“The St Barnabas nurses that visited my sister at home were a huge support to her and us. I look forward to seeing so many special people being remembered through the Feathers from Above appeal alongside her, this spring.”

“My name is Rebekah, and I would like to share with you some very special news about how St Barnabas is helping people like us remember loved ones this spring. When my sister Natalie died, my family and I wanted to find ways to support the Hospice. Now I can honour her memory with a personalised ironwork feather, and you can do the same for your loved ones.

“My sister, Natalie, was a funny, kind, and beautiful mother, sister, and auntie. She loved everybody she met and was so generous.

“In April 2021, at age just 33, she was diagnosed with one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Natalie appeared healthy and full of life, so it seemed impossible that anything could ever take her from us, from her children. In May 2022, I realised that we didn’t have much time left with her at all.

“The St Barnabas nurses that visited Natalie at home, were a huge support to her and us, as a family. They could not do enough for Natalie in the final weeks of her life, going above and beyond to make sure that she was comfortable.

“We have seen first-hand just what a difference St Barnabas makes to its patients and their families, which included the invaluable help and support members of our family received after Natalie’s death. This wouldn’t have been possible, were it not for kind-hearted people like yourself who have donated to the Hospice in memory of loved ones. St Barnabas Hospice supports and cares for over 12,000 people across Lincolnshire every year and with your support, I know they will be able to continue to do so for years to come.

“I am excited to share with you that when you purchase your ironwork feather, it will appear in a beautiful display, made possible thanks to Aubourn Hall Gardens and Grounds.

“The ironwork feathers are made at three different heights to create a moving display of art that will interact with the wind. At the end of the display, you will be invited to choose the feather that resonates with you the most and collect the personalised tag with your loved one’s name, to take home and display forever.

“To purchase your feather, you can visit the St Barnabas Hospice website or, you can fill out the enclosed form and post it back to us.

“The moving Feathers from Above display will be open to visit from Saturday 4th May to Friday 17th May and you can book to visit through the St Barnabas Hospice website. You will receive a unique code for one free entry with every feather purchased. For other visitors, the entry fee is £8 per person (50% of which will be retained by St Barnabas) and free for children under 16 years old.

“There is also an opportunity to view the display at night, with specially curated lighting, photos of the loved ones, music, and a welcome drink. The reflection evenings are taking place on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd May. Tickets are £10 per person, and you can book a time to visit through the St Barnabas website.

“Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and hear about how much St Barnabas means to our family and so many others. I look forward to seeing so many special people being remembered through the Feathers from Above appeal alongside my sister, this spring.”

Best wishes,
Rebekah Watson

“The only way to describe the nurses at St Barnabas Hospice are angels.”

Sophie Butcher from Lincoln, sadly lost her father Alan Thompson before getting married, who she describes as a proud Belfast man, positive in the face of adversity and unwaveringly devoted to fatherhood.

Alan was an avid Ulster rugby supporter who was passionate about the sport and enjoyed the friendly rivalry of the England Vs Ireland six nation matches. He was a true sportsman and loved to attend games in support of his team.

In February 2022, Alan was unfortunately diagnosed with primary stage 4 lung cancer.

Sophie says: “Dad was a devoted father to me. Despite being 29 years old when he passed, he was adamant that he wanted to protect his little girl and refused to admit the reality of how poorly he actually was.

“He was stubborn in the best way, would tell me to stop making such a fuss, that he would be out of the Hospice soon and would attend my wedding, even though I knew the reality we were facing.

As Alan’s only child, his diagnosis was devastating for Sophie and her now husband, Morgan. All whilst dealing with the difficult news alongside their family, Sophie was her dad’s main support, attending every medical appointment and helping him make plans for the future.

Unfortunately, Alan’s cancer eventually progressed to secondary brain cancer.

Sophie continues: “Dad’s diagnosis had a massive impact on me. My family members, friends, and husband Morgan, were all a great support which I am extremely lucky to have.”

Support and care for both Alan and Sophie was eventually extended by the services of St Barnabas Hospice. After some initial reservations about the nature of his condition and the care that he needed, Alan was provided with a space at the Inpatient Unit in Lincoln.

Sophie says: “Despite remaining stubborn and originally refusing hospice care, Dad absolutely loved the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit.

“Whilst no one wants their parent in a hospice, knowing he was genuinely happy there made the process so much easier for me.”

Alan was looked after by St Barnabas nurses at the Inpatient Unit, receiving vital medical care and pain relief. Alongside this, advice was provided to Sophie concerning any questions she had about her dad’s condition and what to expect next.

Sophie says: “Dad received the best care possible from all the staff at St Barnabas. The staff were respectful and accommodating of my unique family situation, and gave dad everything he asked for, including his favourite foods on demand.

“Due to dad having broken legs as a result of his cancer, he was on an inflatable mattress, and he was unable to walk. Whenever he wanted fresh air, the staff transferred him to another mattress and wheeled him outside. I often came to find him relaxing in his bed in the garden, with a newspaper in one hand and a drink in the other.

“The only way to describe the nurses at the Hospice are literal angels.”

For the final day of Alan’s remarkable life, he found peace at the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit in Lincoln, with Sophie and his family by his bedside.

Sophie continues: “When I arrived on the day that my dad passed, I noticed another bed had been made up ready for me, opposite Dad, should I need to rest myself.

“At lunch time, the kitchen staff came to me and said they were making me lunch. Despite saying I wasn’t hungry she said, ‘I’m not leaving until you give me a decision and try eat even a little bit of it’.

“After dad passed, the nurses on duty gave us time as a family around my dad. They came in and placed a candle next to him, dimmed all the lights and played relaxing music, as well as bringing a trolley of tea in silently.

“These respectful gestures really helped me feel at ease and peace. I asked them what I needed to do next, and they said to go home and relax, they will ring me in a few days, and they will talk me through everything. Again, another massive weight lifted.

“The whole process of losing my dad was heartbreaking, but the staff at St Barnabas made the worst time so much easier”.

In honour of her father Alan, Sophie and her husband Morgan have and continue to take part in many fundraising initiatives and events in support of St Barnabas Hospice. They donated money raised at Alan’s funeral, Morgan took part in a 15,000ft skydive, they are both planning to run the Lincoln 10K in April 2024 and continue to play the weekly lottery.

As Alan sadly died before Sophie and Morgan’s wedding in November 2023, they honoured the father of the bride by providing guests with St Barnabas scratch card wedding favours, and even donated the winnings back to the charity.

St Barnabas Hospice are a local, independent charity, providing free support to over 12,000 people like Alan and Sophie, each year, in Lincolnshire.

If you would like to make a donation, fundraise for the charity, or find out more about the services it provides, please visit www.StBarnabasHospice.co.uk

Hospice supporter Kate Francis takes on a 160 mile cycle challenge across Lincolnshire in celebration of the HeART Trail

On Monday 21st August 2023, fundraiser Kate Francis started her challenge of cycling 160 miles between the HeART Trail Sculpture across Lincolnshire, in support of St Barnabas.
Split across 6 days, Kate is hoping to cycle from Gainsborough to Louth, whilst stopping at each of the 30 HeARTs that together form the St Barnabas Hospice HeART Trail, to raise vital funds for local Hospice Care.

When asked why she was taking on this challenge, Kate said: “I first saw the ‘HeART of the Community’ HeART at Sutton on Sea while visiting my family. That night, I thought how amazing it would be to do a bike ride between all the HeARTs to raise funds and awareness for St Barnabas. So, I decided I was going to do it!

“Along with camping kit I already have, a friend has lent me a touring bike and some amazing campsites have given me free or reduced rate accommodation. I am super grateful to everyone that has helped me.

Kate’s decision to take on this challenge to support St Barnabas was influenced by a recent experience her family had with the Hospice.

“St Barnabas came into our family’s life at the beginning of this year, when a very close family member needed to receive care and support. The Hospice supported my family member with weekly visits from nurses and their Occupational Therapist, in addition to assisting with prescriptions, appointments and securing vital equipment.

The Hospice helped make all of us feel as supported as possible in such a horrible situation. The whole family and I will be forever grateful for their amazing work.

So far, with the help of friends and family, Kate has managed to raise an incredible £439, with the hopes to smash her target of £500! If you can support Kate, please sponsor her by going to her JustGiving Page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/kate-cycles-heart-trail

On behalf of everyone at St Barnabas Hospice, thank you, Kate, for your incredible inspirational fundraising challenge, that will make a real difference to hospice care across our County.

Dunston school raises £1,500 for St Barnabas with fun-day

St Peter’s C of E Primary School recently celebrated the life of their beloved Mrs Popple, who provided wraparound care at the school until her sudden death last year.

The celebrations took place on 20th July, one year since Sharon Popple’s sadly died. They aimed to raise £500 for St Barnabas Hospice, a charity that meant a lot to Sharon and the whole school.

Memorial of sunflowers tied to fence with a photo of Sharon Popple, a staff member at St Peter's Dunston Primary School who passed away.

All staff members, children and their parents turned out to take part in the fun-day which included a tombola, bouncy castle, water activities, a flyover from the Red Arrows, and the children competing in Sharon’s favourite activity of all: Dunston’s Got Talent.

At the end of this extraordinary day the school had  smashed their £500 target, raising over £1,500 for their favourite charity, St Barnabas Hospice.

Two women, on the left Abigail Burland in red with blonde hair, on the right Emma Toulson in floral dress with brown hair,Emma Toulson, Deputy at St Peter’s School, said: “Mrs Popple was the beating heart of our school.

“Her infectious personality and wicked sense of humour made everyone feel like they truly mattered and she kept us laughing every day. She was a ‘mother’ to all and gave the best hugs.

“She loved sunflowers, so our children have made a sunflower memorial which takes pride of place inside the school. We remember her warmth and caring nature, and we miss her every day.

“We have supported St Barnabas for years by taking part in their annual festive funrun Rudy’s Run and the children have created a heart sculpture for the Young at HeART Trail which is currently on display at the Waterside in Lincoln.

Two children sitting roasting marshmallows in a firepit

“St Barnabas is such an important charity for the community and many staff members from our school’s overarching Spire Federation have received care and support from them. This day of activities is a way of giving back while remembering our incredible Mrs Popple.”

St Barnabas in an independent, local charity that supports over 12,000 patients, their families, and carers each year. Annually they need to raise over £6.5 million to keep providing their compassionate, dignified care to people with a life-limiting or terminal illness.

This free care is provided in people’s own homes, as well as in two Hospice buildings and six Wellbeing Centres around the county.Children wearing light blue T-shorts on blue stage

Every pound raised truly matters to St Barnabas, who give their sincere thanks to all children, parents, teachers and staff members for their generous support. St Peter’s School’s incredible donation of £1,500 could pay for 79 hours care of patients in their own home, which costs the charity £18.84 per hour.

To find out more about St Barnabas and the care services it provides to the people of Lincolnshire every day, visit: www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk

 

Photo of two women: L-R Abigail Burland and Emma Toulson

MND support group host meets The Princess Royal

Nigel Brasier from Boston recently met The Princess Royal, Princess Anne during a special event to raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and how the condition affects people.

Nigel was diagnosed with PLS, a slower version of MND, in 2013 but had been experiencing symptoms for over six years before receiving his diagnosis. His muscles are gradually getting weaker, making everyday tasks harder and he uses metal splints on his legs to support his walking.

As a thank-you for raising over £20,000 for the charity MND Association he was invited to their annual Showcase event in Kettering on 6th June. Here, he met the charity’s patron, The Princess Royal.

Nigel says: “It was an honour to meet her, she made me feel very relaxed. We had a lovely chat about my fundraising, which was an amazing experience.”Man in yellow polo shirt holding white mug, with two people blurred in foreground.

St Barnabas has provided Nigel with numerous therapies over the years to support him with his condition, and in collaboration with the charity MND Association he hosts a monthly MND support group in our Wellbeing Centre in Boston.

This friendly, informal group meets every fourth Thursday of the month from 11am – 12:30pm at the Centre, known as Novak House.

Nigel says: “People who are living with MND, their family, friends and carers are all very welcome to come along. It’s free to attend and there’s a very relaxed atmosphere.

“We have a brew and we discuss whatever comes up. That could be a serious topic like how MND is affecting us, but usually it’s a lot of laughs, talking about anything and everything, or playing some games.

“If you’d like to see what the group is like, you don’t need to book. Just turn up, we next meet on 27th July. I look forward to meeting you!”

To find out more about support groups in Boston and other areas of Lincolnshire, visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/wellbeing/

Man in yellow polo shirt, speaking with people at a table that has cups, biscuits and games on it.

HeARTist Rachel honours mother with artwork

The St Barnabas Hospice HeART Trail is bringing joy to people of all ages this summer.

The Lincolnshire-wide art trail offers thirty beautiful heart-shaped sculptures to visit, with twenty based in Lincoln, five on the east coast and five more in towns around the county.

One of the artists of the Trail (known as HeARTists) is 22-year-old Rachel Benson from Welton.

Her HeART is located outside the St Barnabas charity shop at the bottom of Steep Hill in Lincoln and is colourfully painted with the Lincoln Cathedral and intricate mandalas on both sides of the sculpture.

Blonde woman with white top, smiling.

Rachel was one of over a hundred local and national artists who submitted their design for the HeART Trail. Her design ‘Heart of the City’ was chosen by sponsor Lincoln BIG as their favourite, after which she was commissioned to paint it for the Trail.

Rachel says: “I was inspired by my mum who was incredibly artistic, I could watch her for hours and I definitely get my creativity from her. When the HeART Trail opened for artist submission, I decided to give it a shot – but I never expected to actually be chosen!

“I heard in October last year that my design was chosen. It was such a wonderful surprise and so exciting, but it came at a difficult time.”

In March of 2022, Rachel’s mother Glenis was diagnosed with cancer.

Selfie photograph of a man with a woman, girl and boy.

Sadly, the condition was terminal and her health deteriorated rapidly. On 11th April, Glenis was taken into the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit in Lincoln to receive care around the clock. She stayed there for ten days before she died, with Rachel and the rest of their family always by her bedside.

Rachel says: “Spending those last ten days with mum was incredibly special, the nurses gave her amazing care and looked after us as a family too. They would give us all the time in the world to spend with her, we could even stay overnight at the Hospice.

Blonde woman in black and white floral dress, holding red rose

“Staff and volunteers would check in to see if we needed anything, food and drinks were provided to not just mum but us as visitors as well. We were also offered counselling, and other types of mental wellbeing support. We were given so much love and sympathy. Those extra touches make St Barnabas so wonderful.

“The care, compassion and love St Barnabas provided not just to mum as their patient but to us as the whole family is just amazing. That is why I support St Barnabas Hospice, and I hope you will support them too by taking part in the HeART Trail.”

Rachel’s HeART can be viewed until 4th September as part of the HeART Trail, which aims to bring communities together and raise awareness of the high-quality, free care St Barnabas provides not just in its Hospices in Lincoln and Grantham, but also in people’s own homes around the county.

Young woman in background with focus on HeART Trail guide in her hand

From 11th until 28th September Rachel’s sculpture can be admired as part of the HeART Trail’s Reunion event at the Lincoln Museum (formerly The Collection), which brings together all HeARTs under one roof.

On the last day of the Reunion, eleven of the HeARTs will be auctioned, including Rachel’s sculpture. Bidding is set to start from £3,000 and all profits will be going to St Barnabas so the charity may continue its good work of providing outstanding, compassionate care to people who need it.

Businesses and individuals who are interested in attending the auction can keep an eye on the St Barnabas website www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk and social media for more information in due course.

“Paul packed so much love and adventure into his life, we take comfort from that.”

Lorraine Bousfield from Woodhall Spa recently lost her husband Paul, who she describes as energetic, life-embracing, generous, kind, and fun-loving.

Paul could never sit still and had many activities and hobbies he enjoyed, from rock climbing, cycling, attending music festivals and concerts, playing guitar with his children, traveling all around the world and volunteering in his local community.

Lorraine says: “Above all else, Paul was a huge family man. Time with his family was his treasure and pleasure. Meals, music, games, chatter – he adored spending time with his children and me. We never really stopped dating, our love was still fresh, special and cherished almost 45 years after meeting at age 16. I was blessed to have had such a very special love story with him.

“He was so proud of becoming a grandad but sadly his first grandchild was born just days after his cancer diagnosis. He never did get to chase him round the garden as we knew he would have done.

In December 2021 Paul developed shingles and contracted Covid-19 shortly after. With so much talk of long Covid, Paul was not too concerned about his persistent sore throat. When he developed a swelling in his neck, Lincoln’s hospital took X-rays, MRIs and other scans. Sadly, in July 2022 Paul received a diagnosis of Hypopharyngeal cancer.

Chemo treatment was unsuccessful, and the cancer developed in new areas. At this stage he was told that his cancer was incurable. Rounds of radiotherapy continued into the new year of 2023, as well as immunotherapy but after each session he required antibiotics, which blunted the treatment.

Lorraine says: “It felt like Paul was thwarted at every turn as he tried to recover enough to have any quality of life. Despite his medical needs being complex he bore all these setbacks and the progression of the disease with great dignity, never complaining about his lot.

“We had not been aware of St Barnabas Hospice prior to his diagnosis. A friend who had lost a daughter said I should seek help from them, but I didn’t know what I needed. When St Barnabas offered us their help, there were many aspects to hospice care which I didn’t know came as part of their service.”

Paul was looked after by St Barnabas nurses at home, receiving not only vital medical care and pain relief but also equipment including a wheelchair, advice from the charity’s Welfare & Benefits team to help him procure a Blue Badge, answers to the many questions the family had about his condition and what to expect next. Paul was also given counselling sessions and his family received bereavement support after his death.

For the last five days of Paul’s beautiful, action-packed life, he found peace at the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit in Lincoln, with his family by his bedside around the clock.

Lorraine says: “Our daughter brought in pictures to decorate the room and a quilt to make it homely. We had many visitors turn up and the staff were perfectly happy from them to take over the space to say their goodbyes.

“The nurses made sure Paul was comfortable, they were discreet and kind. Three massive chairs were found to enable us all to sleep in his room and we were able to just be together for those final days with this very special person. When Paul was leaving us, we were given all the time we needed.

“I thought, as many do, that hospices were only places where patients went to pass away peacefully but St Barnabas has proven to be so much more. I can heartily recommend St Barnabas for anyone struggling to cope, dealing with terminal conditions, and anything else. Contact them, see if they can help you. We will never forget the kindness they gave to our family and the way it changed Paul’s journey.”

Paul and Lorraine’s neighbours Tim, Bob and Steve recently completed a special walk in Scotland and raised over £2,200 for St Barnabas. The trip had originally been planned with Paul before his diagnosis but was postponed in the hope he would be able to make it later.

The group honoured Paul by taking on the West Highland Way walk, with Lorraine supplying them with poetry, blessings and a small ampule of Pauls ashes. They scattered his ashes and read the poems at poignant points on the trip, remembering Paul and the many great moments they had together.

Lorraine says: “I’m always happy to talk about Paul, I can’t help but share how special this man was and what a great loss for him to die so young at age 60. He packed so much love and adventure into his life and we take comfort from that.

“Paul had so much more to give and will be missed by so many people, but everyone who knew him will have some amazing story of Paul making them laugh out loud. He was just that kind of guy.”

St Barnabas Hospice are a local, independent charity, providing free support to over 12,000 people like Paul and his family each year.

If you would like to make a donation, fundraise for the charity, or find out more about the services it provides, please visit www.StBarnabasHospice.co.uk

Six fantastic St Barnabas volunteers win hotel mini-breaks

Six incredible people who have been supporting St Barnabas Hospice through volunteering have been awarded coveted Room to Reward certificates.

Not only is this award a great honour for all who receive it, but it also comes with a mini-holiday anywhere in the country – the recipient gets to choose!

Amanda Trolle, Anita Grey, David Thorn, Jenni Smith, Jim Ferguson and Wendy Herridge have all been successfully nominated by their managers or colleagues and will now be considering where to go on their 1- or 2-night hotel break.

Read their stories below.

Woman with long blonde hair holding certificate in charity shop

Amanda Trolle

Amanda was nominated by her manager Charlotte Guy, who cannot praise her enough. Charlotte says: “Amanda has been working in the Louth clothes shop for just over one year as a Retail Assistant Volunteer and volunteers teers for several days each week.

“Amanda is always the first person to cover the shop and works extra hours for the shop to stay open. Nothing is ever too much for her when she is here. She really does have the charity at heart of what she does. It would be nearly impossible to find another volunteer like her.”

Congratulations, Amanda!

Anita Grey

Two women, one with short silver hair holding bouquet of flowers, blonde woman next to her wearing green jacket

Long-standing volunteer Anita was nominated by Fundraising Team Leader Rebecca Hooton, who said: “Anita is a Fundraising volunteer who has been with us for the past 10 years. She is the fundraising face of the Hospice and is always smiling, she radiates happiness and has a zest for life.

“Anita has volunteered for so many events including all six of our Colour Dash events, leading the volunteers on our merchandise stand and ensuring targets are met – always exceeding. She also has so much knowledge of the hospice and its services that she is able to help spread awareness as a brand ambassador.

“Anita is our best Fundraising volunteer and a true Hospice Hero.”

Congratulations, Anita!

David Thorn

Man wearing apron holding certificate in kitchen

Lincoln Area Retail Manager Grace Cook nominated David, saying: “David has volunteered for the Hospice café at Lincoln Magistrates Court for many years. The café is entirely volunteer run and David has taken the lead since we reopened after the pandemic.

“David regularly goes above and beyond and was present when the health inspector recently visited. Thanks to his immaculate record-keeping and great management, the café was awarded a 5-star food hygiene rating.

“He also has undertaken the project of revamping the menu and price list due to increase in stock costs. He streamlined the menu, only including best-selling items to reduce wastage, and increasing the prices to ensure the café remains in profit while giving value for money to the customer.

“David is very much appreciated by the Hospice, and it would be lovely to reward him for his hard work.”

Congratulations, David!

Jenni Smith

Blonde woman wearing glasses and beige cardigan holding certificate

Jenni was nominated by her manager Wendy Hyland, who couldn’t do with her. Wendy says: “Jenni has been a keyholding volunteer at the Bourne charity shop for over 10 years. She ran the shop with a team of volunteers for approximately 2 years before I joined as Manager, keeping the shop open and raising much needed funds for the Hospice.

“She makes decisions on how the shop runs, visual merchandising, jobs that need doing and assisting other volunteers if they need any help. Jenni has recently taken another volunteer under her wing, training her up to also be a keyholding volunteer too.

“Jenni is a fantastic asset to the charity.”

Congratulations, Jenni!

Jim Ferguson

Two men, one holding a certificate

Jim was nominated by Silvia Potts, a Health and Rehabilitation Support Worker who sees all the good Jim does. She says: “Jim began with the Hospice as a volunteer driver for Day Therapy patients. In good weather he even used his open top car to the delight of a few of our patients who never had such an experience before!

“Over the years, he has volunteered for fundraising events, even dressing up as a reindeer around Christmas. He has given talks on behalf of St Barnabas, collects cheques and donations, always with endless patience. Jim has literally gone to the other end of the world for us on a Great Wall of China trek, raising thousands.

“Jim really is a breath of fresh air and now supports the weekly Coffee Morning in Grantham. We are lucky to have him supporting us in so many ways.”

Congratulations, Jim!

Wendy Herridge

woman with short blonde-brown hair wearing black top

Counselling Services Manager Joanne White has nominated her volunteer, Wendy. She says: “Wendy has been volunteering with us for many years and is a fantastic counsellor. Her experience and knowledge enables us to allocate to her our complex clients with ease and confidence.

“She will often take on home visits for us and prior to lockdown, Wendy would travel to support the community of Skegness, including clients in the rural villages that would have otherwise been unable to access our support.

“Wendy has trained our counsellors in Suicide Awareness as this was her job previously to her retirement from paid work. This has been an invaluable tool for the team and for the clients that we keep safe.

“Wendy goes above and beyond to support her clients.”

Congratulations, Wendy!

 

St Barnabas Hospice gets the chance to nominate deserving volunteers each year through Room to Reward, the whole reward scheme is free to the Hospice and to the Volunteers winning the award.

Again, well done to our six amazing volunteers – enjoy your mini break!

Local crafting group donates colourful medical equipment bags

Recently, a group of volunteers at Horncastle and District Scrubs handmade 40 colourful syringe driver bags for St Barnabas Hospice patients. The bags were made in memory of group member Amanda’s mother, who received care from the charity in her own home and as a Hospice inpatient.

Woman with short grey hair wearing blue top with white stripes, smiling at camera.

In 2022, Amanda’s mother Sue Last (pictured) was diagnosed with bowel cancer which had spread to her liver. The family was given the terrible news that her prognosis would be at best 18 months.

Amanda says: “The news hit us like a brick wall. Mum was so active, always on the go, keeping the house and family running, how could this happen to her? She was very sociable and a great host – making sure there was food and drink in abundance. Doing all this for others to enjoy, whilst looking very glamorous as she was never without her lippy on!

“She started to receive care at home from St Barnabas, and all the nurses that visited her were out of this world. There was one particular nurse, Emma, who instantly gained Mum’s trust and did a fantastic job caring for her while also ensuring we as a family had the support we needed too.”

Grey haired woman wearing blue at a table with afternoon tea laid out.

After 6 months of care at home, Sue was admitted to the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit in Lincoln to receive the around-the-clock care she needed at that point to help regulate her pain relief.

Amanda continues: “A syringe driver was installed into her arm, which is a small battery-powered pump that delivers a steady stream of medication. My Mum was given a brightly coloured bag to go with it, which really cheered her as it looked pretty and took away the medical aspect of the driver.

“This is what planted the seed in my mind. I then contacted my best friend Jude who promotes Horncastle Scrubs and asked if this was one of their creations. The answer was no, but they could make some to support St Barnabas.

Grey haired woman wearing white and black, with a spaniel dog outside in the woods

“Every single doctor, nurse, carer, and volunteer was absolutely amazing with Mum. They always respected her wishes, gave her options, and provided her with the highest quality of care. They kept her smiling even on the days she was in so much pain.

“She kept up her glamorous appearance too, which so many of the staff commented on when she was discharged.  I know that this couldn’t have happened without all their incredible work. The level of compassion Mum and the whole family received from everyone at St Barnabas was unbelievable and our whole family and friends appreciate the hard work all of the staff.”

Horncastle and District Scrubs was founded in February 2020 in response to the pandemic and its members have made over 8,000 sets of scrubs for the NHS, GP surgeries and nursing homes, as well as sending scrubs to Ukraine. The group now mainly sews, knits and crochets items to donate to healthcare organisations.

Jude, promotions officer of the group, says: “Scrubs is a local cause that directly supports other local causes, so our efforts are spread to many. We are incredibly lucky to have such generous and talented volunteers, and anyone who’d like to join us in our mission to support worthy causes is very welcome.

Group of women wearing warm clothing at a stall with colourful crafted items and sign 'Horncastle and District Scrubs'

“All of us ‘Scrubbers’ have supported St Barnabas over the years by fundraising, volunteering, or doing other things, so it was great to put our sewing skills to good use and doing it in memory of Sue made it extra special.”

Last month, fourty bags were donated to St Barnabas Hospice, in a colourful rainbow print. Horncastle Scrubs are continuing to create news bags in a variety of coulours and patterns, to suit the different personalities of those who need them.

Amanda, Jude and fellow group member Trish visited the charity’s Wellbeing Centre in Lincoln, where they met with Clinical Service Manager Emma Rogers (who happened to be the nurse who gained Sue’s trust) and handed over their wonderful creations. These bags will now be given to patients who receive care in their own homes, just like Sue did.

Amanda and Jude say: “It is our hope that the patients who receive these bags will feel a little cheer from them. They are made with a lot of love, and we know how something so small can make such a big difference.

“We will continue to support St Barnabas and we’re already planning on what our next craft will be!”

If you would like to support St Barnabas Hospice, whether that’s by crafting items, fundraising, hosting an event or volunteering, please visit: www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk

Pictured at the top of this story are L-R: Trish Wright, nurse Emma Rogers, Amanda Last

Carly skydives in memory of ‘life-changing’ teacher

This summer, Carly Young from Lincoln is taking on a true once in a lifetime experience: skydiving to support St Barnabas.

20-year-old Carly is taking on this exhilarating challenge in memory of her former teacher Sam Pickersgill, who received care from St Barnabas during the last months of her life. Sam was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, and the next year received the devastating news that she had a progressive brain and leptomeningeal disease.

Blonde woman wearing white T-shirt and black trousers holding young girl with short hair and sunglasses in outdoors setting. With caption underneath "Sam and Carly Young"

St Barnabas were able to support Sam with medical care, equipment to help her around the house to be as independent as possible, and counselling for her and the whole family to come to terms with their situation.

The charity also supported Sam in the summer of 2022 in her plea for a fundraiser to give her two young children something to look forward to during such a hard time. Sadly, Sam died shortly after this.

Sam was much more than a teacher to Carly; she was a mentor, a friend, and the one person who made Carly feel that she could achieve anything.

Carly says: “When I was 14, I had to switch schools due to some behavioural issues I was experiencing. Adults had been telling me I would never amount to anything, that I wasn’t going to get anywhere and that nobody could help me. Sam proved them wrong, and I could not be more grateful to her for showing me the potential I have.

“Sam was my Head of Year and I used to go see her in her office at breaktimes, we would talk and she was always smiling and laughing. She had a photo of her children on her desk and would tell me all about them.

“Sam made me sign up for the 100m race at school. I was terrified as I don’t like having a spotlight on me, but she gave me the confidence to go for it… and I came in 1st place! Sam was at the finish line, gave me a big hug, and whispered, “I told you; you can do anything.”

Young woman with short blonde hair and black hoody, holding dog and smiling

“She made me feel loved and worthy. I believe if I didn’t meet Sam, I wouldn’t be where I am now, studying at university. Sam meant so much to me and there’s not enough words in the world to say how remarkable she was.”

Sam eventually left Carly’s school, The Priory Witham Academy, to teach at another secondary school. However, Carly and Sam stayed in touch and messaged each other frequently. This is how Carly found out about Sam’s diagnosis.

Carly says: “She’s the bravest and strongest woman I knew, and I will always keep that close to me. The last time I saw Sam was two weeks before she passed away, it felt like we were never apart. She hugged me and told me she loved me and to keep reaching for the stars. That’s what I will do for you, Sam.”

Two people skydiving in tandem, with white plane and blue sky in background

Carly’s skydiving adventure takes place on 3rd June at Hibaldstow Airfield, just outside of Lincoln. There are still places to book for this date and the secondary date of 10th September, via the St Barnabas website: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/events/skydives-2023/

The jump is a tandem skydive, meaning skydivers will be harnessed to a professional parachute instructor, who will also be in control of the landing. Skydivers must be at least 16 years of age, with no maximum age limit – depending on health.

This exhilarating experience costs just £50 to register, and St Barnabas kindly requests a fundraising minimum of £395.

People skydiving, photo taken from above with clouds and ground visible belowCarly says: “I’ve never done any extreme sport like skydiving before but I’m really looking forward to it. I’m actually terrified of heights so I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone! I know how proud Sam would be of me doing this skydive. Sam, when I’m up there, I hope you are flying right next to me. You will always be walking with me; I know you will.”

Annually, St Barnabas supports over 12,000 people across Lincolnshire who are living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. Each year, St Barnabas must raise at least £6.5million to keep its palliative and end of life care services available. The care that the charity offers free of charge would not be possible without the efforts of fundraisers such as Carly.

If skydiving is too extreme for you, but you would like to support St Barnabas, take a look at all upcoming fundraising ideas, events and activities: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/fundraising