Category: Hospice News

We are delighted to announce that St Barnabas Hospice has been chosen as the charity partner of the Lincoln Imp Trail.

Following the success of the Barons and Knights, Lincoln Big have decided the next trail will include one of Lincoln’s most treasured symbols and mascots – the Imp.

Widely associated with Lincoln Cathedral, the Lincoln Imp has been adopted by Lincoln City Football Club and many other Lincolnshire businesses and organisations as their own. We will be working closely with Lincoln Big to make the Summer 2020 trail around Lincoln the best yet. The plans have already begun with businesses bidding to sponsor an Imp and artists are enthusiastically designing artwork to cover each one.

“This is a great opportunity for St Barnabas, not only to raise vital funds to secure more care for patients and families but we hope more people will know how and where to access our free care. St Barnabas is a local charity and we hope people who are based in Lincolnshire or plan to visit will get involved, donate and enjoy spotting the Imps.”

At Christmas time each year, St Barnabas Hospice encourages people to dedicate a light in memory of a loved one, which will go on one of their Trees of Life across Lincolnshire. This year, Hospice volunteer and supporter, Margaret Norton, is inviting members of the public to join her in remembering a loved one and sharing their Christmas memories.

Margaret has volunteered in the St Barnabas Hospice Inpatient Unit in Lincoln for 25 years, and her husband, John, sadly died in the Hospice three years ago – just a year before their 60^th wedding anniversary. Margaret said:

“John had been ill for some time with bowel cancer, which then spread to his spine. He was in so much pain and I was struggling to lift him, so it was such a relief when he went into the Hospice. I have volunteered in the Inpatient Unit for 25 years, so I knew he would be in good hands. At first it was strange to be on the other side of the cups of tea, but it really was the nearest thing to being at home. I felt so cared for and John’s pain was finally under control.

“John was at the Hospice when the Torchlight Procession took place that year. I remember going outside as hundreds of families came past with torches lit for loved ones. Nurses and patients came outside, and the doors were left open so that other patients on the ward, like my John, could still hear the pipe band.

“I have always known about Light up a Life and the Torchlight Procession, but after losing John they took on a whole new meaning for me. I now donate to shine a light in John’s memory at Christmas – the time of the year when family means the most to me. I also like to attend the Light up a Life church celebration in Lincoln with my family. We take so much comfort from attending the celebration and having our light, and it gives us the time and space to think about our special memories with John.”

Members of the public can join Margaret this year in remembering special Christmas memories of loved ones. St Barnabas Hospice is once again placing Trees of Life at various locations across Lincolnshire. They are encouraging members of the public to dedicate a light on one of those trees, where the memory of their loved one(s) will shine brightly.

Once you have dedicated your light, the Hospice will send out a personalised card and Light up a Life decoration for your Christmas tree at home.

Margaret said:

“My special Christmas memory of John is the makeshift Christmas trees that he would always bring in from the garden. He would cut the top off our Leylandii tree, wedge it in a bucket with bricks, and tie bits together with string!”

To join Margaret and dedicate a light in memory of a loved one this Christmas, visit stbarnabashospice.co.uk/Light-up-a-life.

Lincoln’s homeless are to receive one-to-one bereavement support following a successful bid for funding by St Barnabas Hospice Trust.

The Lincolnshire hospice group partnered with YMCA Lincolnshire to bid for a Masonic Charitable Foundation and Hospice UK grant of £19,240 for the city’s first initiative for homeless people who have lost loved ones.  Its aim is to provide one-to-one specialist counselling to work with them through the difficulties, challenges and emotions that can accompany bereavement.

Although there are no exact figures of how many of Lincoln’s homeless are struggling with bereavement, there is research that shows it is a problem on a national scale and there is strong circumstantial evidence that indicates it is prevalent in Lincoln. YMCA and Lincoln Baptist Church independently contacted St Barnabas Hospice to discuss the problem, which lead to the hospice putting together a bid to the Masonic Charitable Foundation for funding.

Freemason Dave Wheeler, Lincolnshire’s Provincial Grand Master of the county’s 3,500 Freemasons, said:

“People can find themselves living on the street for a variety of reasons. Life is already tough enough for the homeless, and the last thing they need is the extra burden of being alone whilst having to cope with the grief of bereavement. The Masonic Foundation’s donation means that counsellors with the right kind of skills can be available to support them at such times, and I find it reassuring that we have made this wonderful initiative possible.”

The sessions are held at the YMCA accommodation on St Rumbold Street and at Nomad emergency homeless accommodation on Monk’s Road. Caroline Killeavy, CEO of YMCA Lincolnshire, added:

“I am delighted that we can work in partnership with St Barnabas on this project. People become homeless for many reasons but one we repeatedly see is bereavement and loss. This Autumn, we will also be opening the doors of our new Nomad Centre on St Rumbolds St, the only specialist facility of its kind in Lincolnshire. We are working with a range of partners who will come together to support the wide range of needs of the homeless in this project; the bereavement sessions provided by St Barnabas will continue in this new 24 hour facility ”

Pete Crosby, Lincoln Baptist Church community coordinator, said:

“Bereavement among the homeless community is a reoccurring issue. In my opinion, without specialist bereavement support these people and people like them, will not overcome their grief and be able to get on with their lives.”

“Homeless people in Lincoln are being offered support with bereavement issues thanks to a ground-breaking service made possible by a donation of almost £20,000 from the county’s Freemasons.”

YMCA Project counsellor St Barnabas bereavement counsellor Cat Rodda, who is leading the year-long project which launched in May, has already seen positive changes in those taking part.

“These sessions provide a confidential and accessible space for homeless people, who traditionally haven’t felt able to access the hospice’s bereavement support. We are already seeing individuals start to work through and better cope with their grief and taking steps to move forward with their lives.”

In addition to the counselling, the project aims to provide bereavement training for staff at partner organisations and for homeless peer mentors in order to widen the impact of the project.

St Barnabas Hospice, Dementia UK and Lincolnshire County Council join together to provide Lincolnshire with six trained health practitioners, called Admiral Nurses.

Admiral Nurses are all qualified nurses with a professional specialism in dementia. Admiral Nurses work together with families to provide the one – to one support, expert guidance and practical solutions they need to live more positively with dementia each and every day.

Their clinical knowledge and skills help prevent crisis and build carers resilience which in turn supports families to maintain quality of life and a sense of control. They also work alongside other professionals in the dementia care pathway, sharing best practice.

Sarah Bedward, Admiral Nurse at St Barnabas Hospice says;

“The most important part of an Admiral Nurse’s job is to work with the families and the person living with dementia. If we do a good job we prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital, improve people’s quality of life, help people live at home for much longer and also enhance their wellbeing

Research shows that for people living with dementia, their wellbeing and general health is affected is their carer is experiencing a lot of stress. For that reason, I’m really looking forward to working with families, helping to build positive relationships and focussing on reducing carer’s stress.”

The pilot service is supported by two leading charity organisations St Barnabas Hospice and Dementia UK and financially sustained by Lincolnshire County Council for 12 months.

Michelle Webb, Director of Patient Care at St Barnabas Hospice says;

“I am delighted to welcome the new Admiral Nurses to the Hospice. We have enjoyed working alongside Lincolnshire County Council and Dementia UK over the past year to create this two year pilot and it is a pleasure to see the team in post and the strategy being realised.

I see this as such an important development for dementia care services in Lincolnshire and I look forward to seeing it make a positive impact for our patients and their families.”

Mandy Crabtree, Admiral Nurse at St Barnabas Hospice says;

“Admiral Nursing is a service that is desperately needed in Lincolnshire. Having worked as a district nurse, I used to visit many patients and find that often either they were living with dementia or their relative was. It has such a huge impact on their whole life and their family’s lives.”

Get ready for some muddy fun and over 60 obstacles as St Barnabas Hospice prepares to host Lincolnshire’s first Mighty Mudder event later this year.

The Hospice has introduced the 5k obstacle course to help raise vital funds to support end-of-life care locally. The event will take place at Ancaster Leisure, Wood Lodge from 10am on Sunday, September 22, 2019.

Participants will be able to run through fields of mud, crawl through tunnels, swing through trees, slide down 50ft drops, wade through muddy water and battle their way up hills.

They will be set off in waves of 100, which they can pre-select online when signing up. There is plenty to do for friends and family members including places around the course to stand and watch.

Events Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice Melissa Gaffney said: “I started working for the Hospice earlier this year and I’m so excited to be launching this brand new event already. In my spare time, I often take part in mass participation sporting events, so it’s great that I can bring this passion to our event.

“Since joining St Barnabas, I’ve met so many amazing people who come together at these events to raise money in memory of loved ones, reach personal goals or to have fun. Mighty Mudder is the perfect event for those wanting a challenge that’s a little different, whether you want to raise sponsorship money or not.”

Ticket information

St Barnabas will offer two different types of ticket. Participants wanting to raise money for the Hospice will be able to pay a lower registration fee of £25 providing the pledge a minimum sponsorship of £50.

Alternatively they can pay a £55 registration fee if they decide not to raise sponsorship money. These are early bird prices and will be available for a limited time until Sunday, July 28.

Children aged 14-17 can take part for a flat rate of £10 with one adult per two children when signing up.