Category: Fundraising
World famous Morriston Orpheus Choir returns to Lincoln Cathedral
Following three previous sold-out performances in support of St Barnabas Hospice, the world-famous Morriston Orpheus Choir is making its return to Lincoln Cathedral on 4th March 2023 from 7:30pm.
As part of St Barnabas Hospice’s 40th anniversary celebrations, the Choir will be performing a series of traditional and original songs.
The Welsh Male Voice Choir started in 1935 and have grown to be in high demand, performing over 25 engagements in the United Kingdom annually, as well as regularly embarking on overseas concert tours. In addition, the Choir undertakes performances on television, at national and promotional events. Several of the choir’s albums have won prestigious awards, including the Music Retailers’ Award for Best Choral Record of the Year three times.
Over the years, the Choir has performed for members of the Royal Family, as well as the Pope, and many other high-profile music lovers.
Veronica McBain, Head of Fundraising and Lottery at St Barnabas Hospice, says: “It is a joy to welcome back the Morriston Orpheus Choir as part of our Ruby anniversary.
“We expect the performance will sell out quickly, just like previous performances by the Choir, so make sure to reserve your seat. Tickets also make an ideal Christmas gift for music lovers!”
Chairman Kevin Williamson, comments: “Lincoln Cathedral is such a wonderful setting for a concert and Morriston Orpheus Choir is thrilled to return and to fill this space with music.
“One of the charitable objectives of the choir is to assist other charities, so we are honoured to be part of the fundraising efforts of St Barnabas Hospice, who support people to face a stage of life that many of us would rather not think too much about. The good people of this charity, including an army of volunteers, work tirelessly to help those at the end of their lives and, crucially, to support the nearest and dearest of those patients. It is difficult to imagine a more worthy cause. It is a cause that this choir can relate to.
“Thank you, St Barnabas, for inviting us to Lincoln. And thank you, our audience, for being here and supporting the charity.”
This world-class concert in the beautiful setting of the historic Lincoln Cathedral is not to be missed and makes a wonderful Christmas gift for music aficionados.
Tickets are available in tiered pricing between £22 – £50. Ruby tickets, of which a very limited amount are available, give the ticket holder access to the exclusive pre-event soiree with an opportunity to meet some members of the Choir.
Printed programmes are available to pre-purchase for just £5, and refreshments will be available at the venue.
Purchase your tickets via the website: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events/morriston-choir/
St Barnabas teams up with The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company
Recently, St Barnabas Hospice launched their Care for a Cuppa campaign, inviting supporters to put the kettle on and raise vital funds for the charity.
The Hospice is excited to announce that they have now partnered with The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company, and with their help are able to further support those participating in this feel-good fundraiser.
Together, they have developed a special Ruby coffee blend, which supporters will be able to purchase from The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company website now by clicking here.
The tea and coffee experts have won multiple awards for their fine leaf tea and roasted coffee and have a loyal customer base. On top of this, they also provide businesses of all sizes across the region with machines and barista training – the latter challenge was taken on by St Barnabas Hospice Fundraising Officer Ellie Carter who visited the premises for a crash course on making the perfect cup of coffee. Director John Carlisle taught her the tricks of the trade, with a delicious cuppa to enjoy afterwards.
People who sign up to host a ‘Care for a Cuppa’ event will receive a fundraising pack which includes a collection box, bunting, cake flags, recipes from Lincolnshire celebrity chef Rachel Green, and thanks to the new partnership there will also be a sample of The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company’s house blend coffee bags included.
Founder Susie Carlisle feels passionate about supporting St Barnabas Hospice, having been involved in previous campaigns such as the dragonfly and heart appeals, and is excited to be part of Care for a Cuppa.
Susie says: “In our business, it is something we already do – we often sit down with a cup and have a chat. We know the power of a cup of tea or coffee and how much talking to a friend or relative can mean. It’s something we really want to share, and this campaign was perfect for us.
“The profits of the special St Barnabas coffee blend will go straight to the organisation, helping palliative and end-of-life patients and their family. All the care the Hospice offers is self-funded and we are very proud that we can help them in this way.”
Caroline Swindin, Fundraising Development Manager at St Barnabas Hospice, comments: “We are delighted to have The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company on board as partners in this campaign. Having the support of local businesses really helps us with adding that extra touch to our events and fundraising campaigns, and we are very grateful to Susie and her whole team for getting involved.
“We can’t wait for people to try their delicious blend!”
Click here to find out more about Care for a Cuppa or to sign up to host your own.
Take a look at the video below to find out more about the partnership between St Barnabas Hospice and The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company.
St Barnabas – Introducing our partnership with The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company from St Barnabas Hospice on Vimeo.
St Barnabas teams up with Lincoln City FC and eBay
A shirt signed by all current Lincoln City FC players is up for grabs – enter our raffle.
St Barnabas Hospice has been chosen by eBay to receive free advertising at Lincoln City FC’s EFL home games to help the charity spread the word about its eBay store. Imp supporters may have already spotted St Barnabas advertising around the pitch and in the match programmes.
Some exciting off-pitch activities are happening too, with a shirt signed by all current Lincoln City FC players to be auctioned via our eBay page, which you can find here!
St Barnabas has also received 10 tickets and 4 VIP Hospitality tickets to give away, which will be donated as prizes at raffles and fundraising events, as well as gifted to selected Imp-supporting patients to spread football cheer.
This partnership between eBay’s Small Business United and the English Football League (EFL) supports 72 organisations across the country to gain more exposure and help grow their business further.
The partnership was officially launched at the eBay Roadshow in Reading this summer, where St Barnabas was presented the signed shirt by famous ex-footballer Adebayo Akinfenwa (aka The Beast), and Sky Sports presenter Michelle Owen.
Andrew Whitham, Director of Commercial Affairs at Lincoln City FC comments: “It’s great to see St Barnabas benefiting from a national campaign in partnership with the EFL. They’re a fantastic charity who play a key role in our local community.
“Imps fans will be able to see the St Barnabas logo in our match day programmes and on our LED perimeter boards at the LNER Stadium which is great for brand awareness.”
Caroline Peach, St Barnabas Hospice’s Head of Retail, says: “This is such an exciting opportunity for us to gain further support for our charity. eBay is a brilliant platform that helps us extend our reach to national and even international audiences, as we have recently sold a very rare collectible to someone in the USA!”
“We sell a huge variety of items, including collectibles, antique coins, musical instruments, and we recently sold a Star Wars LEGO set and a first pressing of a Led Zeppelin vinyl. There are always a lot of items that would make perfect gifts too, including Harry Potter, DC, Marvel, and gaming merchandise.
“Much like our physical charity shops, you never know what you’ll find on our eBay store so make sure to have a look!”
To visit St Barnabas Hospice’s eBay shop, click here.
The charity has 25 shops around Lincolnshire which are always looking for donations, especially for items that fall under entertainment such as technology, musical instruments, fandom merchandise and video games.
Are you attending a Lincoln City FC match soon? Then why not pop into the nearest St Barnabas Hospice shop on the High Street and see what bargains you can get.
If you make a purchase either in-store or via eBay, help St Barnabas spread the word by posting a picture of your item with the hashtag #ImpsLoveStBarnabas on social media.
Boston Tesco raises £1,480 to support children with grief
Recently, St Barnabas Hospice received £1,480 from Boston Tesco to put towards Pip’s Kits, which can help young children understand death and cope with grief.
St Barnabas applied for a Tesco Community Grant in the Boston store, and the charity was placed among three local good causes for the blue token customer vote. For the past three months, customers have been able to choose from these three, with St Barnabas winning first prize.
The Hospice supports families across Lincolnshire from the moment of a diagnosis, helping them throughout the process with not just care, but also mental wellbeing. This includes services such as counselling, pre-bereavement support and when the time comes, bereavement support. This mental wellbeing support is available to people of all ages, including children.
Pip’s Kit is a package for 5 – 10-year-olds that includes age-appropriate materials about hospices, death, grief, and coping. It includes soft cuddly toys, books, and activities to help the child explore their feelings and understand what is happening. Pip’s Kit was created by Fruit Fly Collective, a not-for-profit organisation that includes teams of scientists, clinicians, and artists.
Mandy Irons, Head of Wellbeing Services at St Barnabas Hospice, says: “Sadly, we are seeing a rise in our referrals for younger families coming into our service, who have children in the 5 – 10 age range. Explaining that Mum or Dad is dying is the most traumatic event possible for a child and we want to make this journey as supported as possible for the family.
“Fruit Fly Collective work with children and families affected by palliative illness to help them understand and create their own ways of coping.
“Thanks to this amazing donation from Boston Tesco we can now purchase 37 kits to help even more families who are struggling to cope.”
If you or your organisation can support St Barnabas Hospice with child bereavement support through funding or by providing further materials, please contact Mandy Irons on mandy.irons@stbarnabashospice.co.uk or 07483 105 240.
Upcoming HeART Trail supports heart patients like Lisa
Lisa Hartley from Spalding has heart failure and has been receiving support from St Barnabas Hospice since 2020.
After a longstanding spinal injury, Lisa suffered from a heart attack, meningitis, a brain swell, and she contracted sepsis twice over the course of two years. All these issues combined gave her chronic heart failure, leaving her bedridden.
Whilst in the hospital, Lisa received the devastating news that she only had 48 hours left to live. Against all odds, her condition improved enough for her to be out of immediate danger, but her doctors told her that there was nothing more they could do for her.
However, her heart nurse suggested Lisa get in touch with St Barnabas for support in early 2020. The decision to accept this suggestion has changed her life drastically.
Lisa says: “I was given 48 hours to live but instead, I walked out of the hospital two weeks later to a home that I didn’t think I would see again.
“St Barnabas gives me medical care, as well as counselling on a weekly basis, and help with my mobility. Over the years, they have provided me with a powered wheelchair, a ramp for the house and other specialist furniture to improve my day-to-day. I was even given advice on improving my family’s financial situation, which had been worrying me further.”
A true animal-lover, Lisa owns three horses including 26-year-old Monty, a stallion with the calm and sweet temperament of a dog, as well as a terminal heart condition like his owner. During her long battle with her condition, Lisa’s wish was to ride Monty again, after not being able to get in the saddle for over 18 months.
Lisa says: “It was through Zoe’s physio that I was able to get back to riding after being poorly for so long. She knew that my aim was to get back on Monty, and that’s what happened. It’s people like that, they don’t realise that the job they do gives so much back to others.
“Monty needs me to keep going, and I want to keep going. I’m not ready to give in yet!”
The upcoming HeART Trail, a heart-shaped sculpture art trail set to launch in summer 2023, raises awareness for St Barnabas Hospice and the care it provides to patients with heart conditions, like Lisa.
These beautiful “HeARTworks” can be enjoyed by the whole community, and the aim is to have 40 sculptures up and down the county – from the vibrant city of Lincoln across the rolling Wolds to the East Coast, and as far as our beautiful town of Stamford.
For St Barnabas to launch the Trail, £300,000 must be raised through sponsorship.
Lisa says: “There are so many local businesses that could possibly help this amazing charity that has been going for 40 years. I know money is tight for everybody but please give to a charity that gives so much to so many others.
“It would be fantastic to see a HeART appear in the Spalding area where I live, so I’d love for Spalding businesses and organisations to get involved.”
To find out more about the HeART Trail and become a sponsor, visit: www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/hearttrail
Lisa says: “It’s now over two and a half years since I first got support from St Barnabas. It has not been an easy journey; I currently take 76 pills a day and my health and overall wellbeing change daily.
“But thanks to St Barnabas, I can visit Monty and my other horses regularly, look after them at the stables and ride when I feel well enough. It is through this care, that I can keep on being me.”
Pick up great bargains at the Kilo Sale on Saturday 24th September
St Barnabas Hospice will be holding its very first Pop Up Kilo Sale event on Saturday 24th September at the Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln.
Attendees can ditch fast fashion by discovering fantastic pre-loved vintage, retro, and unique clothing and accessories, as well as support a great local charity at the same time.
Access to the event is free, with donations to St Barnabas gratefully accepted. There are no tickets to buy, just come along on the day between 10am and 3pm.
There will be rails upon rails of high-quality bargains for shoppers to choose from, simply load up a bag, bring it to the till and pay. The cost per kilo is just £10, less than many other Kilo Sale events that are held in Lincoln. Payments can be made via cash or card and there is no minimum spend.
Caroline Peach, Head of Retail at St Barnabas Hospice says: “We can’t wait to welcome all you savvy shoppers to buy sustainable slow fashion that is not just good for the planet, but for your wallet too!
“Everyone is feeling the squeeze of the cost of living crisis, and shopping at our charity shops or attending events like this helps you save money and update your wardrobe – as well as feeling good about supporting a local cause.
“We have organised this Kilo Sale to take place during the Sustainable Fashion Week, so many people are looking to make better choices and go for slow fashion and keeping clothes out of landfill.”
If you would like to donate items to be sold at the Kilo Sale, please bring your items to the Forum shop in North Hykeham, open from Monday to Sunday.
The Sustainable Fashion Week (SFW) takes place from 16th to 25th September 2022 and is the first fashion week of its kind, with four themes: Rewear, Repurpose, Regenerate and Reconnect. Its focus is not on next season’s trends but instead on up-skilling, inspiring and empowering the community.
St Barnabas Hospice has 25 shops across Lincolnshire, as well as an online shop, an eBay page and Depop account. Find your local St Barnabas shop here: www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/shop
Care for a Cuppa in memory of Jenny Kenton
Aimee Furneaux and her family in Branston hosted a Care for a Cuppa fundraiser on Saturday 20th August, raising a whopping £1,230!
Aimee, her sister Faye, and their father Paul hosted the event for dozens of family members and friends, who enjoyed delicious cakes over tea, coffee and soft drinks, and helped raise vital funds for their local Hospice.
The event was in memory of Aimee and Faye’s mother Jenny Kenton, who was a patient at St Barnabas Hospice before her death in March 2022.
Aimee says: “The dignity, respect, love and care they showed mum during her final few days will never be forgotten. The amazing service they provide to the people of Lincolnshire must never be taken for granted and should be supported and protected at all costs.”
Care for a Cuppa is a new campaign by St Barnabas Hospice, which encourages supporters to put the kettle on and host their own coffee morning, to raise vital funds for the charity.
To find out more about Care for a Cuppa or to get started on hosting your own, click here.
For every pound raised for St Barnabas, 74p goes straight towards delivering, and improving the care and support the charity offers to over 12,000 people every year. The other 26p goes towards generating future income.
Secondary school teacher smashes fundraising goal for her children
On Friday 19th August, St Barnabas Hospice shared a story about patient Sam Pickersgill, a 47-year old mother of two with a progressive brain and leptomeningeal disease. Doctors sadly do not know how long she has left, but Sam knows what she wants to do with the time she has: Give her children great memories to treasure.
Sam started a GoFundMe, hoping to raise £1,000. On Thursday 25th August, that total stands over £4,700! A fantastic result thanks to the generosity of the community, and the number keeps going up.
On top of this, there have been offers from organisations and individuals to give Sam and her family a getaway holiday, as well as local equestrian centres offering Sam’s horse-obsessed daughter Hattie riding lessons. St Barnabas Hospice are also hoping to find an organisation who can help 10-year old Dominic with a football experience.
Sam is a much-loved secondary school teacher, who has inspired thousands of people in her community through her work. Many of the people who have donated on her GoFundMe or offered support via social media remember her fondly from their school days.
Former student Carly Young shares some memories of having Sam as a teacher: “In 2017 I moved schools to attend the Priory Witham Academy, where Sam was my Head of Year. I was previously told by every teacher that there was no chance of me getting anywhere. We bonded from the get-go and Sam made me believe in myself.
“I have so many great memories from school with Sam, my favourite has to be on sports day when I ran the 100m for my tutor group. Sam was at the finish line shouting my name and as I ran I just wanted to make her proud. For coming first place, Sam gave me a big hug and told me how proud she was of me.
“She even took time to write a reference for my university application, and bearing in mind it was the Christmas holidays she did it for me during her time off! I’m now going to be attending university studying mental health in September and that is all because of her showing me how to believe in myself.
“She wasn’t just my teacher, she saved my life and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. Sam, I’ll always look at the moon for you.”
Another former student, Kaisha, says: “We would always call Sam ‘Mrs P’. She taught me through my later stages of science in year 10 and 11 and became my form tutor in year 12. Mrs P was such an amazing teacher, and made sure you were seen and heard, making sure you were okay.
“It’s amazing to see so many fellow former students support Sam. I think it says a lot about the kind of person Sam is and how much she means to us, even though most of us have been out of school for 5+ years.”
Sarah Baker (née Waby) also has great memories of Sam, saying: “I was taught by her from 2008 to 2013 and she made science so fun!
“She always made time to explain things and would get us all up and interacting to help us to fully understand certain topics. She helped us all so much through our GCSE’s too, making revision cards and packs all off her own back.
“Sam was such an approachable teacher and always found a way to make you laugh. She was one of the best teachers at Witham!”
If you can support Sam and her family, please visit her GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/give-my-children-something-to-look-forward-to.
Additionally, if you would like to support us to find ways to treat Dominic with anything football or Real Madrid related, please get in touch with St Barnabas Hospice via 01522 540 300 or by emailing fundraising@stbarnabashospice.co.uk
Top image: Sam and her husband Ro on their wedding day
City of Lincoln 10k runner Fiona: “Raising over £4,700 for St Barnabas is a very proud moment!”
One of Lincolnshire’s most popular charity road run events is back on Sunday 30th October 2022: the City of Lincoln 10k.
One participant of last year’s 10k is Fiona Brown, who ran in memory of her friend and neighbour Karen Chambers, who died in July 2020. Fiona had hoped to participate in the event that year but the run was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, taking place on 31st October 2021 instead.
Fiona had already signed up for the 2020 Lincoln 10k but when she heard Karen’s terrible news, she decided to run in support of a charity of Karen’s choice. Karen and her husband Nick chose St Barnabas Hospice as they had been caring for Karen, and Fiona set up a JustGiving page with a target of £300.
In just three days Fiona managed to raise £1,000 and by the time she ran the 10k on rainy Sunday 31st October 2021, the total raised including GiftAid was a whopping £4702.18. Fiona ran the course with husband Chris and eldest son Declan, who she calls her ‘wingmen.’ 
Fiona says: “I can honestly say I loved every minute of it, despite the torrential rain! The bad weather did not put the crowds off from coming out to support us and for that I will always be grateful.
“It was an emotional day from start to finish and I think Karen would have been extremely proud of what we achieved. We have raised a massive amount of money in Karen’s memory for St Barnabas Hospice to help others, like they helped Karen and her family through such a difficult time.”
Fiona achieved a personal best, running the course in 1:17:20, after starting her training in June 2020. With the event now ten months in the past, she says she keeps up with her running but has not participated in any further charity races. However, Fiona says they if she does, she would support St Barnabas Hospice again.
After the race, Fiona said: “This journey has been a big part of my life for the last 16 months. We will all continue to keep Karen’s memory alive and remember her for the special, kind lady she was.
“Thank you everyone, from the bottom of my heart. To have raised over £4,700 for St Barnabas is a very proud moment for me!”
If you would like to sign up for this year’s City of Lincoln 10k, taking place on Sunday 30th October 2022, register here: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events/lincoln10k-22/
Top picture: Fiona finishing the 10k, and a portrait of Karen.
Register for the 25th Wine and Wisdom quiz
St Barnabas Hospice are delighted to announce the return of the popular Wine and Wisdom quiz at Waddington Village Hall on 15th October after a two-year absence. It’s the 25th time that this quiz is held and during St Barnabas Hospice’s 40 anniversary year, so it’s an extra special event!
Wine and Wisdom originally started in 1996 by widower John Davey in memory of his wife, Anne, who he was married to for 29 years. In 1992 Anne was admitted to our Inpatient Unit in Lincoln after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
John was so touched by the care Anne and his whole family received there, that he decided to put on a quiz to raise funds for St Barnabas.
John said, “The Hospice was a truly wonderful place and the people there were incredibly kind. They took such good care of Anne but they also looked after the whole family too.
“I will always remember the night I fell asleep holding Anne’s hand and I awoke to find that a blanket had been placed over me by one of the kind people there. It’s only a small thing but it is something I will never forget and it really meant a lot.
“Wine and Wisdom began as a wonderful way to remember my wife and for our family and friends to remember her too. It also gave us an opportunity to raise money to help other families who need the valuable support of the Hospice.”
This is St Barnabas Hospice’s longest-running event and has raised £34,460 over the years in support of end-of-life care in Lincolnshire. The quiz night has grown from a small event for family and friends, to a much-anticipated evening in the calendar of many in the community.
It is a chance to come together, have fun, show off your knowledge and of course raise vital funds for your local hospice.
Teams of 6-8 people can register for only £10 per head. Two bottles of wine, soft drinks and nibbles will be provided for each table but please feel free to bring your own drinks and food as there will be no bar available on the night.
If you are unable to put a team together, you can still register and we will create a team of individuals.
Make sure you register quickly, as places are limited! To register your place, visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events/wine-and-wisdom/
For more information please contact the Fundraising team on 01522 540 300 or fundraising@stbarnabashospice.co.uk