27 April 2020

The Rotary Club of Thanet support Pilgrims Hospices

The Rotary Club of Thanet are unable to meet at the Royal Temple Yacht Club for their regular Monday evenings, during the coronavirus lockdown. They have generously donated their weekly meal money to local charities who are being affected within the community.


Neal Elliott from the Rotary Club said: “We are donating £1,000 to Pilgrims Hospices who are short of funds due to the current crisis, along with donations to other charities.”

Karen Kenward, Community Fundraising Manager said: “With the charity facing challenging times, together with everyone in the UK due to the COVID-19 outbreak this generous donation of £1,000 couldn’t have come at a better time.

“The past few weeks have been unexpectedly difficult for Pilgrims Hospices. Sadly, we recently had to ask most of our incredible 1,500 volunteers to stay safely at home, close our shops, cancel or postpone many of our fundraising activities.

“Despite this, our vital work has not stopped. We still continue to provide compassionate care and support at our hospices and in the community to ensure our patients, their families and our staff are all remaining safe.

“We have launched our Still Here, Still Caring appeal together with a new virtual campaign called #StayHomeHospiceHero.”

The charity has developed and implemented lots of changes to adapt and respond at this time for the community that needs its services. It has been creative about how it can continue to deliver services both within its inpatient units and to those it cares for and supports in the community by telephone and online facilities.

It costs £14 million per year to run the full range of Pilgrims clinical services. To do this, the charity relies heavily on the support and generosity of the local community. It has to raise 80% of the £14 million and these costs are generated through fundraising and donations. The coming months will be an extremely challenging time for Pilgrims and it remains positive, creative and innovative to aim to be there for the next family that needs its clinical care.

Karen added: “I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for thinking of Pilgrims Hospices in such difficult times; we are so very humbled and grateful.”

Please note: All photos featured were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are so many ways you can continue to support Pilgrims, even from your homes. Visit the Pilgrims website for some virtual challenges and become a #StayHomeHospiceHero, helping to make a difference from your home.

If you would like to take on a challenge in support of Pilgrims we would love to hear from you. Please contact our fundraising team or join our new virtual Facebook community for ideas.

We need you more than ever; our local community means everything to us.

Thank you.


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 supports patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.