Category: Fundraising
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
Puddleducks Day Care in Lincoln is taking part in Rudy’s Run 2021 in memory of Sam Gibbins
My name is Caroline and I am an OFSTED registered childminder, working alongside my husband, Simon, at Puddleducks Day Care in Lincoln. We are honoured to be asked to take part in the Rudy’s Run again this year.
Last year we took part in Rudy’s Run after one of our children’s parents at the day care was suddenly diagnosed with cancer. Everyone will agree that the pandemic was a very challenging year, however cancer made it even tougher.
Sadly, Sam passed away in July of this year. Sam was an amazing, strong lady, and her passing was devastating for everyone at Puddleducks. Sam never wanted self-pity and her motto was to live every day like it’s your last. After speaking to Sam’s husband and children, we have decided to take on Rudy’s Run once again this year in memory of Sam. We are hoping to raise lots of money for St Barnabas Hospice along the way.
Sam always spoke so highly of St Barnabas, who helped her so much throughout her illness. Before Sam gained her angel wings, she sent this amazing message about St Barnabas to me:
“St Barnabas helped me to fill out forms etc. to get extra support, whilst also helping to approach the whole situation with my children. They were really quick with it and got it all sorted straight away. They are so helpful, and there’s always someone there to speak to or ask advice. I have had so much support, which I appreciate so much. I think what you’re doing is fantastic. I am overwhelmed with Puddleducks raising lots of money for St Barnabas and I will be there to wave and cheer you all on.”
Here’s a little insight into last year’s challenge, and I hope lots of people join us in taking part in Rudy’s Run to raise money for such an amazing charity.
Last year we were open throughout the pandemic and went above and beyond to offer our parents the flexibility and care that they all required. We found that Christmas was going to be a challenge and felt the children in our setting still needed a magical experience.
With Sam being diagnosed with terminal cancer, we wanted to do a little something to show her that we were here for her and would support her along the way. At the time, St Barnabas had already been amazing to the family, so we decided we would take on St Barnabas Rudy’s Run.
So, in December 2020 we set about organising a memberable experience. Rudy Reindeer came for a social distanced visit to Puddleducks, which the children loved, before we set upon our challenge. For two weeks we did various runs, walks, dances and prancing, but most importantly we had fun.
We also ran various competitions like colouring, word searches and quizzes. Every child had the opportunity to make reindeer food, reindeer biscuits and reindeer treats. St Barnabas provided each duckling with a red nose and antlers, whilst my husband made Rudy run medals for all of the children.
The challenges were then set, and everyone was so excited about the adventure ahead of us. Every under 5-year-old did a mile, with some doing even longer. The older ducklings even ran 5km after school!
Over the two weeks we would set off in the mornings to our local park to follow a course. We had lots of cheers and donations along the way, which really made the children beam with delight. Alongside this we had set up a JustGiving page where we managed to raise £2,095. This absolutely blew us all away! The children loved checking the growing amount every morning and reading the lovely messages of support that we received.
We had a Christmas dinner with crackers and all the trimmings, and a visit from Santa. We also played party games and sang Christmas songs. Every duckling thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and talked about Rudy’s Run for ages.
To finish I would like to share a statement from Sam’s amazing daughter Jess:
“Earlier on this year, heaven gained a beautiful angel – my mum and Oscars grandma – Samantha Gibbins. Throughout her fight, she was surrounded by the most amazing people who supported and fought with her. Puddleducks accepted Oscar as one of their little ducklings, as they did previously with Mum’s youngest daughter, Abi. Puddleducks have shown such compassion and support, by raising money and completing charity events for St Barnabas. Rudy’s Run was the first event last Christmas, which was a sponsored run with all the children. The money raised was overwhelming and made my mum extremely proud. It helped her to remain positive and strong throughout her cancer journey. As a family we are eternally proud and grateful of the work Puddleducks have done and continue to do.”
“St Barnabas Hospice is like the hug you need after receiving your prognosis.”
Michelle Edwards is just 43 and was diagnosed with terminal metastatic breast cancer in her spine during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Incredibly, it was her beloved dog, Bobby Peanut, who sniffed the cancer out and prompted her to see a doctor.
Michelle said, “Bobby Peanut is my absolute world. He gives me cuddles, his licks away my tears and he actually found the initial cancer in my breast. Although the cancer is terminal, I am so grateful for his intuition which led to me receiving a diagnosis and finding the angels at St Barnabas Hospice.
“The moment the doctor said that I only had one to five years left to live was completely head spinning. My mind went blank and the whole world stopped for a millisecond. Then everything seemed to speed up again, but I was still miles behind. I still don’t think I have fully come to terms with it all.
“I was referred to the Hospice by one of the nurses at hospital and initially had mobility support from their occupational therapists, which was a huge help. Since then, I have been supported by the Welfare team with accessing benefits, as well as receiving counselling, relaxation sessions and tai chi from the Wellbeing and Community Services teams. You don’t think you need counselling, but I found that I was able to say things to my counsellor that I could never say to my parents. Even just talking to the nurses brightens up bad days and makes me feel stronger.
“What meant the most to me was that the nurses kept coming out to see me even though we were in the middle of the pandemic. That physical presence has been priceless. They have shown me that a terminal diagnosis doesn’t mean your life needs to end there and then. I am actually hoping to zip wire over the coal mines in Wales next year to raise money for the Hospice!
“When I saw that the charity partner for the Lincoln Imp Trail was St Barnabas Hospice, I was over the moon! I have even bought a miniature imp which I plan to paint in a dragon design. The full-size statues are incredible, and I particularly love the RAF imp in his blue uniform. All the artists are so talented, and I can’t wait to see the statues in real life.
“I’ve got my scooter all charged up and my friend is visiting from London in a couple of weeks. It will be great to show her the sights of Lincoln as well as all the imps. You don’t realise how important fundraising is to charities like St Barnabas until you’re in a position like mine. Accessing their services really does mean everything.
“The people at St Barnabas are not just there for when you die, they also help you to make the most of your life right up until that moment. They are there for the difficult days and for the better days. The Hospice is like the hug you need after receiving your prognosis. I am not alone and nor is my family.
“Without people raising money for the Hospice through things like the Imp Trail, people like me just wouldn’t have access to such incredible support and care. If I can give back half of what St Barnabas has done for me then I’ll always do what I can.”
“Mum made me promise that I would go ahead with this run in August, but I so wish she was here to see me do it.”
On Thursday 19th August, Chris Bertins will begin his 830-mile run from Land’s End to John O’Groats, aiming to complete the challenge in just twelve days. He is doing this to raise money for St Barnabas Hospice, Umbrellas, Epilepsy Action and the RAF Regiment Heritage Centre in memory of his mum, Kim.
Chris, the owner of Rudies Roots Nurseries (garden centre) in Nettleham, has always been a keen athlete and chooses long distance running challenges to inspire others to push their boundaries and not settle for what they are used to. He said, “Exercising gives me a release from day-to-day pressures, and this is the first time I am using it as a way to fundraise for St Barnabas.
“My mum recently spent time in the St Barnabas Hospice Inpatient Unit in Lincoln after being diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. It was a huge shock to the family and we only had three months to prepare.
“The care we received from the Hospice was amazing, even with coronavirus restrictions in place. We were able to visit her and spend valuable time together before she passed. The time we got with her will never be forgotten, and for that we are grateful.
“Mum was incredible; she was hard working and loved by everyone who knew her. She worked at our garden centre with the family and I felt so lucky to be able to work alongside her each day. She was my dad’s best friend and soul mate and we all miss her so much.
“It’s horrible going to work every day and she’s not there. Her boots are still at her desk and we used to make the hanging baskets together every year. I’ve worked long hours – partly so I don’t think, and partly because I want to do her proud and keep our reputation going. I’d give anything to have her back.
“Mum made me promise that I would go ahead with this run in August, but I so wish she was here to see me do it.”
So far, Chris has raised more than £1,000 to split between the four charities but is aiming to reach £10,000 by the end of his challenge. Visit www.challengechris.com to support him by donating.
Grantham charity festival returns to raise money in memory of beloved wife and mother
On Saturday 7th August, Knipfest returns once again to raise money for charities including St Barnabas Hospice, in memory of Julie Copley. The popular music festival will be held at Woodnook, home of the Kesteven Rugby Football Club.
In 2005, Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer and began chemotherapy and radiotherapy. During her time with cancer, she, along with husband John, organised two small festivals to raise money for breast cancer. They also took part in golf days, sponsored walks and other events, raising more than £50,000. 
In 2009, Julie’s cancer returned to her liver and bones and was sadly diagnosed as terminal. Again, she went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but unfortunately died on 13th February 2010, age just 41.
Julie’s husband, John Copley said, “Before Julie died, I asked my good friend Phil Noon if we could set up a festival to raise money for St Barnabas Hospice and Cancer Research. He agreed straight away and together with John Watchorn and David Pendford, we organised the first Knipfest.
“Since then, the event has grown year on year and now attracts a crowd of around 1,500 people. With the wonderful help from Kesteven Rugby Football Club, we normally raise around £20,000 to split between the charities.
“The care Julie received from St Barnabas Hospice was wonderful. She had home visits every single day for around six months, and without their help things would have been very difficult for her and for the family.
“She was an amazing, wonderful, beautiful woman who is sadly missed by myself, our three children and everyone who knew her. We do this festival in her memory and will continue to do so for as long as possible.
“I will forever be in debt to St Barnabas Hospice for the care they gave Julie, and this is just my way of thanking them for caring for her and the thousands of others who need their support.”
Over the years, Knipfest has raised an incredible £43,000 for St Barnabas Hospice.
Tickets are still available to purchase for this year’s Knipfest, starting at 3pm on Saturday 7th August at Kesteven Rugby Football Club, Grantham. They are priced at just £20.87 and can be purchased from www.knipfest.com.
