Category: Fundraising
Hospice’s renowned spring appeal returns with an exciting twist
St Barnabas Hospice is known for its beautiful spring ironwork displays, raising an incredible £224,070 including Gift Aid from their dragonflies and forget me nots.
This year, St Barnabas Hospice is proud to announce the Forever in our Hearts appeal. For a suggested donation of £35.54, you can order a locally made, ironwork heart in memory of a loved one. Anyone can dedicate a heart, regardless of whether their loved ones received hospice care or not.
New for 2022, St Barnabas can offer personalisation of the hearts before they are placed in a spectacular display at the Dean’s Green, Lincoln Cathedral during April.
The display will run from Saturday 2nd April to Monday 18th April and will be open for members of the public to visit and pay respects during this period. There will also be the opportunity to view them during the evenings as part of a beautiful light display.
The hearts measure 18x95cm and will all be handmade locally by Stefanos at The Old Smithy. Artist, Dominic Parczuk, has created a fantastic oil painting impression of what the display will look like once all the hearts are in place.
St Barnabas supporter, Emma Gowland, has spoken out about the fantastic care her dad received from the Hospice and why she is dedicating a heart in his memory. She said, “My dad, Geoffrey, had such a cheeky personality; always joking and making us smile. He was diagnosed with cancer on 16th March 2016, and from then we only had a couple of weeks before he died and our world fell apart. 
“I felt so lost at the time. I was 28, but it was as though I had reverted back to being a child, just trying to tell myself that it was all a bad dream.
“Our saving grace during this horrible period was St Barnabas Hospice. The dignity and care they showed my dad was like nothing I had ever imagined. From the moment our family walked in, we felt they were caring not only for dad, but for us too. 
“My brother and I struggled to process our feelings alongside making sure Mum was ok, but the nurses took over and gave us stability when everything was falling apart. I don’t think people realise just how special the team at St Barnabas are.
“Everyone at St Barnabas has so much love to give to families and patients, which is what makes this heart display feel so special to me. The suggested donation for a heart is £35.54, this is the equivalent to one hour of specialist inpatient care, just like Dad received.
“My ironwork heart will stand proudly in the garden so that a part of Dad is here with me always.”
To dedicate a heart in memory of a loved one, just like Emma, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/foreverhearts.
A Trio of local music artists to play at The Lawn in Lincoln in support of St Barnabas
Wednesday, 23rd February will see a trio of musical acts perform at the Blue Room at The Lawn in Lincoln, all in support of St Barnabas Hospice.
‘The Rye Sisters’, ‘Gary Rudd’ and headline act ‘Simcha’ will all perform together in what will be a night to remember. Each musical act is unique and full of culture, with genres ranging from American folk-country, rock music to klezmer music, which originated in the Jewish ghettos and villages in eastern Europe.
The three acts chose to raise money for St Barnabas because of the incredible work the clinical teams do to support patients across Lincolnshire and their families. Gary Rudd and Simcha’s cümbüs player Enzo Puzzovio both have a personal connection to the hospice as both their mothers received care and support from St Barnabas before they both sadly passed away. The two friends since decided they wanted to host this incredible trio of musicians, in loving memory of them. Thank you!
£10 from the sale of each ticket will go directly to St Barnabas. The money raised from the event will make a huge difference to people in Lincolnshire living with life-limiting or terminal illnesses.
If you are interested in attending what will be an incredible night of music, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/1428119544284672
“My ironwork heart will stand proudly in the garden so that a part of Dad is here with me always. When I’m outside looking after the flowers, I can have a little chat and feel that bit closer to him.”
Please note: This article references our ‘Forever in our Hearts’ Appeal, which took place i 2022. Unfortunately, it is no possible to purchase a heart is dedication to your loved one.
“My name is Emma, and I want to share some very special news about how St Barnabas is helping people like us remember loved ones this spring. When my dad died, my heart was completely broken. Now I can honour his memory with a personalised ironwork heart, and you can do the same for your loved ones.
“My dad, Geoffrey, had such a cheeky personality; always joking and making us smile. He was diagnosed with cancer on 16th March 2016, and from then we only had a couple of weeks before he died and our world fell apart.
“I felt so lost at the time. I was 28, but it was as though I had reverted back to being a child, just trying to tell myself that it was all a bad dream.
“Our saving grace during this horrible period was St Barnabas Hospice. The dignity and care they showed my dad was like nothing I had ever imagined. From the moment our family walked in, we felt they were caring not only for dad, but for us too.
“My brother and I struggled to process our feelings alongside making sure Mum was ok, but the nurses took over and gave us stability when everything was falling apart. Dad’s only wish was to be with Mum until the end, and St Barnabas allowed her to be there every second of every day. I don’t think people realise just how special the team at St Barnabas are.
“The incredible support we received as a family just wouldn’t have been possible, were it not for kind-hearted people like yourself who have donated to the Hospice in memory of loved ones. St Barnabas Hospice celebrates 40 years of caring for the people of Lincolnshire this year, and with your support, I know they will be able to support many more over the next 40 years.
“This spring, St Barnabas is asking supporters just like you and me, to honour loved ones by donating to the ‘Forever in our Hearts Appeal.’ If you were to give just £35.54, it could fund one hour of specialist inpatient care, just like Dad received. Your money could make such a huge difference to the people of Lincolnshire, allowing hospice care to continue long into the future.
“One memory which really stands out to me was the Lincoln 10k, which happened to take place the same day that Dad died. He always used to take part, so this time his friends ran in his honour. When the nurses found out, they came outside with me, held my hand and cheered the runners on as they ran past the Hospice. Everyone at St Barnabas has so much love to give to families and patients, which is what makes this heart display feel so special to me.
“If you donate for a heart this year, it will help St Barnabas to continue working at the heart of the community, making a real difference to people’s lives. I recently bought a new house, which was the first big milestone without Dad. My ironwork heart will stand proudly in the garden so that a part of Dad is here with me always. When I’m outside looking after the flowers, I can have a little chat and feel that bit closer to him.
“I am excited to announce that when you donate, your ironwork heart will appear in a beautiful display at Lincoln Cathedral, on the Dean’s Green, from Saturday 2nd April to Monday 18th April. Lincoln Cathedral was one of Dad’s favourite places to visit, and is where we now go every Christmas to light a candle in his memory.”
Thank you,
Emma Gowland
Couple brave the Fire Walk in memory of mums who met at St Barnabas, and later were both cared for there
Hannah Bartle and her partner, Martin, are taking on the St Barnabas Hospice Fire Walk in memory of their mums, who were both cared for by the Hospice.
The Fire Walk is one of the Hospice’s 40th anniversary events, taking place on Saturday 19th March at Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln. As the name suggests, Hannah and Martin will walk barefoot over red-hot wood embers which are around 800 degrees. There are no tricks and no special effects involved.
Hannah said, “I have done several fundraising events for St Barnabas in the past, including a skydive, but I love the idea of a Fire Walk as it is so different.
“My mum (Jean Bartle) spent 20 years volunteering at the St Barnabas Boston Day Therapy Centre, where ironically, she taught Martin’s mum how to paint before we had met each other! She was bubbly and fun, always finding ways to raise money for charity after her friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. 
“Over the years, as well as dedicating so many hours to the Hospice, she also raised an incredible £20,000 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer (now named Breast Cancer Now). She loved dancing and going to the ballet, and she absolutely adored her grandchildren and the ladies at her over 50s exercise classes.
“When Mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer, we were absolutely devastated. Eight years on, our family are still feeling the impact and we all miss her like crazy. She was only in her 60s when she died, so it felt like she was taken far too soon.
“The Hospice at Home team cared for Mum at home and they were all so genuine and kind. They respected Mum’s dignity and I always remember how she used to make them laugh.
“It is our hope that by fundraising, we can help more families who have gone through a similar situation to our own. Our fundraising target is £200, which could fund almost fourteen hours of Hospice at Home care for someone just like Mum.”
Martin added, “My mum, Josie Thompson, was also cared for by St Barnabas Hospice until she died in 2008. St Barnabas is a cause very close to our family’s hearts, so I am glad that I can support them by taking on the Fire Walk.”
There is still time to sign up to the Fire Walk and join supporters like Hannah and Martin who are braving the coals in memory of loved ones. It costs just £35 and we ask that you pledge to raise £100 in sponsorship money.
To sign up, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events/fire-walk-2022. Age 16+ only.
Trio of festive campaigns raise £92,000 for St Barnabas Hospice
St Barnabas Hospice has kicked off the year with a huge fundraising boost, thanks to its generous supporters.
The Hospice has raised £92,200.83 from its Light Up A Life campaign, Rudy’s Run events and Tree-cycle initiative this festive period.
Head of Fundraising and Lottery at the Hospice, Veronica McBain, said: “We are so pleased to see such a huge amount being raised since November. After a difficult few years for charities, particularly one like ours that relies on donations to continue our work, it’s really heartening to see we have passionate supporters who are willing to keep donating to us.
“This also comes at a poignant time for the Hospice, as we celebrate our 40th anniversary this year, so it’s a great way to kick that off. More will be revealed regarding our plans for celebrating, but supporters and those involved in the Hospice will be excited.
“During 2021, an incredible 2,831 supporters donated to St Barnabas Hospice for the first time. We’re so glad to be reaching new people that want to help. We have a lot of longstanding support that we are incredibly grateful for, but to know we are attracting new supporters is always fantastic news too.”
For the Hospice’s annual Light Up A Life event, more than 1,465 people were remembered with a light dedicated in their name.
Veronica added: “We always see this as a hugely personal calendar event for our supporters, and to know people are willing to donate so much means the world. The event raised £53,351.30, including Gift Aid and Torchlight Procession income.”
Rudy’s Run meant that schools and nurseries could send off for a festive activity pack and take part in sponsored physical activity on the countdown to Christmas. A fantastic £13,434.55 was raised including Gift Aid.
Following a cancellation due to COVID-19 concerns in early 2021, the Tree-cycle scheme was also a resounding success this year, with supporters booking in almost 1,500 trees and funds raised totalling £25,414.98.
Veronica said: “A special thank you to all the local businesses who made this possible by donating time and resources to this – we wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.
“Thank you to all who made the end of 2021 and the New Year a successful one. May I take this opportunity to wish all a peaceful and prosperous year.”
Limited time left to book for our Christmas tree recycling scheme
Bookings for the St Barnabas Hospice Tree-cycle scheme are due to close on Tuesday 4th January and there is now limited capacity left for additional trees.
The Hospice has been delighted to receive an amazing amount of Tree-cycle bookings this year, but hope to reach the £30,000 mark before they close in January. They are asking members of the public to book quickly before it’s too late.
Tree-cycle sees staff and supporters of the Hospice driving across Lincolnshire to collect and recycle Christmas trees, which will then be recycled or replanted depending on whether they are cut or potted. This is all for a suggested donation of £14.58. It’s a win for you, the Hospice and the environment!
Recycled trees are turned into wood chippings that can be used for biomass boilers, to provide shelter and layering for farmyard animals and to make BBQ charcoal which is then sold from local farms. This year, unwanted potted trees booked in for collection will be replanted by Rudies Roots Nurseries in local woodland.
St Barnabas will be collecting trees up to 7ft tall from Saturday 8th to Wednesday 12th January and will accept tree registrations until Tuesday 4th January, or until they reach capacity. They are asking members of the public to leave their trees in an easily-to-collect location outside the front of their house.
When you register, there is a postcode selection tool to ensure the Hospice can collect from your house. These locations include Lincoln, Market Rasen, Gainsborough, Grantham, Stamford, Sleaford and more. This year, the Hospice has widened its collection radius to include more of the county.
Rebecca Hooton, Fundraising Officer at St Barnabas Hospice, said: “Donations to our Tree-cycle campaign are crucial in helping us care for more people across Lincolnshire who are living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. We are very fortunate to have such generous supporters and hope they will join us to make this year’s Tree-cycle the most successful yet!
“Due to the ongoing pandemic, we have ensured safety measures are in place for those collecting trees. People are only going to be working from the same vehicles if they are from the same family or work bubbles.”
To book your tree in to be collected and recycled, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/tree-cycle.
Plan a pub quiz and raise cash for St Barnabas Hospice
Pub-goers will need to sharpen their general knowledge and train their brains as St Barnabas Hospice is offering locals the chance to host their own pub quizzes in order to raise cash for the charity.
Pubs can sign up free of charge to host a pub quiz in support of the Hospice. In return, the Hospice will send you a pre-written quiz, posters, collection pot and branded beer mats in a variety of designs to display on the night.
All pubs or quizmasters need to do is choose the date and start promoting it to customers.
Paisley Paddison, Fundraising Officer at St Barnabas Hospice, said: “Here at the Hospice, we support more than 10,500 patients and their families each year with end-of-life care. Our annual fundraising target to keep those care services running is over £6 million. The Pub Quiz is designed to bring the community together with a fun night at their local.
“All we ask is that those taking part in the quiz consider donating the cost of a pint, a bottle of wine or even a round of drinks to support St Barnabas Hospice in the future.
“Just £14.58 would allow our nurses to care for a patient in their own home for an hour.”
One of the first pubs to sign up for a quiz was Lincoln’s Queen in the West, where Donna Fellows is the landlady and also works as a Clinical Administrator at the city’s St Barnabas Hospice’s Inpatient Unit. 
The Queen in the West has an extra special connection to the Hospice as Donna’s mum Glenis, who was also a landlady in the West End of Lincoln, was cared for in the Inpatient Unit in 2019 and 2020 before she sadly died.
Donna said, “Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer, which had a devastating effect on the family. The disease was cruel, and the mum we knew and loved completely changed in the last eighteen months of her life. Seeing her suffer was awful, especially when we knew she was in constant pain.
“As Christmas approached, her symptoms increased, and we could see the pain getting worse. That’s when it was suggested for her to go to the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit. The team there were just wonderful. They reviewed her medication, reassured us all and gave us time to talk about Mum’s illness and the impact it was having on all the family.
“On Christmas Eve we brought Mum home for our traditional family meal, but she was absolutely exhausted by the time we dropped her back off at the Hospice. The staff went above and beyond to make her peaceful that Christmas, dimming the lights and placing special lanterns at the end of each patient’s bed. It was such a gentle, beautiful moment and we all shed a tear knowing that it would be Mum’s last Christmas.
“In her years working behind the bar at her pub and when she visited my pub, Mum adored pub quizzes. She would always help teams out with answers and particularly enjoyed the 60s music round.
“It felt only right that Mum’s story was used for the launch of a campaign based in a pub. We will be holding ours at the Queen in the West early next year, and I hope lots of our friends and regulars come out to join us.
“Mum would be so pleased to see that we are doing this in her honour, and to thank the wonderful people at St Barnabas who cared for her in her hour of need.”
To help pubs run the quizzes, the Hospice’s Fundraising team can assist with planning. Once pubs sign up, they will receive a pub quiz pack to start promoting. Details of participating pubs will then have their quizzes added to the St Barnabas website for promotion.
Sign up at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/pubquiz
OVER 1,000 PEOPLE JOIN TO WALK IN MEMORY OF LOVED ONES AT TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION
Yesterday’s Torchlight Procession saw over 1,000 people walking in memory of loved ones, raising much-needed money for St Barnabas Hospice.
Last night, 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. This is part of the Hospice’s Light up a Life campaign which sees supporters dedicating lights in memory of loved ones each Christmas.
To date, this year’s Light up a Life campaign has raised over £30,000 with around £4,000 more coming in from donations and sales of torches and lanterns last night.
The procession, which was the first mass participation event held by the Hospice in two years, was led by Steve Norton, a St Barnabas Hospice supporter who walked in memory of his parents: Margaret, a former St Barnabas volunteer, and John.
Steve said,
“Mum absolutely adored the Torchlight Procession that St Barnabas organises each Christmas. When my dad was being cared for in the Hospice, the Procession stopped outside and played ‘Amazing Grace’ for the patients to hear. It really lifted his spirits, and I know it will have done the same for many others through the years.
“The year before she died, Mum was asked to share Dad’s story as part of the Hospice’s Light up a Life campaign, and this made her so proud. I feel humbled to now be sharing Mum’s story this year and have dedicated two extra special lights to remember them both.”
The procession walked just under a mile past the St Barnabas Hospice Inpatient Unit, through the iconic Bailgate and arrived at Lincoln Cathedral. A small service took place in which the lights on the Tree of Life were lit whilst the choir sang ‘May the Road Rise to Meet You’.
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, runners and stewards 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, Allen Signs, Lincoln Cathedral, Our Lady of Lincoln Church, City of Lincoln Council Maintenance Services, Continental Landscapes, S. Lyon & Son Haulage Ltd., BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, the RAF Waddington Pipe Band, TSS Events, Taylor Lindsey, Stamford Sound Hire, Bates Sound, Flying Hire Ltd, Lindum Rotary Club, Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, NatWest, Annie Griffith and her Community Choirs, Chevron Traffic Management Ltd, Mr and Mrs N Kirk, DPS Digital , St. Mary Magdalene’s, Lincolnshire Co-op, Davis Trackhire, Steve Norton and family, The Subdean and Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral, , Lincoln BIG, Community 4×4 Response, SRP Hire Solutions, Highways and Planning.
“The Tree of Life will be outside The Lincoln Cathedral until Wednesday 5th 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.”
Those who were unable to attend the event are still able to dedicate a light on the Tree of Life online or watch the live streams on Facebook at a later date. There is also a pre-recorded service available from the St Barnabas website.
Visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/lual to dedicate a light in your loved one’s memory or view the pre-recorded service.
St Barnabas kick-start our 40th Anniversary celebrations by launching the HeART Trail, Lincolnshire’s biggest Art Trail yet
Yesterday afternoon, local artists and businesses gathered together to celebrate the launch of the HeART Trail which will run during summer 2022.
2022/23 is an important milestone for St Barnabas Hospice as we celebrate our 40th anniversary of providing end-of-life and palliative care to the people of Lincolnshire. Recent art trails have taken place in Lincoln, but the Hospice has ambitious plans to take over the whole of Lincolnshire with the HeART Trail, making it more accessible for the communities we support.
Artists, both professional and amateur, local and national, are invited to submit their designs to be part of the trail. Sponsors will select either a finished design or an artist with whom they would like to work. The artists will then be commissioned to create their design during April and May.
We are encouraging local businesses to ‘have heart’ and sponsor a sculpture to celebrate the 40th anniversary. Unlike other trails, once a company sponsors a heart, it will be theirs to keep once the trail is finished. Sponsors also benefit from great brand exposure, networking opportunities, increased corporate social responsibility, staff engagement and team building opportunities. Sponsors will select their chosen design in March 2022.
We aim to raise much needed funds and put Lincolnshire on the map as the ‘Place to Visit in 2023.’ As well as raising money and awareness for the Hospice, there will be a Young at HeART Trail to engage with children across the county. It will be as inclusive as possible, with each school or community group being paired with a local artist and given the tools to produce their very own heart sculpture.
Veronica McBain, Head of Fundraising and Lottery at St Barnabas Hospice said, “The plans for our 40th anniversary are very ambitious, and we want to use the year as a celebration of the incredible growth we have achieved, as well as the supporters who have helped us get here. We are bringing this special trail to the people of Lincolnshire with the aim of it being more inclusive than ever before. We want you to join us and be part of the most significant Lincolnshire tourism and community marketing campaign for 2022, whilst raising much-needed funds for your local Hospice.
“I want to say a personal thank you to Lincoln BIG, Lincolnshire Showground, Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, Waterside Shopping Centre and S. Lyon & Son Haulage for coming on board already as partners for the trail. We are looking forward to working alongside them next year, as well as other local businesses who come on board as heart sponsors.”
Artists and businesses looking to get involved in the Trail can find more information at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/hearttrail. Please send any questions to veronica.mcbain@stbarnabashospice.co.uk.
“My Father was my best friend, a loving Husband, Father, Grandad, Brother and Uncle”
Dan Vines took on the ultimate challenge, The Outlaw in memory of ‘his best friend’ and Father, John Vines.
“My Father was diagnosed with prostate cancer over ten years ago and after years of operations and various treatment, he was told early in 2020 that nothing further could be offered. It was at this point he began receiving palliative care from St Barnabas. He battled for four months, before sadly passing away on July 2nd 2020 with his family around him at home.
“St Barnabas provided us with regular contact and support during those last few weeks. They had a calming influence on the situation, which was so important to us during those tough times. They were there for us after he died too. It was such a tragic loss for us, but St Barnabas made it a somewhat easier situation to deal with. They were there when needed with a friendly voice.
“My Father, John was my best friend, a loving Husband, Father, Grandad, Brother and Uncle; the life and soul of our family and so sorely missed.
“As a member of a triathlon club based in Lincoln, I wanted to challenge myself and raise some much-needed funds for the Hospice along the way. I had completed the London Marathon 8 times but hadn’t done an Iron Man distance since 2015.
“I decided on a full Iron distance triathlon called The Outlaw. It included an 3.8km swim, 180 km bike ride and then a 42km run. The time limit is 17 hours, but I finished in 13 hours and 2 mins on the day.”
Dan raised £3,259, far surpassing his original £2,000 target.
We would like to say a huge thanks to Dan, and each and every one of his supporters. This incredible donation will support more families, like Dan’s and patients, like John receive vital end of life care when they need it most.
If you would like to show your support and thank Dan for his incredible effort visit his Just Giving page; https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Daniel-Vines5
If you would like to take on a challenge to support the Hospice, visit our website. Your next Adventure awaits; Adventure with us – St Barnabas Hospice