Category: Stories
I could never do enough to give back to the hospice for what it did for me and my family. That’s why I’m leaving a gift in my Will to St Barnabas.
St Barnabas was one of the best things that happened to dad – and to me. It was like a weight had been lifted. It allowed me to be his daughter again, not his carer. And we got to spend our final weeks together without the worry.
At first, it was scary thinking about going to the hospice, especially for my dad. He was so stubborn, and it was a mission to get him there! But it was nothing like either of us imagined. And when dad thought he might be moved because of the hospice refurbishment, he was adamant he wasn’t going anywhere. That’s how special it is.
I believe dad would have died sooner, in more pain, agitated and angry, if St Barnabas wasn’t part of our community. Instead, he spent his last few weeks doing the things he enjoyed. They might not have been ideal for his health, but they made him happy, and the hospice nurses respected that. They never judged. They just did whatever they could to make dad’s last weeks count.
Because I was the only one there for dad, St Barnabas also gave me peace of mind knowing that he was being well looked after when I couldn’t be with him. If it weren’t for the hospice, dad would’ve spent most of his last weeks alone at home or in hospital.
The care team are angels in nurse uniforms.
Dad’s condition meant he had broken legs and needed an air mattress. So whenever he wanted to go outside, the team would lift him onto another bed before wheeling him out. And they just did it – several times a day, without hesitating. Just like they made sure an egg custard tart was waiting for him whenever he asked, which was often!
St Barnabas made everything so much easier. The nurses even made his passing a positive experience. They gently explained what was happening when they sensed the end was near. Afterwards, they dimmed the lights, played soft music, and brought me tea and biscuits. Then they left me to be with dad one last time.
Nothing I could do would ever be enough to repay St Barnabas.
I’ll give back what I can while I’m here. And when I’m gone, a gift in my Will will be my final thank you. Knowing the support I got and the weight it lifted off me can go to someone else makes it so worthwhile.
I feel incredibly proud that St Barnabas is part of our Lincolnshire community. And I feel a sense of ownership – whenever I see a collection tin, I always say, ‘That’s my dad’s hospice.’
That’s why it matters so much to me and why I believe it’s up to all of us to make sure it’s still here for generations to come.
Experiencing the hospice first-hand opened my eyes to what it does, and I know that no matter how much someone is able to leave St Barnabas in their Will, it’ll make a world of difference.
Thank you to Sophie, and all our legators. Your legacy will continue through the care you’ll make possible in years to come.
To find out more about leaving A Gift For Generations, please visit: Make a Will with St Barnabas Hospice
Celebrating our Hidden Teams at St Barnabas: Estates
St Barnabas has over 300 members of clinical and non-clinical staff working to support our vision – a world where dying with dignity, compassion and having choices is a fundamental part of a life.
The hard work and dedication of all our staff ensures we can continue providing vital end-of-life care, across Lincolnshire. This year we’re shining spotlights on hidden teams and highlighting the incredible work they do to support St Barnabas.
St Barnabas’ Estates Team plays a crucial role in maintaining a comfortable, safe, and functional environment for patients, their families, staff, and volunteers. Their responsibilities often include a wide range of tasks, from maintenance and repairs to overseeing project management.
Led by Nicky, Head of Estates, and Steve, Estates Team Leader, the team ensure hospice buildings are in excellent condition, through conducting repairs, upkeep, and preventative maintenance.
Scott, Estates Technician & Systems Lead, explains: “This involves everything from roof repairs to plumbing and electrical systems. Through gardening and snow removal, we also keep the grounds tidy, safe, and aesthetically pleasing.
“Essentially, the Estates Team is responsible for creating and maintaining a supportive environment that contributes to the overall wellbeing of patients, staff, and volunteers. While our work is often behind the scenes, it’s essential to St Barnabas’ smooth operation.”
Alongside David, Senior Estates Technician, and Philip, Estates Technician, the team oversee the day-to-day operations of the hospice, including cleaning, laundry, and waste management. They ensure compliance with all health and safety regulations and implement energy-saving measures to reduce costs and environmental impact.
When needed, the Estates Team oversees renovation projects, including the recently announced essential refurbishment of Lincoln’s Wellbeing Centre. The team has been working closely with contractors throughout the project, overseeing the work and minimising disruption to patients, staff, and the wider healthcare community.
To ensure the refurbishment is completed as cost-effectively as possible, some elements of the work are being carried out in-house. As part of the project, the team has installed a new kitchen for use by St Barnabas staff and volunteers.
Scott continues: “We work really closely with other departments within the hospice, and it fosters a strong sense of teamwork and collaboration.
“Seeing the positive impact of our efforts on the hospice environment can be very rewarding. It is extremely satisfying to know our work contributes to a compassionate and supportive environment for patients and their families.”
Thank you to the Estates Team – your hard work, reliability, and dedication ensure everything runs smoothly.
Jars of Joy, donated by St Barnabas supporter Nicola, have been spreading happiness in memory of her mum, Eileen
These donations of lovely flowers help brighten up spaces for patients, their families, and St Barnabas’ incredible team of staff and volunteers. As a kind gesture, Deborah, Community Fundraiser, has been handing out Jars of Joy to supporters – spreading warmth on behalf of Nicola and in memory of Eileen.
Nicola and her family have been strong supporters of St Barnabas Hospice since 1993.
She says: “Soon after moving to Lincoln, my grandmother Hilda was cared for by the Hospice at Home team. My mum, Eileen, was so touched and grateful for this support, that she established St Barnabas as her charity to support.”
Nicola started a small cutting garden at home in the summer of 2021, after seeing an advert for The Floral Project. This project offers a simple way to use the resources people already have in their gardens and give back in a way that brings beauty, environmental benefit, and meaning into your lives and those of others.
Feeling inspired, she signed up right away and ‘Eileen’s Garden’ was soon created in memory of her mum.
Nicola says: “2022 was a difficult year for us as a family. We lost my dad in autumn 2021 and then my mum became very ill with heart failure and died at the St Barnabas Inpatient Unit in autumn 2022, after receiving palliative care.
“I grew up with a mum who loved giving to show her appreciation for acts of kindness, care and support. This especially was extended to those in health care or those in the community who might feel under appreciated.
“My mum loved flowers. She loved “gardening” too, but mainly from the position of Director! So, once I got underway with my version of The Floral Project I didn’t have to look far when deciding who to give my flowers to and why!”
Deborah, Community Fundraiser at St Barnabas, says: “We’re so grateful to receive these Jars of Joy from Nicola. Flower deliveries like this mean so much to us at the hospice, especially since we’re able to have flowers on the wards – something that’s not always possible in hospitals.
“It’s a privilege to be able to give these flowers to patients, their families and St Barnabas staff members, on Nicola’s behalf, to brighten their day and carry on Eileen’s legacy. It always makes me smile seeing how appreciated they are – it really is the small gestures that mean the most, at the most unexpected times.”
Nicola adds: “The cutting project soon became my comfort and spending time there helped me to grieve. I placed a seat in there that mum and dad had loved and spent hundreds of hours tending the flowers and enjoying the peace of it. Listening to the humming of the bees, smelling the fragrance, and remembering mum and dad.”
“After my grandmother died, mum often asked her to send a white feather to help her with her grief or anxieties, or just to know she was close by. She told me Nanna never failed to send her one which is why it’s so lovely to have a St Barnabas feather in my cutting garden as well.”
Nicola continues: “In 2005, my father-in-law, Ralph Hadley, was also supported by St Barnabas throughout his diagnosis of prostate cancer, his treatment, and later palliative care. He was a frequent visitor to the Wellbeing Centre on Hawthorn Road, received respite care and was an inpatient.”
Over the years the Hadley family have raised vital funds by running the Lincoln 10k and the Race for Life in support of St Barnabas, as well as playing the Lottery every month and holding coffee mornings – in appreciation for the support Ralph received.
Nicola comments: “I want to continue supporting the hospice as best as I can. I can’t run the Lincoln 10k at the moment because of injury, but I can grow flowers. It’s also not just about giving back into the community but it’s good for my mental health and the environment. It’s all organic and the insects and bees love Eileen’s Garden!”
A huge thank you to Nicola for her ongoing support and the beautiful blooms she provides as an act of kindness to St Barnabas.
Nicola adds: “Mum and dad had a joint career in hospitality and when they retired, they loved playing bridge (badly) and enjoying a glass of wine. Family always came first, and they loved their granddaughters so much.
“Georgina, now 18, volunteers at the St Barnabas Warehouse – the next generation helping the hospice!”
As Nicola demonstrates, there are so many ways to support the hospice, whether that’s organising a fundraiser, donating your time or remembering a loved one. To find out more, visit the St Barnabas website.
Jamie Aspland ran the London Marathon in support of St Barnabas and raised over £5,000
Jamie, Branch Manager at Pygott & Crone in Sleaford, took part in the London Marathon to give back to St Barnabas for the outstanding support provided to his family, and to mark his 40th birthday.
Through his fundraising efforts, including hosting a 40th birthday party with donations going to St Barnabas, Jamie raised an incredible £5,018. This total could fund 251 hours of Hospice at Home care, helping people with life-limiting or terminal illnesses receive compassionate support in the comfort of their own homes.
Jamie says: “St Barnabas is a charity that is incredibly close to my heart. The team provided invaluable end-of-life care to my dad in 2016 when my family needed it most, and my 100-year-old Nan is currently in the Hospice in the Hospital at Grantham.
“Their compassion, dedication, and support were a beacon of light during one of the darkest times of my life. I can never fully repay them for the kindness they showed, but I can continue to try and give back.”
The London Marathon will likely be Jamie’s last marathon as he has faced significant physical setbacks, including multiple surgeries on his back and knees. His training for this challenge required a lot of dedication due to this and began on Boxing Day.
Jamie adds: “Training for a marathon is daunting for anyone, but for someone with my medical history, it’s a bigger challenge. My training plan was carefully tailored to avoid re-injury – focusing on building strength while protecting my back and knee.
“Running the London Marathon was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it was also one of the most rewarding. Thank you to everyone who supported me, whether through donations, encouragement, or just following my journey.”
All donations raised through challenges contribute to the funding of St Barnabas’ vital services, helping to provide essential hospice care to over 12,000 people annually. Over £7 million needs to be raised each year to support St Barnabas in providing people with compassionate care in Lincolnshire.
Jamie comments: “I never felt alone at any time doing this challenge for St Barnabas. They have given me all the support and encouragement I needed.”
Offering his advice to those considering doing a challenge, he said: “Don’t put it off! Get involved, set yourself the challenge, and St Barnabas will support you all the way.”
Whether you’re conquering the Lake District 5 Peaks, chasing a new personal best in the Lincoln Half Marathon, or gearing up for the Lincoln 10k in 2026 – there are countless ways to get involved.
To take part in an upcoming challenge, or choose your own for St Barnabas, visit the website and sign up today.
Jamie has supported St Barnabas for 10 years, and also works for Pygott & Crone, a long-standing corporate supporter.
Olivia Dexter, Corporate Relationships Lead at St Barnabas, said: “We’re thrilled to have such a long-standing partnership with Pygott & Crone. Working collaboratively with the teams at Pygott & Crone helps us to raise awareness of the diverse range of care and support we provide, along with raising vital funds.”
There are many ways in which businesses can donate time and money to St Barnabas, whether through a small gesture or a big event. From hosting a collection pot to taking on a challenge, choosing the hospice as a charity partner, or becoming a headline sponsor for an event – there are many ways corporates can get involved.
If you would like to work with St Barnabas to raise awareness and vital funds, please contact: Olivia Dexter, Corporate Relationships Lead, at Olivia.dexter@stbarnabahospice.co.uk.
St Barnabas Garden curated by John Cullen Gardens awarded Gold at Lincolnshire Show
A beautiful collaboration between St Barnabas and Boston-based nursery owners and horticulturists, the St Barnabas Garden offered a moment of peace that touched visitors during the Lincolnshire Show.
Founded in London in 2009, John and Hugh moved their business, John Cullen Gardens, to Lincolnshire in 2015, having located the ideal place in the county for their ever-expanding collection of plants.
John says: “We donated some plants to St Barnabas last year, and from that, we started a conversation with the team.
“My mum recently passed away from dementia and Alzheimer’s, and we had struggled with mum over the Covid-19 period. We didn’t realise there were any of these facilities available.
“We wanted to create a display for St Barnabas as a conversation piece. We just thought it would be a good place to make people aware of the care and support that St Barnabas offers.
“I know that, for us as a family, had we had access to that sort of care and support, it would have helped us. And I might have kept mum at home a little bit longer. So, we’re quite passionate about the messaging behind the garden.”
Hugh adds: “Gardening is also a great process to support with mental health problems or bereavement. When we were made redundant, we turned ourselves to the garden and worked on this business. To us, it’s more like a therapy than a job.”
The St Barnabas Garden featured a variety of multifunctional plants and herbs, with an olive tree representing the tree of life, adorned with messages about the hospice.
John explains: “At the front, you can see lavender and thyme – both really important herbs. They go way back and were classified as strewing herbs. People would cut them and throw them on the floor to walk across, because they’ve got antibacterial qualities in them.
“The other flowers have some edible qualities but also look pretty in your garden. So, flowers like dahlias, cornflowers, and yarrow. We also included a Japanese Cedar because we wanted to show people that you can have something in your garden that looks like a box ball, but it won’t get affected by the box blight that’s spreading through Lincolnshire.”
Fiona, Community Fundraiser at St Barnabas, says: “It’s been brilliant working with John and Hugh, and I can’t thank them enough for their vision, creativity, and support of the hospice. I’m so proud to say that the fantastic show garden was awarded Gold!
“We’ve had lots of wonderful conversations with visitors throughout the Lincolnshire Show, who have engaged with the garden and supported us through donating or purchasing some of our merchandise.”
John and Hugh had to create a variety of different garden designs after encountering several challenges along the way.
John says: “Doing a display is always quite stressful, because you’re working with different elements. So, every year is different. This year the wind has been an issue. We’ve had really warm days, but a really cold easterly wind. The problem is that when you get those high temperatures of 25, 26 degrees, and then have an icy wind going through, it’s like getting frostbite for the plants.
“A lot of plants then get this black circle in the middle of their leaves and that’s windburn. We’ve had it across 38 to 40% of the nursery. So, a lot of the things we were going to use for the display, we couldn’t.
“Also, because it was really warm in April and May, a lot of plants we would normally use at this time of year had already gone.”
John continues: “The garden has been well received; I think people like that it’s working in conjunction with St Barnabas. For a lot of people, they are quite proud of the county, and they like that it’s a partnership between Lincolnshire growers and a Lincolnshire charity. It’s a nice synergy.”
John Cullen Gardens Limited grow plants organically by hand at their nursery in rural Lincolnshire, specialising in plants for pollinators, as well as culinary and medicinal herbs. Visit the website for more details and to see the range of open days and creative workshops they offer: John Cullen Gardens / Buy Plants / Perennials / Herbs / House Plants
If you’re a keen gardener, we encourage you to open your garden in support of St Barnabas. Find out more about hosting an Open Garden here: Open Gardens – St Barnabas Hospice
“It’s somewhere that supports you. St Barnabas is there to pick up the pieces and put you back together again.”
Each week, Creative Wellbeing Groups are held at the St Barnabas Wellbeing Centres across Lincolnshire, offering a comforting space to chat and be creative.
The Creative Wellbeing Groups in Lincoln and Louth have recently finished creating a beautiful patchwork quilt filled with memories and stories. St Barnabas supporter and group member, Julia, has kindly given a donation to the Hospice and taken the quilt home for her daughter.
Julia says: “My Husband, Steve, died of a brain tumour over 2 years ago. After he died, St Barnabas was the only place I knew where to go. Someone had told me about the creative wellbeing group, and I thought that sounded great, because I like doing crafts.”
Helen, St Barnabas volunteer and Creative Wellbeing Group Lead, says: “What’s really great about this group is, there’s no right way to do the activities we lead. We encourage everyone to use their own creativity and imagination, and quite often, we’re inspired by what they create.
“The hexagon flowers for the quilt were made from scraps of fabric that had been donated by patient’s families and members of the groups. Each piece has its own tale to tell – there are flowers made from pieces of wedding bunting and a grandson’s teddy bear pyjamas.”
The flowers were then joined together in colour coordinated sections which, when blended together, grew to become a wonderful, colourful piece of art. The patchwork was then lined with contrasting batik style fabric to show off its colours, and then painstakingly quilted to ensure its durability and quality.
Julia says: “When I showed a picture of the quilt to my daughter, Sophia, she thought it was stunning. So, I offered to make a donation to St Barnabas for the quilt, as a gift for Sophia. Her father and stepmother died in a car crash in September last year. He was a larger-than-life person, and it’s been absolutely horrendous for my kids.
“After he died last year, I had to drive straight over to Loughborough to see my son. It was a Tuesday morning, and I came to this group first. One of the Nurses sat down with me and told me that I needed to unpack all of that before I drove anywhere. And she was right.
“It’s somewhere that supports you. It’s nice to have somebody that you can go to and have a cry with.”
Julia continues: “It picked us up when it was a really, really bad time, and it kept me sane the rest of the time. When you’ve got a lot to deal with, it’s nice to come here and everybody’s so cheerful. Just talking about things makes you feel better.
“If I meet anybody and I think they’re struggling, I tell them to go to St Barnabas. Because somebody there will be able to pick up the pieces and put you back together again, and then you can carry on. Which is really important, because most people struggle at some point in their lives.”
Helen adds: “Each week we do something different, and sometimes people will request certain activities. Recently we’ve been making bracelets and crafting paired birds for families in the Inpatient Unit.
“These groups provide a safe space for people to chat and socialise, and often people create strong friendships and support each other outside the group too.”
Julia comments: “The rest of the week is filled with difficult things, and then I come to the group and sometimes think about it and have a cry and sometimes don’t. It depends on what you need on the day.”
Recently, St Barnabas has shared the realities of its financial challenges. Stories like Julia’s are a powerful reminder of why it’s so important to ensure people are supported when it matters most.
All services are currently running, and St Barnabas is still accepting referrals. However, the reality remains: if the Hospice doesn’t raise more funds and make essential savings, services may have to be reduced in the near future. Every contribution makes a vital difference: Financial Position – St Barnabas Hospice
The Creative Wellbeing Groups are free to attend for everyone, including those without a patient connection to St Barnabas. No booking is required.
• Lincoln Wellbeing Centre (Hawthorn Road): every Wednesday, 1pm – 3pm
• Louth Wellbeing Centre (Grimsby Road): every Tuesday, 10am – 12pm
• Boston Wellbeing Centre (Endeavour Park): every Tuesday, 10am – 12pm
• Grantham Wellbeing Centre (Barrowby Road): every Wednesday, 10am – 12pm
Find out more about the wellbeing services on the St Barnabas Hospice website.
“Without St Barnabas, we wouldn’t have got through it.”
When Ron was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2014, he was given three to five years to live. During this emotional time, Ron and Maxine reached out to St Barnabas and received support before his lung transplant and afterwards.
Ron says: “It was a very depressing time for us. I can just remember crying all night. We were planning a future together, and we felt robbed.
“I reached out to St Barnabas and completed a self-referral through the website. I made a phone call, and they saw me within a couple of days, and within a couple of days after that, they accepted me.
“Since then, I’ve accessed most of the services at St Barnabas. I’ve done Tai Chi; I’ve had sleeping classes because I had a lot of sleeping problems at the time. We’ve gone through relaxation and wellbeing together, and at the moment, I’m doing singing lessons.”
Karen McCay, Senior Clinical Services Manager, says: “At St Barnabas, we are committed to providing personalised care and support through a whole system approach. Rather than asking what’s the matter with you, we ask what matters to you. We then offer the care and support that is right for each individual person.
“We see you as a whole person, rather than a list of symptoms and problems.”
Ron continues: “When you see the same person time and time again, she gets to know you. Not like when you sometimes go to a doctor’s and they don’t really know you. My nurse can spot if I’m going down, if I’m low, if I’m well. She has actually noticed my low mood before and then contacted the doctor on my behalf, saying I think this patient needs to go on to anti-depressants.
She gets to know you as a person, which I think is a great benefit on your journey.”
Maxine adds: “I think it was important that if we didn’t want to do something, if it wasn’t quite what we wanted or we couldn’t see it at the time, she would leave it and then come back to it later. So, she very much respected how we were feeling at the time.”
After receiving vital support from St Barnabas, Ron was discharged, but after receiving a lung transplant, Ron reached out again to the Hospice.
Ron says: “I was suffering low mood and guilt. I went into a slight depression. I contacted the Hospice again and they offered me further support after transplant.”
Maxine says: “We were probably both at our lowest. I thought, as Ron had had his transplant, the Hospice won’t be able to help again – and that wasn’t the case. Sue, our nurse, came in and asked us ‘where’s your support, tell me what you’ve been through’, and we were both offered counselling.
“What the Hospice have done, is seen us a couple and they’ve focussed on me as well. They allowed him space, and they also allowed me, my space, to offload how I was feeling. As a carer, we believe that we have to remain strong, but it was okay for me to not be okay and to be upset that my life wasn’t what it was going to be.
“They were the only ones that offered that support to me. I can’t thank the people that have been involved for me enough because I don’t know where we would be as a couple and whether we would be in the good place that we are now.”
The St Barnabas team also supported Ron and Maxine with the ReSPECT form, a document that outlines a patient’s preferences for care and treatment in the event of an emergency when they are unable to communicate their wishes.
Maxine says: “It’s a form that is incredibly hard to do, for anybody, but it made us focus on what Ron really wanted. We found that quite comforting that we’d had the chance to talk about that with the nurse, who was very understanding about how to do it. That helped us enormously.”
Ron says: “The service they’ve given me over the years has been absolutely fantastic. I’ve had so much support. I’d like to thank the whole team from the bottom of my heart for being there. Not just for me, for both of us.”
Maxine adds: “Without them, we wouldn’t be here. Without St Barnabas, we wouldn’t have got through it. I know if, and when, anything happens to Ron, that St Barnabas will be there to support me, and that is invaluable.”
St Barnabas Hospice is a local, independent charity, providing free support to over 12,000 people like Ron and Maxine, 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: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/
Celebrating St Barnabas team members Amy Damarell, Majella Wright, and Jake Bontoft!
We’re celebrating three of our fantastic St Barnabas team members who have recently graduated!
???? Amy Damarell, Nurse Associate – Inpatient Unit
???? Majella Wright, MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner
???? Jake Bontoft, Specialist Nurse Practitioner (IPU) & Research Nurse
Their hard work, dedication, and passion for learning are helping us deliver outstanding care to those who need it most.
Amy: “I’ve worked in the unit for over 11 years, and recently qualified as a Nursing Associate. This new role lets me provide person-centred care alongside our nursing team. I’m so thankful to St Barnabas – I was able to complete this training thanks to St Barnabas putting me forward and supporting me with university time, placements, and insights into areas of nursing.”
Majella: “My course gave me the skills to work at an advanced level across clinical care, education, leadership and research. St Barnabas Hospice supported me by giving me time to attend University, allowing me to gain all my practical experience, and providing me with supportive mentorship throughout the last three years. I use the skills I obtained in my daily practice by providing clinical expertise, reasoning, knowledge, and mentorship to the people I work with.”
Jake: “Completing my Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice has given me the skills to lead, teach, research, and provide expert care. Thanks to the trust’s support, I graduated with a Distinction and use what I’ve learned every day in my role.”
Please join us in congratulating Amy, Majella, and Jake. We are so lucky to have you on Team St Barnabas.
Celebrating our Hidden Teams at St Barnabas: Information Management and Technology Department
St Barnabas has over 300 members of clinical and non-clinical staff working to support our vision – a world where dying with dignity, compassion and having choices is a fundamental part of a life.
The hard work and dedication of all our staff ensures we can continue providing vital end-of-life care, across Lincolnshire. This year we’re shining spotlights on hidden teams and highlighting the incredible work they do to support St Barnabas.
The Information Management and Technology (IM&T) Department work behind the scenes at St Barnabas, ensuring the smooth operation, security, and advancement of all technology-related functions.
Chris Candlin, Infrastructure Engineer, says: “This includes managing hardware, software, and networks, providing technical support to employees, implementing cybersecurity measures, overseeing data protection and backups, and ensuring compliance with regulations.
“The team also plan ahead for future technology needs, as well as managing vendor relationships, and supporting communication and collaboration tools to facilitate efficient business operations.”
Overseen by Mike Howarth, Head of IM&T, and Ozomata Asun, Infrastructure Team Leader, the IM&T Department has recently been focused on improving technology to enhance operations and reduce expenditure. The department also includes Niall Priestley, Infrastructure Engineer, and Bailey Pike and Louie Haffner, Service Desk Engineers.
The team have recently published a five-year IM&T Strategy that aims to support the exceptional care provided to patients and their families. This strategy emphasises harnessing technology to work smarter, more efficiently, and securely, all in line with the objectives outlined in the overarching St Barnabas Organisational Strategy.
Every day, the team works collaboratively to support St Barnabas in delivering exceptional care, ensuring that every team member feels valued and integral. Recognising the importance of collaboration, the IM&T team builds strong connections across departments to meet the diverse needs of the Hospice.
Aiming high, they continually enhance our technological capabilities and set high standards in all projects to support the Hospice’s mission.
Chris continues: “We enjoy working for St Barnabas because of the meaningful impact we have on our community. The shared dedication creates a strong sense of unity and purpose among us.
“It’s inspiring to be part of an organisation where everyone is committed to making a difference and where we are not just numbers, but vital contributors to our shared goals.”
Thank you to the IM&T team – we’re incredibly grateful for everything you do and appreciate your commitment.
Celebrating Chloe and Jo from St Barnabas on achieving their CMI Level 5 in Management and Leadership
St Barnabas Hospice is celebrating Chloe Pearson, Welfare and Benefits Manager, and Jo White, Counselling Service Manager, for successfully achieving distinctions in the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Level 5 Certificate in Management and Leadership.
The programme is designed to enable managers to lead individuals and teams in delivering aims and objectives in line with organisational strategy. Over 15 months, Chloe and Jo completed modules covering topics such as planning and managing projects, managing change, managing finance, and identifying new approaches to business activities.
At the beginning of the course, Chloe and Jo completed a 360-feedback exercise, gathering feedback from various peers, such as line reports and line managers.
Jo says: “I was out when the email popped up, and I drove home feeling sick before I would open it! It was a turning point for me. It made me realise that how my team saw me was very different to how I saw myself and that I needed to build my own confidence.”
Recognising the skills they’ve developed, Jo says: “Learning to lead as well as manage was really important – they are two very different things. I had to learn to have the confidence in myself and my own skillset, in order to lead my team effectively.”
Chloe adds: “You can manage people and a team, but you need to lead so they follow your leadership and trust in you. I feel like this course has completely changed me as a leader. Thinking back on everything we’ve learnt, it’s made me approach situations very differently.
“A real learning curve for me was catching myself from suppressing my team. I want them to grow and learn their own skills. I’ve learnt to not take everything on myself, and I’m delegating so much more than I ever have and it’s helping my team feel more empowered.”
Jo comments: “One of the biggest things for me was understanding different learning styles – starting with my own and then applying that to how I support others, making sure I am inclusive in the way I share information and communicate.”
Chloe agrees: “Every single one of my direct reports learns differently, so you need to communicate with them differently.
“We also had to learn how to say no and make sure our diaries were up to date – we had to plan really well to do the course alongside our jobs, and that’s another skill we can take away.”
Mandy Irons, Head of Wellbeing Services, says: “A huge well done and congratulations to Chloe and Jo. It was a pleasure to present them with flowers alongside Rebecca Franks to mark the occasion. They’ve both worked so hard over the last 15 months to get this achievement, and it’s so well deserved.”
Reflecting on their experience, Chloe says: “It was well worth it. We’ve learnt so much and I would advise people to go on the course. It’s not just benefited us, but also our teams and it’s made us better leaders, which helps St Barnabas.
It’s not just about getting extra qualifications – it’s about becoming better leaders. We now feel more confident, we can delegate, bring fresh ideas and new ways of working.”
Jo adds: “Don’t overthink it, just go for it! If you get the opportunity, do it, because it’s well worth the journey.”
CMI is a professional body – and the only chartered body – for management and leadership. Completing a CMI qualification offers Chloe and Jo more than just academic standing, they now have access to CMI Membership.