Helen and Khan for supporting Pilgrims as their chosen charity. I am really proud of Pilgrims’ retail stores and our dedicated shop teams, so I was delighted when Helen approached us regarding the ‘25 acts of giving’ project and her wish to spend the day in our lovely Broadstairs store. The team take pride in their store, creating a fabulous atmosphere to shop and volunteer in.
“It was such a lovely day. Khan worked on the till delivering excellent customer service, and Helen put out new items of stock, ensuring the displays were looking their best throughout the day; both were supported by the experts, our wonderful volunteers.”
Tim Stewart, Retail Business Development Manager at Pilgrims, added: “It’s so important to us that local businesses like BCS support us in what we do. It’s great that their staff came to our Broadstairs shop to see first-hand just how hard our staff and volunteers work to get the most out of the donations we receive. There is a perception that charity shops are simple and straightforward to operate, but I’m sure Helen and Khan can now confirm that there is so much work that goes into getting donated stock ready for sale!
“BCS staff donated so much lovely stock to us on the day, and they were able to Gift Aid it which made the donations 25% more valuable. We’re really pleased that Helen and Khan chose us as their preferred charity, and even better that they took the time out of their busy schedules to come into the shop and help run it for the day; I’m sure they went home exhausted but feeling very fulfilled.”
Other BCS employees are volunteering across Thanet in several capacities, getting involved with beach cleaning, community gardening projects and girl guiding.
Martin Hynes, Managing Director at BCS, said: “At BCS we have always felt businesses should play a role in helping their local communities. We have embraced this philosophy over the last 25 years, which has seen us support various local charities and good causes, including with our most recent ‘25 acts of giving’ where the entire BCS team participated in helping local causes, to celebrate our 25 years in business. We would like to thank Pilgrims for helping make this possible; our team have gained a great deal out of the experience, and we hope to have inspired other local businesses and residents to do the same.”
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.
21st April 2021
#SalvagedWithLove: Erin’s mission to change the world and support hospice care
Erin Hayhow from Whitstable is a fashion designer on a mission to change the world. Using only waste materials, which she dyes and paints with her own designs, she is on her way to building a sustainable future for the fashion industry. Her slogan is #SalvagedWithLove.
Erin’s mum, Sarah, was cared for at the Canterbury hospice in 2014. To give back for the support her family received, she plans to donate to Pilgrims Hospices as her brand grows and hopes to run up-cycling workshops with Pilgrims shops in the near future.
Sarah and Erin
After graduating with a first class BA in Fine Art from Solent University, Erin moved to Berlin to pursue a career as an artist but returned home when her mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
She said: “I was her carer for two years; during that time, creativity was so important to me because it was a way of understanding what was happening.
“My mum was the most fashionable person I know; my love for fashion came from her, she always dressed me in the coolest clothes. Putting my legs through plastic carrier-bags from our weekly shopping trips, pulling up the handles like straps, I’d made my first pair of dungarees. I wasn’t allowed to wear high heels, but I improvised by painting papier-mache tissue boxes and toilet roll tubes. I put them on with my new dungarees and strutted down my garden like a catwalk.
“During her illness, Mum would wear amazing garments every day and it would give her the ability to conquer the world. It became her armour, and it’s the same to me.”
Erin doing her Firewalk
Sarah was initially given a three-month prognosis but lived with cancer for 18 months. She didn’t feel she needed hospice support until the end of her life. Erin continued: “Mum’s mindset changed once Pilgrims was involved. I remember the hospice so strongly, there was a big community of people ready to support us. They were incredible with her. This was my first experience of hospice care and I want to raise awareness so that others know they can access it, too.”
Erin went on to complete a Fashion Design MA at UCA Rochester, achieving a distinction. She finished her five-piece collection Flowers Grow in Dustbins, made from 100% recycled materials, in 2019; these garments are available to purchase on her website. She also sells a range of more affordable pieces via Instagram @eirinnhayhow. To give back for the support her family received, Erin will donate 5% of the money made from sales to Pilgrims. Erin also took part in the charity’s sponsored Firewalk event in Canterbury on 13 March 2020.
I remember the hospice so strongly, there was a big community of people ready to support us. They were incredible with her. This was my first experience of hospice care and I want to raise awareness so that others know they can access it, too.
Erin
Erin plans to continue donating to Pilgrims as her brand grows and hopes to run up-cycling workshops with its shops in the near future, in exchange for materials that they can’t sell. Tim Stewart, Retail Business Development Manager at Pilgrims, said: “I met Erin in 2019 and she told me her story, explaining she’d been buying bits from our shops and using them as a basis for her new pieces. It was obvious to me that she was talented, and that she wanted to give something back to Pilgrims. So I offered her some materials that we hadn’t been able to sell, along with a couple of rails, and a mannequin to help her starting up. She was very grateful for the support and has offered to run design and screen-printing classes at one of our shops. We look forward to working with Erin in the future.”
Erin added: “After my mum passed away, I moved back to Berlin and began screen-printing on t-shirts and garments DIY-style. As my sewing skills improved, I used fabrics and materials that were either found on the street or donated to charity shops – from there I started to form my own collections. In 2017, I sold my first collection at Studio183 in Bikini Berlin. That summer, I moved back to Whitstable and opened a pop-up store in an old shipping container in a furniture yard in Margate. I became part of a waste-free fashion collective made up of four members; we all make garments from waste materials. We’ve had three shows at the Turner Contemporary and one at Soho House Berlin.
“The fashion industry is the world’s second biggest contributor to global warming, with 350,000 tonnes (that’s around £140 million worth) of used but still wearable clothing going to landfill in the UK every year. My brand says no to fast fashion. It is my intention to help solve our global waste crisis by creating imaginative solutions for unwanted materials.
“We need to find sustainable solutions to our waste problems. We need to re-think the fast fashion system. Fashion should be positive, it should be inclusive, it should be empowering. As designers of the future, it is our duty to be sustainable.”
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 support patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
11th August 2020
Shop with Pilgrims and support local hospice care at the same time
Good news for those of you itching to revisit your friendly local Pilgrims Hospices charity shop in Faversham. The much loved shop opened its doors to the public for the first time since lockdown on Saturday 31 July.
The shop will initially trade with reduced hours, however the charity is delighted to announce that during the first three days of trading, the income generated for hospice care reached an amazing £1700, an excellent result.
I’m very pleased to be back supporting Pilgrims and it’s great to be around fellow volunteers.
Janet Stickles, Pilgrims Volunteer
Mandy Hawkett, Pilgrims Retail Area Manager told us: “We are so pleased to be open again in Faversham, our customers told us how much they’ve missed their visits.
“The support from the team of volunteers was absolutely first class as always and it was heart-warming to see customers waiting for the shop to open its doors and receiving a truly friendly welcome from my team.
Shop Manager Robert Adams with volunteers Janet Stickles, Babs Seville Antoinette Hayward and Area Retail Manager Mandy Hawkett.
“As you might expect, a number of changes and extra measures have been put in place to protect shoppers and volunteers. We’ve received lots of positive feedback on the new layout and roomy shopping area.”
Janet Stickles, shop volunteer added: “I’m very pleased to be back supporting Pilgrims and it’s great to be around fellow volunteers; there’s great comradery and respect amongst our team here in the Faversham shop. I have been a Pilgrims supporter and shop volunteer for many years.
“I thoroughly enjoy helping customer’s to seek out a particular item from our stock. It’s great to see the smiles on faces when we are able to find just what they have been looking for!
“We know the hospices need us but we need the hospices too. It’s a wonderful way to keep in touch with customers and friends within the community. I’ve met new people, made many friends, and know my support is really making a difference to those who need Pilgrims care.”
The Faversham Shop on West Street will be open Thursday to Saturday 10:00am to 4:00 pm until further notice.
We are so pleased to be open again in Faversham, our customers told us how much they’ve missed their visits.
Mandy Hawkett – Pilgrims Retail Area Manager
The charity is reopening shops throughout east Kent in phases and when it safe to do so; you can find a list of those already trading here – shop with us.
In line with government guidelines, donations are sanitised before going on sale; anything donated will be held for a minimum of 72 hours before it’s processed for sale.
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.
