St Barnabas Hospice Colour Dash Returns for a Sixth and Final Time

St Barnabas Hospice’s popular Colour Dash event is returning for a sixth and final time to celebrate St Barnabas’s 40th anniversary and aims to raise crucial funds to support Hospice Care across Lincolnshire.

 Taking place on Saturday, 14 May, the Colour Dash has been one of the most popular fundraising events in the Hospice’s history, raising more than £745,000 to fund vital patient care across Lincolnshire with 15,644 people taking part.

The Colour Dash is a 5km untimed fun run around Lincolnshire Showground, with participants being covered in coloured, environmentally friendly paint powder at each kilometre. It is designed so supporters can have fun with their friends and family, with no pressure to run any or all of the route; you can run, walk, dance, or skip your way around the course.

On the day, Lincolnshire Showground will be a hive of activity, with food, drink and merchandise stalls, music and a fun warm-up from the stage, the opportunity to see yourself on the big screen and more!

This year’s Colour Dash wouldn’t be possible without the sponsorship and support of Western Power Distribution, Lincolnshire Showground, HSBC, Lincolnshire Coop, Claverings Removals, Clearance and Storage, and Peachy Events.

Stella Hayward, Corporate Communications Officer at Western Power, said: “Western Power Distribution (WPD) is delighted to be working in partnership with St Barnabas Hospice for a 10th year running and supporting this very popular, fun event that helps to raise vital funds for the hospice. As a major employer in the Midlands, Southwest England and South Wales, we believe we have a responsibility to play a full and active role in the communities we serve.

“Many of us know family members and friends who have been cared for at St Barnabas, and we wanted to show our continued support. We are excited to be on board for the 2022 Colour Dash and continue our support to St Barnabas during its very special 40th anniversary year.”

Lucy Compton, who is aiming to raise £1,000 for St Barnabas Hospice via her Just Giving page, said: “At the start of this year, my lovely, fit and healthy Dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung and lymph node cancer. As a family, this has really come as a huge shock, but St Barnabas has already reached out to us to offer support, and without this, my family and many others would suffer even more.

“We will also be doing this in memory of my Nanna Marjorie and one of my best friends, Lisa, who lost her battle with cancer only five years ago.

“St Barnabas Hospice has lost around £2 million since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Any money you can donate to support them would be greatly appreciated. You will be making a real difference to patients and families across Lincolnshire living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, ensuring St Barnabas can be there for them every day of the year.”

Join St Barnabas Hospice on Saturday 14th May 2022, from 9.30 am at the Lincolnshire Showground!

Fun runners can apply on the day or sign up now at https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/colourdash/

Celebrate 40 years of St Barnabas Hospice offering palliative care and support to the people of Lincolnshire

From very humble beginnings of three nurses, with a vision to improve end of life care in Lincolnshire in 1982 – to what has become one of the region’s biggest Charities supporting more than 10,500 people each year.

The team behind St Barnabas will make this year one to remember with a bursting list of events, appeals and activities to get involved in and celebrate the incredible achievements of the people who have made the last four decades happen. Alongside the return of the Colour Dash on 14th May, the launch of locally produced, commemorative Rum and Gin and the beginnings of the first charity led bespoke community Art installation across Lincolnshire – The Heart Trail, St Barnabas Hospice will mark its birthday day on 11th June, with a blessing at Lincoln Cathedral.

All 25 shops, including the brand new, flagship Warehouse in Lincoln will embrace the birthday too and collectively celebrate their own achievements of resilience, against the high street giants. From Lincoln to Boston, and into the Wolds, our shops are representative of our care – they are part of the community and spread far and wide across the county.

Whilst we celebrate the past 40 years, we want to share our aspirations with you too.

We will talk through our ambitions to grow the services in the community to fulfil our vision where ‘everyone is Lincolnshire deserves a good death’, we will do this through offering Hospice at Home to hundreds more people each month, collaborating with other healthcare providers and educating others in how to make care for those at the end of their lives as well as further developing our wellbeing therapy services making it more accessible for all who need it. We want to rejuvenate our work and care spaces to offer the best facilities for everyone. We want to support our staff to feel happy in their roles, offer them career progression and a great work-life balance.

Finally, we will aim to maintain our outstanding CQC rating and educate everyone on the importance and benefits of Hospice care.

If you would like to support St Barnabas visit www.StBarnabasHospice.co.uk for inspiration!

#HospiceCare #StBarnabas #StB40

Whenever we had a rough time St Barnabas supported us, not just Grandad. They never claimed to ‘understand’ either, just understood we felt how we did. Most of all, they continued to make him smile.

“Terrible Two and the parents” take on The Colour Dash as perfect family event in memory of Great Grandad, Richard. Parent’s Sophie and Luke are running the Colour Dash, with children Millie, age 6 and Olivia, age 5 leading the way!

Mum, Sophie explains “My family were supported by St Barnabas when my Grandad died, and its always stayed with me how well they cared for him in his last weeks” Sophie has such fond memories of her Grandad, Richard before he died.

“My Grandad was amazing, kind and caring. He loved a good joke, and watched Neighbours every afternoon without fail! He was proud of his garden and it was always full of flowers. He even used to let me peg flowers to his hair, as a crown! His smile would light up any room and his hugs were the best.

“My favourite and lasting memory of him is from the day before he died. His dying wish was to be at home in his final days, and St Barnabas supported us to make that happen. The nurses arrived and were with him, and I followed in a few moments later. He was laughing and looked at me, he was holding  the hand of the lady and said ‘here’s the apple of my eye’. That was the last time I saw him smile, and the day I said goodbye.

“Being so young, I don’t remember all the finer details, but there was always a warm reception of the nurses. Whenever we had a rough time they supported us, not just Grandad. They never claimed to ‘understand’ either, just understood we felt how we did. Most of all, they continued to make him smile.

“When Millie and Olivia wanted to do something for a good cause, I couldn’t think of a better event or charity to support.”

Join Millie and Olivia at the Colour Dash (Early Bird discount ending 8th April)

Take part in the Colour Dash in support of St Barnabas (stbarnabashospice.co.uk)

Support Millie and Olivia here

Terrible 2 and the Parents fundraising for St Barnabas Hospice Trust (Lincolnshire) on JustGiving

Initial HeART Trail Success Sees Thirteen Corporate Partners Offer Their Backing

St Barnabas Hospice is delighted to announce that the HeART Trail has brought a phenomenal number of presenting, education and transport partners on board in the first few months.

Because of the buzz surrounding the Trail, and more companies requesting to be part of Lincolnshire’s first countywide event of its kind, St Barnabas Hospice has taken the decision to extend the planning period and launch the live trail in summer 2023.

Veronica McBain, Head of Fundraising and Lottery explains, “Through the conversations we have had with our supporters, we know there is a huge appetite to be involved in the HeART Trail. However, feedback from schools, businesses and organisations is that they will commit, but need more time to recover from the impact of coronavirus before they are able to offer their full support to the Hospice and the Trail.

“The Trail is the biggest live event the Hospice has attempted to deliver, and we cannot do this without significant financial support from our corporate supporters. That said, we have made the decision to move the Trail to summer 2023.

“Although the public may be disappointed to have to wait another twelve months to see the Hearts on display, we promise with a little more time we will be able to deliver the biggest, most impressive Trail yet – and in turn fundraise significantly more funds for the Hospice. We anticipate the Trail to span the entire county, with interest from the Lincolnshire Coast, Wolds, South and Lincoln City Centre.”

Partners and sponsors already on board with this fantastic initiative are Lincolnshire Showground, Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, Waterside Shopping Centre, Daniel Charles Construction, Branston Ltd., Lincolnshire Freemasons, Chestnut Homes, Jacksons Workwear, Distract, S. Lyon & Son Haulage, Gelder Group, Hildreds Centre and Lincolnshire Coop.

Dan Ingall, Managing Director of Daniel Charles Construction said, “We are delighted to be Presenting Partner for the St Barnabas Heart Trail celebrating their 40th Anniversary. The support the Hospice provides to those in and around Lincolnshire is outstanding, so it’s our privilege to be part of this significant event.”

Dave Wheeler, Provincial Grand Master at Lincolnshire Freemasons added, “Our support for the hospice movement is, by extension, support for all those people in our communities whose lives are touched by its services, not only those suffering terminal illnesses, but also their families and friends. In this way, the money invested in being a Presenting Partner is an investment in making some of life’s most difficult times a little more tolerable.

“For that reason, the St Barnabas Hospice choice of the heart as the artwork to symbolise its ongoing commitment to dignity and compassion in end of life care is especially appropriate in the year of its 40th anniversary, and Lincolnshire’s 3,000 Freemasons are delighted to be associated with it.”

The St Barnabas Hospice HeART Trail promises to be one of the most talked about events of 2023. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, school, artist or volunteer for the Heart Trail, you now have more time to get involved. Please visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/hearttrail or contact hearttrail@stbarnabashospice.co.uk.

‘They Would Both Be Proud’ – Ebonie Runs St Barnabas Colour Dash In Memory of Nana

Ebonie Barker from Skegness, is taking part in the Colour Dash event, being held at the Lincolnshire Showground on Saturday 14th May to thank the Hospice for caring for her Nana in 2018.

Ebonie says: “Due to the incredible work they provide day in and day out for their patients, I wanted to run the Colour Dash this year for St Barnabas. The Hospice took such wonderful care of my lovely Nana, Grace Barker, and I always feel honoured to take part in these events to try and give something back.

“I am also taking part in the Colour Dash to also remember my beautiful Grandad, Brian Holdsworth. I know they would both be proud to see me taking part in such fantastic events to help raise money for people who need it the most.”

The Colour Dash event is back for a sixth year and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. This year, St Barnabas Hospice celebrates its 40th birthday. To honour the occasion, the Hospice has brought back the popular event with more paint powder than ever before and a goal of raising £150,000 for patient care.

Ebonie is hoping to raise more than £400 in total, with an initial target of £200 via her JustGiving page.

Ebonie added: “I always like taking part in fundraising, especially when it’s such a good cause. My family supports the Hospice all year round; we play the lottery and take part in the raffles too. We also attend the Torchlight Procession every year to remember our loved ones. When we stand outside the Hospice and the band plays ‘Amazing Grace’ it is so touching. ”

To find out more about the Colour Dash or to register to take part, visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/colourdash/

“The entire experience was one of peace. The beautiful environment created by the rooms overlooking the garden, the Cathedral chiming in the background and the warm summer sun were all blessings.”

Sheena Dayman took part in the St Barnabas Hospice Colour Dash to raise money for the Hospice who had cared for her beloved son, Simon.

In her own words, Sheena writes about her experience, her loss and how St Barnabas supported her through such difficult times.

Sheena said “Joy has always been part of my life, but in November 2016 when my son, Simon aged 34, was diagnosed with a terminal illness, it took on a whole new meaning. It was very sudden and a shock to discover that the original melanoma had spread extensively including to his brain. It could be weeks or months depending on treatment before he died.

“I decided I would choose joy, and Simon began his own campaign called ‘Choose Your Day’. He encouraged people every day, via Facebook, to consider what they had control over.

“I remember one day, whilst collecting his prescription for pain relieving injections, I walked around the Bailgate in Lincoln, asking in various shops for ‘joy,’ all the time fighting back my tears. In one amazing shop was a ‘joy’ sign with tasteful white light bulbs. This took pride of place in Simon’s home, and is now in Australia with his wife Katie and son Charlie.

“Simon’s treatment went well, and his original three months turned into almost eight months, giving us some time before Simon was admitted to St Barnabas.

“St Barnabas became our home for just over a week; nothing was a problem and I was able to move into the flat upstairs, with Katie sleeping in a bed next to Simon. I would come down early morning and Katie would go home to be in time for Charlie waking up, returning after the school run. My husband and other son joined us each day, ordering lunch on their way in. The food was amazingly served with such love and care.

“The care was exceptional in every way. The staff, realising that I was a woman of strong faith, weren’t too surprised when I said, “Do you know why I know Jesus is here? I can see his compassion in the gentle caring way you care for my son and us.”

“The day came when Charlie had to say goodbye, and St Barnabas managed this perfectly in so many ways, adjusting Simon’s drugs so he was awake enough, wheeling his bed out into the garden, enabling Charlie to play while seeing and talking to his dad.

“The entire experience for each family member, including Simon, was one of peace. The beautiful environment created by the rooms overlooking the garden, the Cathedral chiming in the background and the warm summer sun were all blessings. As Simon drifted away, the peace filled every inch of the place. We shall be eternally grateful to all that made it happen that way.

“When Katie advised me in May 2018 that she had signed up for the Colour Dash with Charlie, I joined without hesitation. It had been a sudden decision for all of us, but in a few weeks we raised around £700. We just wanted to give something back in appreciation.

“We embraced the fun side and, although it was very emotional, we made it round the 5k. The back of our t-shirts said, ‘Choose Your Day’, and, ‘Husband, Son and Dad’. Charlie’s little legs struggled early on, but the bouncy castles ahead were a great motivator. We were explaining to him what St Barnabas was all about and he said, “My daddy died in there.”  I can still remember the heartbreak that caused. However, after reminding Charlie of the great way his daddy was cared for, the joy returned.  I said, “Today we are helping to raise money to make sure that lots of other people are also well cared for.”

This year’s Colour Dash takes place on Saturday 14th May, with the Hospice asking supporters to take part and collectively raise £150,000 for local hospice care. The year is extra special, as St Barnabas is also celebrating their 40th anniversary of providing care to the people of Lincolnshire.

Sheena added, “This year is also very special for me because, as well as it being St Barnabas Hospice’s 40th birthday, it is also Simon’s 40th birthday.”

To take part in the Colour Dash, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/colourdash

UPS Foundation gifted the Hospice a fantastic $10,000 grant to support people across Lincolnshire living with life-limiting and terminal illnesses

At St Barnabas Hospice, it costs around £12 million each year to keep our services running, supporting people across Lincolnshire living with life-limiting and terminal illnesses. We are lucky that some wonderful trusts and funders have supported our work over the years with a variety of grants.

Recently, the UPS Foundation gifted the Hospice a fantastic $10,000 grant after being nominated by their Transport Planner, Tom Parker. Tom nominated the Hospice after we cared for his grandad in 2020/21.

“Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation leads UPS’s global citizenship efforts and philanthropy. We believe the best way to give back is to draw upon our collective strengths, linking philanthropic dollars with our logistics expertise, transportation assets, and the skills and passion of our people to create a shared value for our communities and people around the world.”

Tom said, “My Grandad Ken was a typical Yorkshire man; born and raised in Sheffield, opinionated, honest, likeable and respectable. He served as a police constable for 25 years, before retiring with an exemplary service award and moving to Skegness with his wife to enjoy the slower pace of life the seaside had to offer, and to be near to their daughter Debbie (my Mum) and the family.

“When Lyn, his wife of 55 years, was diagnosed with vascular dementia, Grandad looked after her at home for eight years before she moved into a care home. He had also struggled with COPD for a number of years before being diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2020.

“The world went into lockdown not long after that, so all his plans to enjoy the time he had left were put on hold. Throughout the year, he enjoyed the simpler things in life like walks along the seafront, feeding the ducks in the park and going out for lunch with family. When his local pub reopened, he was very grateful to meet up with friends for an hour each week.

“St Barnabas visited Ken throughout the year as his condition deteriorated. He became very unwell over Christmas 2020, but made sure that he soldiered on long enough to ensure that his close family could all say their goodbyes. He died peacefully at home in the arms of his daughter and granddaughter Lucy on 5th January 2021, age 76.

“The care St Barnabas provided was fantastic. They managed his symptoms with a syringe driver, offered psychological support to both my Grandad and the family and really helped him during a time when he was very scared of what the future had in store.

“I’m so glad that my nomination for St Barnabas to receive this money was accepted, as they have been affected financially by the pandemic and I want to help ensure that the vital work they do continues long into the future, for families in a similar situation”

If your company offer similar grants to charities, please speak to Julia Bowness by emailing here on julia.bowness@stbarnabashospice.co.uk or 07423122504, who will be happy to help your company support our fantastic charity.

 

The Witham Group celebrates their 100th year by fundraising for local charities, including £3,750 St Barnabas Hospice

The Witham Group is one of the UK’s leading independent manufacturers and suppliers of a whole range of commercial and industrial lubricants and paints. They chose St Barnabas Hospice as one of their charity partners for 2021, which was also the year that the group celebrated their 100-year anniversary.

During their 100th year, the Witham Group held a fundraising ball which saw items auctioned off and an incredible £15,000 raised for their charity partners, including St Barnabas who received £3,750.

Nigel Bottom, Managing Director of the Witham Group said, “This is an incredible amount to raise in such a milestone year for us. St Barnabas Hospice provides remarkable services that touch so many of our hearts and we were delighted to present them with a cheque for £3,750 in both their 40th year and our 100 years. We hope this will, in some small way, help with their essential fundraising requirements for 2022.”

£3,750 is a fantastic amount and could help our Hospice fund hour-long visits to 257 of our patients being cared for at home with a life-limiting or terminal illness.

Witham Group has a long tradition of giving back to charity and have got involved with a range of fundraising activities including lawnmower races, driving challenges, coffee mornings and balls. They also regularly sponsor projects and volunteer for good causes.

During the pandemic, they joined forces with Charles Anyan and the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society to drive a parade of vehicles past St Barnabas Hospice’s Inpatient Unit in Lincoln. This included a fantastic array of tractors, lorries and cars. The parade brought so much joy to patients, nurses, volunteers and local residents during what was a very difficult time.

“Sam would say “love you Mum, in my heart” to me hundreds of times a day before he died, and that’s why the Forever in our Hearts appeal really spoke to me.”

Christine Newby has dedicated an ironwork heart in memory of her treasured son, Sam, who had a wonderful and fun-filled life before he sadly died in December 2021 from pancreatic cancer. She has chosen to share his story in the hope that it will encourage others to remember loved ones in such a beautiful way.

Christine said, “Sam was born in Hong Kong in 1978 with Down’s Syndrome. After falling in love with him at the Home of Loving Faithfulness, my husband and I had the privilege of adopting him, moving back to the UK together four years later.

“When he was born, Sam had duodenal atresia which could have been fatal, but miraculously the doctors were able to keep him alive. The scar from his operation went from hip to hip and he would always refer to it as his tummy zip, pretending to undo it when he had eaten too much!

“My husband and I travelled a lot with work, so Sam had homes in Hong Kong, UK, Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia, He also visited his sister in Australia on many occasions and was a proud uncle and great uncle.

“Sam had an enormous sense of humour and just loved to make you laugh with and at him. He told many jokes, but usually the punch line came at the beginning! Once he learned to speak there was no stopping him; as soon as he opened his eyes in the morning, he also opened his mouth.

“Sam would say “love you Mum, in my heart” to me hundreds of times a day before he died, and that’s why the Forever in our Hearts appeal really spoke to me. We intend to place our heart beside his grave in the churchyard.

“We still like to talk in the way that Sam would, and he had his own way of speaking that others sometimes couldn’t understand. We still say ‘bish bosh’ for dishwasher, ‘blips’ for slippers and ‘nuff nish bop’ for enough, finish, stop when Dad would tickle him.

“HimToo was a very important part of our family – a stuffed rhinoceros which Sam had from his third birthday. He had many repairs over the years – new paws, new horns, new tail – but he was always there beside Sam whatever he was doing. He got his name because Sam would always say “me bwing him too?” when we went anywhere.

“Sam was diagnosed with terminal cancer on December 7th after spending just two days in hospital. The doctors had found secondaries in his liver, bile duct and lymph nodes, so he was in terrible pain. He went downhill so fast and was moved to St Barnabas Hospice in Lincoln just ten days later.

“He died in the early hours of 20th December, which rocked our whole family. We are still feeling the shock even now.

“HimToo went with Sam to the Hospice and stayed with him right to the end. It seemed only right that HimToo joined Sam on his last adventure in the coffin, watching over him in his place of rest.

“All of the staff at St Barnabas were simply wonderful, asking if we needed anything and keeping an eye on all of us, not just Sam. The care they showed him was outstanding, and even though he arrived there on strong pain relief, the nurses still managed to get to know him a little.

“He passed so suddenly that we weren’t able to get to the Hospice in time, but we felt so grateful to the nurses when we got there because they had got him looking so comfortable, cuddling his favourite toy, HimToo. They had placed little dinosaurs around his head too – all so very caring. The nurses held onto us and it felt like they were our family in Australia who we were so dearly missing.”

Christine’s story highlights just how important the Forever in our Hearts appeal is for helping families remember loved ones in such a beautiful way. By donating for an ironwork heart, you will be directly helping the Hospice to support more patients just like Sam. Visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/foreverhearts to order yours today.

St Barnabas Hospice supporter, Chris Owen, is taking on four challenges for the Hospice’s 40th birthday as a thank you to the charity who helped him meet his wife.

Chris, age 50 from Lincoln, first supported St Barnabas over eleven years ago when he took part in their Strictly Come Dancing competition to raise money. It was there where he met his wife, Joanne!

Chris said, “We were partnered together to learn the waltz and salsa over a ten-week period, and the rest is history. I have St Barnabas to thank for us meeting, which is why I have supported the charity and raised money ever since, and will continue to in the future.

“My wife has also worked as the Trust Board Secretary at St Barnabas Hospice for twelve years, so it is a cause very close to our hearts.

“This year, I will be taking on four challenges in honour of the Hospice’s 40th birthday. I will be self-funding all four events, meaning every single penny I raise in sponsorship money will go directly to St Barnabas.

“The four challenges I am taking on are: the Fire Walk, the Slovenia Triple, the Giant Sportive, and the Snowdon Sunrise Trek.

“As a Chartered Health and Safety Consultant, the Fire Walk is wildly opposite to what I advise my clients, and not something I thought I would ever do! But I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and this, along with the other challenges, will certainly do that.

“I have always been active, but I think it is more important than ever for me to exercise and keep fit. I have a five-year-old son, and being an older dad, I want to keep as fit as possible so I can keep up with him in the coming years.

“For anyone new to exercise who wants to take on a challenge for St Barnabas, I recommend starting slow and not pushing yourself too fast, too early. Stick to an exercise regime that is doable, so you keep focussed, and find an exercise that you enjoy doing. For me, I love mountain biking and road biking.

“It is important to get support with any challenge you decide to do, especially if you take on multiple challenges like I am doing this year. St Barnabas has always been very supportive with any fundraising challenge I have decided to do, and I know they will be there for me this time around too.

“I’ve set up a JustGiving page, and anyone who wants to support me can donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chris-owen30

St Barnabas Hospice is encouraging supporters to take on their own challenge to raise money for their 40th birthday. Visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/40for40 to view a list of suggested challenges and register free of charge.