Category: Fundraising
St Barnabas launches Est. 1982 Bramble – brand new gin!
- Pay a visit to Bottomley Distillers, 6 Bolingbroke Court, Bolingrboke Road, Fairfield Industrial Estate, Louth, LN11 0ZW (open 8am-5pm, Monday to Saturday)
- Click the link below to download an order form and post it back to Bottomley Distillers
Meet the Colour Dash Fest Organiser: Melissa!
Meet Melissa Gaffney, the organiser of Colour Dash Fest 2020!
“Colour Dash is one of those events that inspires, intimidates and excites me all in one. It’s a phenomenal pleasure to be part of the team that puts on one of our Hospice’s most incredible fundraising events. I remember organising this event for the first time last year, looking at an empty field and turning around at 10:00 and seeing it abuzz with the excitement of 2,500 participants ready to do something absolutely incredible for the Hospice.
“Not only does this event raise vital funds for St Barnabas Hospice, but it also highlights how brilliant we as a county are in supporting each other, our local Hospice and those we love and miss. Colour Dash is more than a fun day out, it’s a chance to complete a milestone in your life and remember a loved one. The incredible thing is, you’re not alone on that course. There are dashers, walkers and runners who support each other and that’s a magical thing to be a part of.
“I love Colour Dash on so many levels; I love it as an organiser, as a fundraiser, as a fellow runner, as someone who has lost people so very close to me – Colour Dash is what you make of it, but you make it a spectacular date in the diary for myself and so many across the county.
“Best of luck fundraising!”
Local print and design company raises nearly £250 for St Barnabas Hospice
Visual Print and Design, an award-winning print and design company based in North Hykeham, have raised much needed funds for St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice as part of their 2019 Christmas campaign.
Due to sales achieved by their ’12 Days of Printmas’ campaign, where companies could make savings on orders placed during December, Visual Print and Design have been able to make a donation of £247.53 to St Barnabas Hospice, an independent Hospice charity that provides free, specialist palliative care for everyone in Lincolnshire.
All money raised will go towards helping to support more than 10,500 people across Lincolnshire affected by a life-limiting or terminal condition such as funding 49 three-course meal for one of their patients in their Inpatient Unit or allowing St Barnabas Hospice to care for a patient in their own home for 20 hours.
Caroline Swindin, Corporate & Community Lead of St Barnabas Hospice said:
“Thank you to Visual Print and Design for raising money and for choosing to support St Barnabas in this way. We really appreciate this; your donation will help to make a real difference to the care and support St Barnabas provides to those in our local communities.”
Scott Jones, Head of Operations at Visual Print and Design said:
“We’re delighted to have been able to raise nearly £250 for St Barnabas Hospice as part of our 12 Days of Printmas campaign. We hope this money can help them continue to do the amazing work they do every single day.”
Boston Hospice to host popular Bring a Gift Coffee Morning
St Barnabas Hospice is welcoming the public once again to their Bring a Gift Coffee Morning in Boston.
St Barnabas Hospice will be hosting a Bring a Gift Coffee Morning on Tuesday 11th February at their Boston Day Therapy Centre, Mayflower Lodge, Green Lane, PE21 9NB.
Taking place between 10am and 12pm, the Bring a Gift Coffee Morning will have an array of homemade bakes on offer, tea and coffee and a raffle.
Paisley Paddison, Community Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“The Bring a Gift Coffee Morning is a great way to bring the community together and allow our supporters to enjoy a hot drink and cake. Coffee mornings like this are a great way for us to obtain raffle and tombola prizes for the year ahead.
“We’re asking people to bring an unwanted Christmas present to the Hospice, or maybe even more if they feel they can. Money raised from raffles and tombolas will help to support the end-of-life care we provide across Lincolnshire.”
Mayflower Lodge has hosted hundreds of coffee mornings over the years, raising thousands of pounds. The coffee morning before Christmas raised £120, which has meant that through just two hours of fundraising, St Barnabas was able to fund a nurse visit to a patient being cared for in the comfort of their own home.
If you have any questions about the Coffee Morning or the types of gifts we use in raffles and tombolas, call Paisley Paddison on 07468 715 788 or email paisley.paddison@stbarnabashospice.co.uk
Grantham Hospice to host popular Bring a Gift Coffee Morning
St Barnabas Hospice is welcoming the public once again to their Bring a Gift Coffee Morning in Grantham.
St Barnabas Hospice will be hosting a Bring a Gift Coffee Morning on Thursday 30th January at their Grantham Day Therapy Centre, Barrowby Road, NG31 8AF.
Taking place between 10am and 12pm, the Bring a Gift Coffee Morning will have an array of homemade bakes on offer, tea and coffee and a raffle.
Paisley Paddison, Community Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“The Bring a Gift Coffee Morning is a great way to bring the community together and allow our supporters to enjoy a hot drink and cake. Coffee mornings like this are a great way for us to obtain raffle and tombola prizes for the year ahead.
“We’re asking people to bring an unwanted Christmas present to the Hospice, or maybe even more if they feel they can. Money raised from raffles and tombolas will help to support the end-of-life care we provide across Lincolnshire.”
Barrowby Road has hosted hundreds of coffee mornings over the years, raising thousands of pounds. The coffee morning before Christmas raised £180, which has meant that through just two hours of fundraising, St Barnabas was able to fund a nurse visit to a patient being cared for in the comfort of their own home and ten lightweight fleece blankets for patients.
Debbie, a member of the public who attended the last St Barnabas Coffee Morning, said:
“It was so nice to pop in and enjoy a coffee and slice of cake whilst supporting a good cause. Seeing inside the hospice building was a great insight into the work the Hospice does. It’s such a bright and happy place to be and it was great to see people of all ages at the coffee morning.”
If you have any questions about the Coffee Morning or the types of gifts we use in raffles and tombolas, call Paisley Paddison on 07468 715 788 or email paisley.paddison@stbarnabashospice.co.uk
“As a nurse I often say that if you can make a difference for someone else, then that is the best gift in the world.”
Julie Milner is a Staff Nurse who works as part of the Community Services team at St Barnabas Hospice. She has spent eight years working for St Barnabas and three Christmas Days visiting patients and families on what is often their last Christmas together.
Julie said, “Christmas can be a very tough time for patients and families living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. It also brings back memories of loved ones who are no longer here. Each year I support Lincolnshire patients at what could be their last Christmas. The aim is to offer the whole family a safety net of support, especially at such a difficult time of year. I want them to know they can pick up the phone and that we will be there for them.
“A lot of our patients wish to be at home with family and friends over the festive period. I remember working with an elderly lady who was in hospital and wanted nothing more than to be at home for her family Christmas dinner. She couldn’t eat, but it meant the world to spend Christmas Day sharing this meal with her children and grandchildren. We supported her with equipment and visits over Christmas, including on Christmas Day, so that she could spend this precious time with her family.
“This year we have a Christmas appeal where we are asking you to give the ‘Gift of Time’. The nurses and I have compiled a selection of Christmas wishes for time that you can help gift to our patients and their families. Please help us create lasting memories this Christmas. You could make the donation personally or donate on behalf of someone else as their Christmas present.
“Food is a big part of our Christmas celebrations at the Hospice. It’s really important that families can join their loved one to eat together. My mum received hospice care and when she was poorly my dad thought she needed a big plate of dinner. She couldn’t face it and my dad couldn’t understand why. She then went into a hospice and the nurses gave her a small side plate of food. I remember her saying “I can manage this.” She enjoyed her food more after going into the Hospice and this memory will always stick with me.
“If someone is unwell, they are often not able to cook. In the build-up to Christmas, our wonderful chefs make turkey dinners with all the trimmings, so families can come here to enjoy their Christmas meal instead. Sometimes our patients want something slightly different to eat for Christmas, but we always try to make their wish come true.
“Christmas dinner is one example of the ‘gifts,’ you can give as part of this appeal. To support our patients this Christmas and give the gift of time, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/time-to-care.”
Over 1,000 people join to walk in memory of loved ones at the Torchlight Procession
Last night’s Torchlight Procession saw over 1,000 people walking in memory of loved ones.
Last night, on Tuesday 26th November, over 1,000 people came out into the night for the St Barnabas Hospice Torchlight Procession. They walked shoulder-to-shoulder in memory of loved ones whilst carrying flaming torches.
The evening began at Our Lady of Lincoln Church, where around 200 people joined to remember loved ones and light a tealight in their memory. This was where the Light up a Life candle was officially lit. 
Richard Pullman, a local firefighter in Lincoln, was the first person to light his Torchlight Procession torch. He lit this from the Light up a Life candle at the church, and then proceeded to light the torches of 24 runners who carried this light to the start of the Procession at Clayton’s Sports Ground.
Richard’s fiancé, Rachael, sadly died age 24 after being cared for at the St Barnabas Hospice Inpatient Unit.
Sam Waterer, coordinator of the church celebration and Individual Giving Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“Our Light up a Life service is a lovely way for people to remember loved ones for those who are unable to attend the Torchlight Procession or those who want to spend more of the night remembering.
“I’d like to say a particular thank you to Stuart who played the organ. He had his own personal reasons for attending the service and this showed in the beautiful way he played.”
Once the Procession began, over 1,000 walked just under a mile past the St Barnabas Hospice Inpatient Unit, through the iconic Bailgate and arrived at The Lincoln Hotel. A small service took place in which the Tree of Life and Lincoln Cathedral were lit up whilst the choir sang ‘May the Road Rise to Meet You’. The Cathedral was lit blue and yellow to honour the Hospice.
Louise Cotton, Event Lead for the Torchlight Procession, said:
“On behalf of everyone at St Barnabas Hospice, I would like to say what an amazing evening we had at this year’s Torchlight Procession. The community came together to remember loved ones in a beautiful way and the weather was perfect. 
“A huge thank you goes to all of our volunteers who supported the event in various ways and to the community for joining us. There was also an incredible amount of local businesses that offered their support. Thanks go to Doddington Hall & Gardens, Lincoln BIG, The Lincoln Hotel, Lincoln Cathedral, Our Lady of Lincoln Church, City of Lincoln Council Maintenance Services, Continental Landscapes, S. Lyon & Son Haulage Ltd., Britton Fabrications, BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, the RAF Waddington Pipe Band, TSS Events, Annie Griffith and her community choir, Taylor Lindsey, Stamford Sound Hire, SRP, Bates Sound, Flying Hire, Davis Trackhire, Ruddocks, Lincolnshire 4×4, Lindum Rotary, Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, St Mary Magdalene Church and Lindum Ladies Choir.
“The Tree of Life will be outside The Lincoln Hotel until the first week of January and we welcome members of the public to visit and spend a quiet moment remembering their loved one. We heard some amazing stories and there were some truly wonderful people being remembered last night.”
For those who were unable to attend the event, you can still dedicate a light on the Tree of Life. Visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/lual to dedicate a light in your loved one’s memory or to see the list of alternative Light up a Life celebration events.
Lincoln Cathedral partners with Hospice to light up Lincoln this month
Lincoln Cathedral will be partnering with St Barnabas Hospice at their annual Torchlight Procession.
On Tuesday 26th November, Lincoln Cathedral will be joining St Barnabas Hospice to remember loved ones at the Torchlight Procession in Lincoln. Following the lighting of the Tree of Life, the Cathedral will officially switch their new lights on – blue and yellow to honour the Hospice.
Chris Wheway, Chief Executive at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“The Torchlight Procession is the event in the Hospice calendar which moves me the most. Walking shoulder-to-shoulder with people from across Lincolnshire who are remembering loved ones is truly special to be part of and such a sight to behold.
“Seeing the light of a thousand torches light up the night is an incredibly powerful image and one that will remain with me for a very long time. It is very moving when the Procession pauses outside our Inpatient Unit to play Amazing Grace for the patients. The nurses will come out to watch the Procession go past with patients who are well enough, and they open the doors on the ward so those who aren’t as well can still hear the music.
“The lighting-up of our Tree of Life will be extra special this year as we have partnered with Lincoln Cathedral. Once the lights of our loved ones are shining brightly on the Tree of Life, Lincoln Cathedral will officially switch on their new lights. These will be turned blue and yellow to honour our Hospice and all the patients we have cared for.”
The Revd Canon John Patrick, Subdean of Lincoln, said:
“We are honoured to partner with St Barnabas Hospice and play a part in the Torchlight Procession and the lighting of the Tree of Life; it is a truly moving event which brings the whole city together. 
“Light is a symbol of hope and comfort, and a reminder of God’s presence in our lives. The Torchlight Procession gives people a focal point to remember loved ones and to recollect the light they brought into their lives.
“The Cathedral too is a focal point for the whole city of Lincoln. I hope that the sight of this much-loved building illuminated once again inspires a sense of hope, endurance and optimism in all who see it.
“It is fitting that the blue and yellow of St Barnabas shine on the Cathedral to recognise the wonderful work of the organisation and all the people they have helped.”
Due to the works currently taking place at Lincoln Cathedral, the Lincoln Tree of Life will stand outside The Lincoln Hotel for one year only. Thanks to the generosity of The Lincoln Hotel, the Procession route will remain largely unchanged and supporters will still have a lovely view of the Cathedral in the background of the tree.
Before the Procession there will be a church celebration held at Our Lady of Lincoln Church (LN2 2HE) from 6pm. This will feature touching readings, music and a time for quiet reflection. Candles will also be lit in remembrance. This celebration is optional to attend but will finish in time for those wanting to attend the Torchlight Procession too.
The Torchlight Procession will leave Claytons Sports Ground at 7.30pm, so the Hospice is asking people to arrive for 7pm to leave time for purchasing torches/lanterns and joining the Procession. Torches will be available to purchase for anyone age 16+ for £5 each. For those under 16 or those not wishing to hold a torch, battery-powered lanterns will be available for £3.50.
St Barnabas is asking people to register their attendance for the Torchlight Procession. Supporters can do so at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/torchlight19
Hospice looking for corporate volunteers for their Tree-cycle appeal
St Barnabas Hospice is appealing for a range of corporate volunteers to help with their Christmas Tree-cycle in January 2020.
St Barnabas Hospice is aiming to raise over £30,000 in their January 2020 Christmas Tree-cycle appeal. This would cover the cost of running the dispensary so around 400 inpatients can access pain relief medication.
The Hospice is looking for wood chipping companies and businesses with vans to volunteer their time and staff from Saturday 11th to Friday 17th January.
The Christmas Tree-cycle takes place every January, when the Hospice and a group of volunteers work together to collect Christmas trees from across Lincolnshire. They take them to local wood chipping companies so they can be recycled. In return for this service, supporters make a donation to the Hospice. Whether your business can help for a day, a few days or the whole week, the Hospice would be delighted to hear from you.
If you can support with vans and drivers, this role would involve driving a set route to pick up Christmas trees from people’s driveways, then taking them to a local wood chipping company. The Hospice is looking for businesses with large fleets of vans, businesses who can spare just a couple of people and a van, and all the businesses in between. It really is a group effort and every single helper will be making a huge impact on end-of-life care across Lincolnshire.
As well as vans and drivers, St Barnabas are on the hunt for Lincolnshire-based wood chipping companies to act as a base for vans to bring trees to. These companies are welcome to do what they wish with the chippings.
Melissa Gaffney, Event Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“Our Tree-cycle campaign can only go ahead each year with the generous help of local businesses and volunteers. This year, our aim is to collect enough money in donations to fund pain relief for around 400 inpatients in Lincoln and Grantham. This would mean raising over £30,000.
“If your business is looking to do a good deed this Christmas, I’d love you to consider St Barnabas. Your support will help us generate more money to provide care and support to patients, families and carers across Lincolnshire.”
If your business can support in any way, please get in touch with St Barnabas Hospice. For more information or to offer your support, please email melissa.gaffney@stbarnabashospice.co.uk or call 01522 540 300.
Hospice Fundraisers complete 50km Great Wall of China trek
Five incredible supporters have raised around 15,000 after trekking the Great Wall of China for five days.
An incredible group of St Barnabas Hospice staff and supporters have trekked for 35 hours over five days, covered more than 50km and reached the dizzying heights of 2,200 metres above sea level. 
In some places on the wall, the team were walking on unrestored sections which were less than a metre wide and had sheer drops on either side. They stayed with local lodges each night and sampled a whole range of local delicacies during their stay, as well as being able to immerse themselves in the local culture.
Caroline Swindin, Corporate & Community Lead at St Barnabas Hospice, is one of the brave staff members to take on this challenge. Caroline said:
“I’m over the moon that we all finished the trek as a group. What a fantastic experience it was, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to share it with. The biggest challenge was probably how uneven the ground was
“Both myself and my colleague, Becca, have very personal reasons for trekking the Great Wall, as well as being fortunate enough to work for such an amazing charity. My mum was cared for by St Barnabas several years ago and the care both her and the whole family received was second to none. A close friend also received exceptional St Barnabas care. I will be forever grateful and will always continue doing all I can to raise money and awareness.” 
Becca Hooton, Community Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice, added:
“It was very emotional when we completed the trek, and even more so when we arrived back in England and were reunited with our family. My mum, dad, neighbour and friend have all been cared for in a hospice and my journey was for them. I never imagined I could complete such a huge challenge, but I’m so proud of myself and the team for getting through it together.
Caroline finished:
“We have achieved so much more than we ever thought we could. The number of steps along both restored and unrestored sections of the wall at heights has been relentless but have presented us with the most stunning views imaginable.
“We are so incredibly proud to have undertaken this challenge, raising funds and helping to make a real difference to the amazing care and support St Barnabas provides to thousands of people throughout Lincolnshire.”
Next year, St Barnabas Hospice is asking supporters to take on the challenge of trekking to the summit of Mount Toubkal in Morocco. This trek will take place over three days, with two additional days for flying out there. It costs £99 to sign up and the Hospice asks trekkers to raise a minimum of £1,650 in sponsorship money. To view more information or sign up, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/toubkal2020.