Category: Fundraising
#GoYellow for our 38th birthday!
On Thursday 11th June, St Barnabas Hospice will celebrate its 38th birthday in style by encouraging the people of Lincolnshire to ‘Go Yellow’.
Now that summer has arrived, birthday plans for St Barnabas Hospice are in full flow. The Hospice will celebrate its 38th birthday on Thursday 11th June and is asking supporters to get involved in true ‘yellowbelly’ style. 
St Barnabas has made a list of yellow activities for all ages to get involved in. These include dressing up, baking, making a window display or taking part in a yellow-themed Wine and Wisdom Quiz with Lincs FM presenter and Hospice supporter, John Marshall. The quiz will take place on Facebook LIVE on Friday 12th June.
On the evening of 11th June, Lincolnshire landmarks, businesses and organisations will be lighting their buildings yellow in support of the hospice movement and to help bring a little sunshine into these uncertain times. Businesses getting involved include Doddington Hall and Lincoln Castle. The Hospice is asking more businesses to join in too. Email caroline.swindin@stbarnabashospice.co.uk if you have lights that you are able to turn yellow.
Lincoln Cathedral will also host a blessing to honour Saint Barnabas, the Hospice’s namesake, and all the staff, patients and families who have received care from the Hospice.
John Marshall, Lincs FM Presenter and St Barnabas supporter said, “Having experienced for myself the wonderful work the Hospice does in supporting patients and their families, I’m keen to support them in any way I can. I’m really excited to be part of Go Yellow and who doesn’t love a good quiz?”
Caroline Swindin, Fundraising Development Manager at St Barnabas Hospice added, “We are so grateful to everyone who has already decided to get involved with our Go Yellow campaign. It will be wonderful to see Lincolnshire being turned yellow as the colour is so symbolic both for hospice care and for Lincolnshire residents.
“We want to see people of all ages getting involved, so please share your pictures and videos with us on social media and use #GoYellow.
“A personal favourite idea of mine is a yellow Treasure Hunt. Take your children out around your city, town or village and set them on a trail to list as many yellow items or items beginning with the letter ‘y’ as they can find!”
St Barnabas has shared some fantastic resources on their website including a Barnabas Bear colouring sheet, make your own sunglasses, a cardboard collection box template and Go Yellow rosette.
If you want to get involved, the Hospice is asking you to text SUNSHINE to 70660 which will donate £5.
Visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/goyellow to view the resources and list of yellow ideas. Email questions to fundraising@stbarnabashospice.co.uk.
Free online and telephone Will service launched to support those in lockdown
St Barnabas Hospice is running its Make a Will Month scheme virtually this May, helping supporters to make plans for the future whilst isolating.
The award-winning St Barnabas ‘Make a Will Month’ scheme has returned once again for 2020, after the Hospice and partner solicitors cleverly adapted the service to make it virtual. This service enables St Barnabas supporters to make a basic Will completely free of charge.
Joining St Barnabas with this scheme are local solicitors from Dale & Co., Roythornes and Sills & Betteridge. These three companies will be helping supporters to make their Will via telephone appointments and providing answers to any questions they might have.
For online Wills, the Hospice has teamed up with bereavement support specialists Guardian Angel to give supporters the chance to make their Will online in around 15-30 minutes.
Jenny Peake, Supporter Engagement Manager at St Barnabas Hospice, said: “Since we re-launched our Make a Will Month scheme in 2018, it has supported so many people to start planning for the future. Although we are in the middle of a pandemic, we recognise that it is now more important than ever for our supporters to sort out their life admin and make sure things are in place for their family, friends and even beloved pets.
“Normally we would offer face-to-face appointments with local solicitor firms, but this just isn’t possible because of lockdown. We would like to thank our three solicitor partners for adapting to help us keep the scheme running.
“I am also really excited that the Hospice will be providing FREE online Wills for the first time in history. This opens up the service to those who struggle to attend appointments during working hours, and particularly our incredible key workers with varying shift patterns.”
When the Make a Will Month scheme re-launched in 2018 with new branding, it saw a fantastic 300% increase in people signing up to make their Will and leave a gift to the Hospice. The success led to it winning Digital Campaign of the Year at the 2019 Lincolnshire Technology and Innovation Awards.
Patients at the Hospice who are living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, and their families and carers, are reliant on supporters leaving a gift to St Barnabas in their Will. This gift will help them access free, compassionate end-of-life care when they need it most, both now and for patients in the future.
A gift of just 1% of your estate could go on to give precious, pain-free time with family to a local patient at the end of their life. It is an easy way to support the St Barnabas of the future without it costing anything to yourself whilst you are alive.
To take use the St Barnabas FREE Wills service this month, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/legacy where you can sign up and make your appointment. By signing up, you will also receive a helpful guide from the Hospice about the new process.
Tour de Queens – in memory of Carolyn Laskey
Story told by Lauren Wood, Lincoln
“Many people have probably met my mum, often without even knowing it. She was probably that woman that wouldn’t shut up in the queue at Starbucks, or she might have started chatting to you at the bus stop and didn’t stop until you got off the bus half an hour later. My mum, Carolyn, could fill any room with her voice and she certainly had a lot to say. She always busy doing something, whether that be out for afternoon tea, people watching or spending a Saturday night at the Jail House Rock Bar in Lincoln! Tina Turner – Proud Mary was her song of choice. She always had to visit every new restaurant or cafe before anyone else, just so she could let us know her thoughts first. 
Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago. This didn’t change her at all, she still wanted to get out and see people. She went through eight rounds of chemotherapy, a mastectomy and two weeks of radiotherapy. Cancer treatment has some funny after affects and she struggled with tinnitus which led her to leave her job at TK Maxx due to anxiety. We all agreed, whatever was right for her was right for us too. She went into remission for five years and I treasured the time I had with her. We spent weekends together having afternoon tea, drinks in local pubs or walking the dog. We were best mates.
March 2019 came, and Mum had some issues with dizziness and using her right arm. She knew something wasn’t right and saw the doctor who prescribed some tablets, but it was still a problem. I suggested seeing the optician as her glasses might be causing the problem. They scanned her eye, found there was something pushing against it and referred us immediately to hospital. After an MRI scan, we found out that Mum had a brain tumour on her motor neuron strip. This is why she was losing the use of her right hand.
In April, Mum went to Queens Med and had the tumour removed successfully with follow-up radiotherapy. She had spent five years growing her hair back after chemotherapy and was then told she would lose it again due because the radiotherapy was on her head. My amazing family and friends raised money for Mum to get a real hair wig for my wedding in the August and she was overwhelmed with the support. 
All through this, Mum remained her positive, super chatty self and still got out and about on the bus because the brain surgery meant she couldn’t drive for a year. We planned my wedding and got my dress together and it was all going great! My wedding came around at the end of August, but Mum wasn’t herself and had been off food for a few days. She powered through like the amazing, strong woman she is. I look back at my wedding day and know she was doing all she could to be there! She was full of pride. We had a post-wedding holiday to the Lakes, and when we got back Mum was excited to see us but was feeling really poorly. Dad wanted to take her to the doctors, but she was very stubborn and refused to go. The pains got worse and Dad ended up calling an ambulance.
A week later and our lives were dramatically changed for the worst. Mum was admitted to hospital for three weeks and there was a lot of confusion as to what was wrong with her. She started fall in and out of consciousness and could hear us but couldn’t really talk. We were told mum had cancer which had spread to her liver. She had weeks, possibly days to live. I’m still not sure if mum ever knew this.
From this point St Barnabas stepped in.
They assessed mum for referral to the Hospice and said they could get her in before the weekend if we wanted. They invited us to go and have a look around and we just knew it was the right place. It was quiet, private, and lots of friendly nurses were on hand. Mum was moved there that night and I travelled in the ambulance with her.
The Hospice was amazing. As soon as we arrived we spoke to a doctor who was honest with us, but also offered care and support. The nurses made Mum more comfortable straight away. They washed her and put her own clothes on. The biggest thing I remember is the mouth cleaning kits. These cost the Hospice £30 a piece, but I am so grateful that people’s donations have enabled them to exist for patients as Mum hadn’t been drinking and her mouth looked sore and uncomfortable. This kit must have made her feel so much better. When we came back in she looked much more peaceful and pain-free. The doctors were able to manage Mum’s pain and listened to us when we told them we thought she was struggling. The nurses set up camp beds in her room for us and we could come and go as we pleased. There were endless cups of tea and coffee, and food if we needed it. They also offered us rooms and showers which are there especially for visitors.
Sunday 6th October, a day I will never forget. Mum was 53-years-old and had put up a good fight for three days in the Hospice. My dad, brother and I had stayed in the room with her the night before and the nurses said we all looked so peaceful and Mum didn’t stir. It was when they had to move her and change her that Mum couldn’t cope so well, but we were all there by her side. This was all made possible by the amazing care that St Barnabas offered in Mum’s last days. They supported us with a hug or a kind word. The nurses would come and talk to Mum as they said she could still hear us. We would tell them funny stories, and what she was like.
On Saturday 25th April 2020, I, along with seven of my closest friends, had organised a sponsored bike ride from Lincoln to Skegness in Mum’s memory. We called it Tour de Queens as my mum was a queen in all our eyes. Sadly, we had to postpone this challenge due to the coronavirus pandemic. We knew how difficult it was going to be for St Barnabas to fundraise with all their events being cancelled, so we decided to do something a bit different and help them out in their time of need, just like they helped us in ours.
We jumped on the idea of the 2.6 Challenge and between us, did the following over the course of the weekend:
- I cycled 26.2 miles with my husband and then ran 2.6 miles with my dog.
- Holly and her eight-year-old son, Luke, cycled 26.2 miles.
- Sophie managed to cycle 27.2 miles as she got lost!
- Katie ran 2.6 miles.
- Stacey also ran for donations.
- Kourtney, Bean, Ryan and Stef all cycled 26.2km.
The weekend was then rounded off by a Sunday Zoom quiz, with the dressing up theme of ‘queens’! With a £5 entry fee from each person, we managed to hit our fundraising target before the proper bike ride had even started. 
We won’t be stopping there though. Once social distancing measures have been lifted, we still plan to undergo our bike ride from Lincoln to Skegness. Skegness was Mum’s favourite place and she will be with me the whole way there. Skegness is also significant to our family because Mum paid for a family weekend away there, which I thought was for my birthday. It turns out that she had planned it with my partner, Blake, so he could propose to me! The ride will take us on a 40-mile route through the Lincolnshire Wolds and we are now aiming to raise even more money for such an incredible charity.
If anyone can sponsor us, we would be truly grateful. Just visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tourdequeens”
Be #ThereInSpirit for fabulous Virtual Gin and Jammies fundraiser
In a bid to recoup lost funds through cancelled events, St Barnabas Hospice has adapted their winter Gin and Jammies campaign to launch Virtual Gin and Jammies.
St Barnabas Hospice is one local charity which has been forced to adapt and innovate in order to continue raising funds for vital end-of-life care during the coronavirus pandemic. Today they have re-launched their Gin and Jammies campaign, turning it virtual for supporters who are stuck in isolation. 
The original Gin and Jammies campaign was all about hosting the ultimate girls’ night in, playing games, wearing pyjamas and drinking gin to raise money for hospice care. Virtual Gin and Jammies means supporters can do exactly the same whilst remaining in the safety of their own houses. All they need is the ability to video call from their phone, tablet or computer.
Caroline Swindin, Fundraising Development Manager at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“We are all missing friends and family so much during this period of isolation, so we know our supporters will be feeling the same. This was when we realised that Virtual Gin and Jammies would be exactly what many people need right now to cheer them up and give them an exciting new way to raise funds for the Hospice.
“Video calls are happening up and down the country, so we thought we would turn the new norm into a fantastic fundraising event. I would also like to remind everyone to drink responsibly at all times.”
Supporters can register their Virtual Gin and Jammies party at www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/ginandjammies. There is the option to make a £10 donation for a fundraising pack, which includes ideas for virtual games, a pre-made Scavenger Hunt, a bespoke Spotify playlist and cocktail recipe ideas. All those who pay to download the pack will also be entered into a prize draw to win a bottle of limited-edition gin which St Barnabas Hospice has made in collaboration with Pin Gin.
Est. 1982 Bramble has been distilled to raise money for St Barnabas and features hints of blackberry and cherry. All profits from sales of the gin will go to the Hospice and it is available for delivery from www.bottomleydistillers.co.uk/product-page/est-1982-bramble-gin. Supporters are encouraged to place their orders, so the gin arrives in time for their virtual parties. 
Join St Barnabas for this new wave of fundraising and help support them through the most difficult time in the charity’s history. Visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/ginandjammies
Lady signs-up to cycle 500km in a month during lockdown to raise money in memory of her dad
Lisa Ashton has chosen to do a 500km road cycling challenge on her mountain bike, throughout May to raise money for St Barnabas Hospice in memory of her dad, Brian Waterall. Brian was age 66 when he was diagnosed with kidney cancer and he sadly died in May 2016, just six months later.
Lisa and her sister have previously fundraised for charities by taking part in the Colour Dash and cycling events in London, Cambodia and Vietnam. To date, they have raised an incredible £6,000 for various charities to support other patients like Brian at the end of their life. Jenny, Brian’s widow, supports St Barnabas by donating many items to their charity shops, including many items she has knitted herself. 
Lisa said, “Dad was such a lovely and cheeky man. He served in the RAF for 38 years and always loved to be on the go. Even after retirement, he took up golf and became a member of the Grantham Bowls Club.
“Dad was admitted to hospital in 2015 with abdominal pain, which we thought was gallstones. An MRI and CT scan uncovered an advanced kidney tumour and the kidney could not be removed. It was at this point that we were put in contact with St Barnabas Hospice to care for Dad and the whole family until the end. St Barnabas cared for dad at home for a few weeks, then an attempt was made to plug the blood supply to the kidney, but this resulted in a severe infection and he ended up in intensive care. I remember feeling devastated, my dad was always the strong active one, to see him fighting this awful condition was heart breaking.
“Thankfully this wasn’t his time and he was able to recover from the infection. St Barnabas then cared for dad in the Hospice in Grantham for the three weeks leading up to his death. Every staff member and volunteer we met were just excellent, caring and compassionate. They supported us all and made Dad as comfortable as possible. Dad loved the outdoors, so the nurses often pushed his bed out onto the patio so that he could still enjoy this in his last few weeks. They even helped him have a sip of his favourite beer – Guinness – which put a smile on all our faces! 
“My most precious memory is the last day that dad was able to communicate with us. We all enjoyed an ice cream together in the sunny Hospice gardens and it just felt so normal and peaceful.
“My son and niece came to the Hospice to see their grandad aged 12 and 10. Often clinical environments can be quite daunting, but the Grantham staff provide such a relaxing atmosphere and they coped well with seeing him. The whole feel of the place is just very relaxed and homely.
“After Dad died, Mum had constant support from the Hospice, including check-ins, group counselling and their old friendship group. She was able to get support both from the Hospice staff and from other people who had gone through similar experiences to her. She still meets up with members of the friendship group four years later.
“It upset me to hear of the huge financial losses which St Barnabas are facing due to the impact of the coronavirus and I am determined to do my bit for them and for Dad. My 500km bike ride will be completed by doing around 10 miles per day throughout May. It will be the furthest I have ridden in a month, but I am more than up for the challenge for such a worthy cause.
“Dad will be up there watching me and spurring me on. I know this is what he would have wanted.”
Lisa’s cycling challenge begins on Friday 1st May and she is trying to raise a minimum of £310 for St Barnabas Hospice. To donate to her cause, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lisa-ashton12
Local business raises £35,000 for St Barnabas Hospice in just two years and wins award
HomeLet has raised an incredible £35,000 for St Barnabas Hospice and won an award during their two-year charity partnership.
After two years of working in partnership with St Barnabas Hospice, HomeLet has raised £35,000 for the end-of-life care charity. This incredible amount of money could fund a day of hospice care across Lincolnshire, 256 nurse visits to patients at home or 2,047 bereavement support sessions for individuals.
It costs £11.9 million each year for St Barnabas Hospice to continue providing care and support to people living with a life-limiting or terminal illness and their families and carers.
It was recently announced at the National Association of Hospice Fundraisers conference that HomeLet and St Barnabas Hospice collectively won the Corporate Partnership award, beating other hospices from around the country.
Helen Lloyd, Engagement and Communications Manager at HomeLet, said:
“We love supporting the Hospice. They’re so easy to work with and we know many people who have benefitted from their care, including many colleagues.
“This will be our third year of supporting St Barnabas Hospice. Our employees love the Challenge events that the Hospice organises and it’s great because HomeLet have agreed to pay all entry fees so that all the staff member has to do is raise the money. There are people who did challenges last year for the Hospice who are queuing up to do more (as soon as we are able) this year!
“We’ve done so many different things to raise the money for St Barnabas and have the support of our wonderful charity committee. We’ve had a giant Monopoly game, Jaffa Cake Friday, monthly bingo, cake baking competitions. Someone raffled off a McDonalds breakfast and we’re planning to do a ‘dress as what you wanted to be as a kid’ day, complete with school dinners and biscuits and milk for break time. There is nothing we won’t try.”
“We offer an employee Wellbeing Day each year, which means they get a free day to do whatever they think will best improve their wellbeing. I think some of our colleagues will use this to volunteer for the Hospice, whether that’s in their sorting warehouse, gardens or at an event.”
Caroline Swindin, Fundraising Development Manager at St Barnabas Hospice, added:
“All the employees at HomeLet are an absolute pleasure to work with and we’re delighted that they will once again be supporting St Barnabas Hospice this year. HomeLet has announced that they will be 100% match funding again this year, meaning they will match the amount their staff fundraises to double the final total. I really look forward to working with them during 2020.”
Partnering with a charity is a great way to motivate staff, like HomeLet has done. It improves your corporate social responsibility and recognises that your company is taking steps to improve the world around them. To discuss a charity partnership with St Barnabas Hospice, email caroline.swindin@stbarnabashospice.co.uk or call 07435 970 309.
1990’s GMTV star, Mr Motivator, has partnered with St Barnabas to get people moving during isolation
St Barnabas Hospice has joined forces with fitness star, Mr Motivator to bring #IsolationMotivation to the UK.
Working in partnership with Mr Motivator, first made famous in the 1990’s on GMTV, St Barnabas Hospice has announced a new initiative, allowing people to exercise, and fundraise if they wish, whilst staying at home in isolation. 
The coronavirus has brought many challenges for charities – how will they continue to raise money for their vital services? How can they engage supporters and help them with their wellbeing and health during these unprecedented times? How can they help to contribute to the national coronavirus effort?
St Barnabas has answered all these questions with the fantastic, at-home #IsolationMotivation. They are helping members of the public exercise whilst social distancing, keeping their supporters engaged with a fun alternative to mass participation events, and if they can, either donate or raise some much-needed money for end-of-life care in Lincolnshire.
The Hospice is asking for people to visit their Facebook page daily at 10am, where they will find Mr Motivator’s ten-minute work-out. There will be a work-out each day for two weeks to help with people’s wellbeing and mental health during this crisis. Whilst this is a fun and inclusive activity, people are being encouraged to set up a Facebook fundraiser to raise £28 for St Barnabas if they can. This £28 is just £2 per work-out, which is the cost of a cup of tea or coffee that people often buy on their way into work.
Mr Motivator, 1990’s GMTV star, said:
“Join St Barnabas and me, Mr Motivator. We want you to get involved, get off your sofa and stay fit. If you could donate to St Barnabas that would be great too!
“Do the Mr Motivator work-out once a day for two weeks and raise £28 for the Hospice. That’s £2 a work-out and you’re halfway to a healthy habit.
“Stay inspired and motivated every day. Stay healthy at home with Mr Motivator and Isolation Motivation!”
Mike Pastor, Challenge Events Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice, added:
“£28 would help our nurses to care for a patient in their own home for an hour-and-a-half. Even during this period of isolation, our nurses will be travelling to visit some of the most vulnerable in Lincolnshire, helping those at the end of their life to die with dignity and compassion.
“It is tough being told you have to stay indoors as much as possible, so we are trying to bring some light-hearted fun to living rooms across the country. We want to get people up on their feet, get people motivated and raise a smile during this dark time.”
Those wanting to get involved with #IsolationMotivation are encouraged to share photos and videos of themselves taking part with the Hospice and Mr Motivator. Use the hashtag and get friends and family involved too.
The daily work-outs will begin on Friday 27th March at 10am and last for two-weeks. They can be accessed at www.facebook.com/stbarnabaslinc and supporters are encouraged to set up a Facebook fundraiser alongside taking part, which can be done at www.facebook.com/fundraisers
Colour Dash Cancellation – FAQs
Why has the Colour Dash Fest been cancelled?
Following government advice regarding social distancing and the coronavirus, we have sadly made the decision that this year’s Colour Dash Fest will be cancelled until further notice. We appreciate that many of our supporters have already purchased tickets to this event and that this will come as a disappointment to those who were planning to attend. It is not a decision we have taken lightly and the safety of our supporters, volunteers, staff and patients is absolutely paramount.
Will you be running the event at a later date and can I transfer my entry?
We are looking at alternative dates and working with a number of our suppliers. We will advise in due course so please ensure you follow our social media pages to keep updated. Those who have registered for Colour Dash Fest will be emailed using the email address collected at the point of registration.
I have set up a JustGiving page and would like to refund my supporters, how do I do this?
If you have set up your own individual JustGiving page, we recommend that you contact JustGiving to issue your supporters a refund.
If you have created a fundraising page through the ‘Team’ option, this is slightly more complicated and we are reviewing the options with JustGiving to see what we can do.
We fully support you if you need to contact JustGiving to refund a donation given to your fundraising page.
I would like to financially support the Hospice during this time, what can I do?
Your donations and support mean a tremendous amount to us during this time and we would be grateful if you would like to donate your Colour Dash Fest entry fee to the Hospice. Please let our Supporter Care team know if this is something you would like to do by emailing supporter.care@stbarnabashospice.co.uk.
I have paid my entry fee and would like a refund, who do I contact?
If you would like a refund, please contact our Supporter Care team on supporter.care@stbarnabashospice.co.uk and the team would be happy to assist you with this request.
Will St Barnabas be in touch again?
We hope to get back in touch with you in two to three weeks time with a further update.
Hospice modernises ‘Adventure’ brand to embrace new fundraising trends
With the changing fundraising landscape, charities are seeing a rise in supporters stepping out of their comfort zone to take on challenge events.
St Barnabas Hospice, a Lincolnshire-based charity, embraced this growing method of fundraising by appointing a Challenge Fundraiser, Mike Pastor, in 2017. Since then, Mike has grown this area and has helped an additional £330,500 be generated from hospice supporters in the past two years.
In the 2019 CAF UK Giving report, the number of people saying they have given to charity has dropped from 61% to 57% over the past three years. This is why charities such as St Barnabas Hospice are looking at different ways to engage supporters and raise money. Championed by Mike Pastor and Amelia Chambers (Marketing & Communications Manager), the Hospice has unveiled their new ‘Adventure’ brand, putting them at the forefront of challenge fundraising. 
Amelia said:
“We have worked with Root Studio in Lincolnshire to totally transform the face of our challenge events. The re-brand began by changing the name to ‘Adventure with St Barnabas’ and from there our designer, Tom, was able to create seven illustrated characters to represent the seven key areas of challenge fundraising.
“Our hope is that these striking new images will encourage a new generation of supporters who want to take part in challenge fundraising for the Hospice. We’re really excited to see some of the areas grow with the rollout of this new brand.”
Root Studio has previously worked with other notable businesses in the UK, including Chester Zoo, Mission Burrito, New Theatre Royal and the Lincolnshire Showground.
Mike added:
“JustGiving has recently announced that cycling events have the second highest fundraising page value, so this is an area we will be particularly looking to grow. We have already come on board with the GIANT Lincoln Cycle Sportive and will be offering this as a cycling option for those supporters who want to fundraise on a bike!
“The people who fundraise for us are so inspirational and their courage and kindness is second-to-none. Our new ‘Adventure’ brand is a reflection of these incredible people and we hope it shows that you don’t have to be at the peak of physical fitness to go on an Adventure with St Barnabas.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Root Studio. The combination of their creativity and their understanding of the Hospice has resulted in something which we are very proud of.”
The Hospice would like to introduce you to:
Bushcraft Björn, Trekking Trevor, Swimming Marge, Running Roger, Skydiving Stella, Wingwalking Winnie, and last but not least, Cycling Cedric!
To view the full list of ways you can Adventure with St Barnabas, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events. If you would like to get in touch with Mike to learn more about the successful re-brand of St Barnabas challenge events, email mike.pastor@stbarnabashospice.co.uk or call 01522 540 300.
Hospice launches dragonfly appeal to fund new child bereavement service in Lincolnshire
St Barnabas Hospice is selling ironwork dragonflies in memory of loved ones this Spring.
Following the hugely successful Forget Me Not campaign last year which raised in excess of £100,000 for the Hospice, St Barnabas has now launched the Dragonfly Appeal which will follow the same format this Spring. 
The story of the dragonfly helps children to understand the death of a loved one. Later this year, the Hospice will be launching a free children’s bereavement service, so children and young people can talk about their grief in one-to-one or group settings, with trained counsellors. Money raised from the Dragonfly Appeal will help to fund this new venture.
The dragonfly story fits perfectly with this campaign, as it is a story which the St Barnabas nurses give to grieving parents and children to help them through a difficult time. Read the dragonfly story here: www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/the-dragonfly-story
Tracy Tuffs, Counselling Service Team Lead at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“Having a child bereavement service at St Barnabas is something that has been in the pipeline for a while. We currently support adults across Lincolnshire with their grief, whether their loved one died in our Hospice or not. Our plans are to launch the children’s service to only those with a direct connection to our Hospice initially and then evaluate from there.
“It has been lovely for the St Barnabas Wellbeing team to work so closely with the Fundraising and Marketing teams to bring this project to life and we’re excited to see how successful it is.”
St Barnabas has partnered with The Old Smithy Forge once again to create handmade, ironwork dragonflies for their supporters to purchase in memory of a loved one. For a donation, supporters can have their very own dragonfly to sit in their garden, home or special place of remembrance. 
The first 1,000 dragonflies purchased will go on display at Doddington Hall from Saturday 4th to Sunday 19th April, so by purchasing early, your keepsake dragonfly will be part of the display in a serene area of the gardens.
Jenny Peake, Supporter Engagement Manager at St Barnabas Hospice, said:
“We’re delighted to be working with Doddington Hall and Wrendale Designs on this fantastic project. Doddington Hall is a beautiful venue and Hannah Dale from Wrendale Designs has managed to capture our little dragonfly in watercolour to support the campaign.
“I would like to say a special thank you to Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln for sponsoring the appeal. We work very closely with Dean and the team and it is fantastic that they have chosen to come on board this Spring.”
Dean Cross, Centre Manager at Waterside Shopping Centre, added:
“St Barnabas does fantastic work for people at the most challenging time of their life. I know many of the people who work for our retailers and who shop with us have accessed support from St Barnabas. It’s important for us to give something back to the local community, that’s why we decided to work with the Hospice, and why we agreed to sponsor the Dragonfly Appeal.”
“The Waterside was one of the main sponsors of St Barnabas’ previous campaign, the Forget Me Nots Appeal, and we hope that this fundraising effort is just as successful.”
St Barnabas Hospice is asking for a suggested donation of £34.19 in return for a dragonfly. To put this into perspective:
- £34.19 would fund two bereavement support sessions to help a person through their grief.
- £83.22 would pay for a nurse for a day to hold the hand of a patient and their family, manage their pain and allow them to enjoy precious moments together.
- £115.67 would pay for four hours of care at our specialist Inpatient Unit. It is here that pets can visit their owners for the last time and children can create memory boxes with a parent who doesn’t have long to live.
To donate for your dragonfly and help fund a new children’s bereavement service in Lincolnshire, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/dragonfly