Category: Stories
Care for a Cuppa at historic Middle Rasen Watermill raises over £2,000
On Saturday 6th August, St Barnabas Fundraising Officer Ellie Carter and her parents Mandy and Mark held a Care for a Cuppa fundraiser at their home; The Watermill in Middle Rasen.
The family opened their doors to residents from the community, friends, and family. Over 200 people attended the day, raising an amazing total of £2,154.05 for the Hospice, which could cover the cost for 60 hours of specialist Inpatient care.
Supporters were spoiled for choice with a large selection of baked goods and refreshments, along with children’s games, a tombola, and a raffle with 40 prizes to celebrate 40 years of St Barnabas, which were kindly donated by local businesses.
The Watermill is well known to those who live in the area as a Grade II listed building from the late 17th century situated along the River Rase.
Attendees were able to enjoy the sunshine and catch up with their neighbours and meet new people, as well as take a tour of the Watermill and the grounds.
Ellie says: “This was such a feel-good day for our family and the whole community! Everyone said they had missed this social contact during the pandemic, and they all thoroughly enjoyed the day. It was an amazing turn out with such positive feedback and support”
“My family and friends who helped us had an amazing day and we can’t wait for it to become a yearly event”
Many thanks to Ellie, Mandy and Mark and of course everyone who attended, for their donations and support.
Care for a Cuppa is a new campaign by St Barnabas Hospice, which encourages supporters to put the kettle on and host their own coffee morning, to raise vital funds for the charity.
To find out more about Care for a Cuppa or to get started on hosting your own, click here.
For every pound raised for St Barnabas, 77p goes straight towards delivering, and improving the care and support the charity offers to over 12,000 people every year. The other 23p goes towards generating future income.
Supporter wins £1,000 in weekly lottery and reclaims her garden
Gainsborough resident Ruth Neller recently won a whopping £1,000 in the weekly St Barnabas Hospice lottery, which she used to purchase a new fence.
Ruth has been supporting the charity via the lottery for years, after having great experiences with St Barnabas through the care that was provided to her parents towards the ends of their lives.
Ruth says: “Over the years I have had several £10 wins, which I have been donating back to the charity, but I could hardly believe it when I had a phone call from the lottery office to let me know that I had won £1,000!
“I was especially happy to win such a large amount because very recently a neighbour has removed a boundary hedge, leaving my sitting room and garden exposed to the view of a whole row of houses. This money has enabled me to have a fence built to restore my privacy (see picture), and I was also able to donate £100 back to St Barnabas.”
Ruth’s father Les had cancer of the bowel and liver, and was cared for at St Barnabas through his final three weeks before his death in September 1994. Ruth and her mother Margaret tried to nurse Les at home, but they felt it was much better for him when he was eventually admitted to St Barnabas.
About this experience, Ruth says: “I was working full time and it was such a relief that I was able to visit whenever I wished, and the staff made us feel so welcome.”
Sadly, within a year Margaret was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and while she was living in her own home, she took part in many of the St Barnabas day centre activities. Margaret especially enjoyed the art classes and was interviewed by BBC Radio Lincolnshire to promote an art exhibition organised by St Barnabas.
When it became hard for Ruth and her family to control Margaret’s pain at home, she too was admitted to the hospice where she died in March 1997.
Ruth comments: “My parents were married for 41 years, and they were both nursed with compassion and love. I was able to visit them and grieve for them, and not feel guilty or worried when I left them to return home.
“Staff alerted my brother and I when their deaths were imminent so that we were able to be there when they died, which was important to me and which I truly believe eased their passings.
“Since the death of my father, I have supported the hospice in a variety of ways as a way of saying thank you, and so that others might benefit from their services. The lottery is one such way.”
For just £1 per week, you can raise funds for your local hospice while being in with the chance of winning up to £1,000, just like Ruth. Members are allocated their own unique lottery number and all prizes are posted to winners, so you do not have to claim a prize manually.
To sign up to play, visit the website: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/lottery/
Local PE teacher takes on 15,000 feet mountain to fundraise for St Barnabas
At the end of July, Rick Freeman from Lincoln took on a truly massive challenge in support of St Barnabas Hospice – reaching the summit of Matterhorn in the Alps.
The Matterhorn’s summit is about 15,000 feet and is one of the tallest peaks in the Alps, as well as one of the deadliest climbs in the world. This trek is extremely perilous, with around 12 people each year dying attempting to climb the mountain.
The famous mountain is near-symmetrical and is also featured on the packaging of Toblerone chocolate. The trek took two days to complete, after three days acclimatisation and training, and was an incredible challenge.
Rick is a PE teacher for a secondary school in Sleaford and started training for the trek last year. Through JustGiving he fundraised £2,560 in support of St Barnabas Hospice, and managed to reach the summit unscathed.
Rick says: “One of my aims was to raise funds for St Barnabas Hospice, who support many families within Lincolnshire. The care and support they offer needs to be maintained at this globally difficult time.
“I aim to promote self-belief, a strong positive mindset and a can-do attitude through my work in schools to encourage students to be the best people they can be. I hope by taking on this challenge, I can help further inspire them!
“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for their donations and for supporting the challenge.”
Decades-long St Barnabas supporter raises £5,000
Joyce Smith, who has been supporting St Barnabas Hospice for over 30 years through fundraising and volunteering, was planning on taking on an incredible challenge to raise vital funds for the charity.
Joyce wanted to trek across the Great Wall of China, and raised £5,000 which she has donated to St Barnabas. The trip was originally booked for 2020, but due to Covid the adventure was postponed, and after multiple attempts at rescheduling the adventure has now sadly been cancelled by a third-party organiser.
Walking over the Great Wall of China had been on Joyce’s ‘bucket list’ and with help from her daughter Lyndsay she organised the trip for 2020. To raise as much as possible for St Barnabas, Joyce decided to ask family and friends to sponsor her.
In 2019, Joyce and her husband Paul celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and rather than asking for gifts at their party, they asked for donations for the China trip instead.
On top of the contributions they received at the party, daughter Lyndsay’s best friend Clare Senior entered a competition at her workplace with the first prize being a cheque of £3,000 to donate to a charity of the winner’s choice. Clare won and donated the money to St Barnabas through Joyce, making the total raised for the challenge £5,000.
Joyce has been volunteering for St Barnabas Hospice since February 1993, visiting patients in their homes and keeping them company. From 2013, she started volunteering at the Inpatient Unit in Lincoln (IPU), which is currently closed for refurbishment, and made sure the patients had everything they need and were comfortable. With the reopening of the IPU planned for later this year, Joyce is currently working in The Warehouse charity shop, and thoroughly enjoys her time there.
Joyce says: “I am very passionate about the Hospice and am active in raising money as well as volunteering my time.
“I am really saddened that the company that helped me organise the Great Wall of China trek have cancelled this after several rescheduling attempts. It’s a shame, and I hope I will eventually be able to make the trip. However, I am very proud of the money we have raised, and I am glad this donation will help the Hospice further.
“The idea to take on the Great Wall came about after I took on various fundraising challenges for the Hospice through the years, including going on midnight walks, braving the Fire Walk, running the London Marathon 3 times and many other activities.
“On top of this donation, I hold a tournament annually with the Lincoln Ladies Netball League, of which I am a founder member, and we always support St Barnabas with this event. We have held this tournament every year since 1998 and so far we have raised £24,000.”
“I also really enjoy volunteering, which I have been doing for decades now. The staff at The Warehouse charity shop in Lincoln are very nice and make me feel so welcome, and it’s great being able to help the Hospice in this way. Once the Inpatient Unit reopens, I will certainly go back but also stay as a volunteer at The Warehouse, as I’m a real people-person!”
Thanks to volunteers and fundraisers like Joyce, St Barnabas can deliver its care and wellbeing services to over 10,500 people every year.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, click here to find out more and register your interest.
Are you feeling inspired to take up a challenge to help raise vital funds for St Barnabas Hospice? Take a look here for ideas on how to fundraise, whether it be a big adventure like Joyce’s, or a smaller scale challenge.
For every pound raised for St Barnabas, 77p goes straight towards delivering, and improving the care and support the charity offers to over 12,000 people every year. The other 23p goes towards generating future income.
Pictured at the top are Joyce and Deborah Yarwood, St Barnabas Hospice Fundraising Officer
Breast cancer survivor carries Queen’s Baton
Rachael Bradley from Grantham, 44, was diagnosed with grade 3, stage 2 DCIS breast cancer on the day of the first lockdown in March 2020.
Not only did she survive her cancer, but she has also set up a local support group for those affected by breast cancer and was recently chosen to carry the Queen’s Baton Relay through her hometown.
After her diagnosis, Rachael publicly shared her cancer journey from start to finish, the good, bad and the ugly. During this time, Rachael had several forms of treatment; lumpectomy, six rounds of chemotherapy, 20 rounds of radiotherapy and 18 rounds of dual HER2 therapy.
As a result of chemo, her hair started to fall out, which made her decide to raise money for MacMillan by shaving her hair off live on Facebook with target of £500. By the end of the shave, just under £4,500 had been donated.
Rachael co-founded the peer support group Breast Friends in June 2021 with friend Sara Green, who is also a breast cancer survivor. They decided to set this up due to lack of local support groups for those who have been affected by breast cancer. The group is now flourishing with around 110 members, including male members, who meet up regularly as well as sharing their joys, sorrows and questions in the Best Friends Facebook group.
In April 2022, Rachael hosted the Into the Light event at Grantham Cricket Club, raising £3,500 for Breast Cancer Now and The Teenage Cancer Trust. Another exciting event, Breastival, is planned for 10th June 2023 at Grantham Cricket Club to raise funds for Breast Friends and St Barnabas Hospice. 
Rachael is a much-loved campaigner for breast awareness and cancer in general throughout the region, and also works for the tenancy services team at South Kesteven District Council.
For her hard work with Breast Friends, she was nominated by her colleagues to be one of the baton bearers for the Queen’s Baton Relay – a journey which brings together and celebrates communities across the Commonwealth during the build up to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which starts on 28th July.
Karen Bradford, Chief Executive at South Kesteven District Council, said: “Rachael is an inspiration to us all and we are very proud to have such a caring person in our team. She thoroughly deserves this recognition, and we all supported her on such a momentous occasion.”
Rachael held the baton with pride on Monday 11th July 2022 and completed the route from National Primary school to the top of Castlegate, Grantham.
To get in touch or find out more about the Breast Friends group, email breastfriendsgrantham@gmail.com or search for Breast Friends Grantham on Facebook.
St Barnabas volunteer shortlisted for BBC Radio Lincolnshire Make a Difference awards
Stephen Currie, who has been volunteering for St Barnabas Hospice for over five years, has been nominated for the coveted Volunteer of the Year Award at this year’s BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Make a Difference awards.
Stephen lives in Washingborough and started his volunteering journey with St Barnabas at Lincoln’s High Street South charity shop. He worked there for four years with manager Joanne, who nominated him for this award. 
Stephen is currently working at Lincoln’s Burton Road shop, while Joanne moved to a different charity where he also volunteers. He can be found at Burton Road several days a week, whilst also taking on extra shifts as a volunteer leader on days shop manager Karen is unavailable.
Stephen says: “I am very honoured to be shortlisted for this award, it shows the hard work we do as volunteers is truly appreciated.”
About his volunteering work, he comments: “It is great being part of a network of volunteers that help to raise funds for the Hospice, and I am doing the best I can to inspire others, as volunteers are the backbone of charities. Raising funds for charities is so rewarding and makes you feel valued.
“I have been able to do so much that I wouldn’t have done otherwise, for instance I worked at the Waterside Fashion Show two years in a row, volunteered in day-care centres, and much more.
“I also joined the St Barnabas Social Group Committee, where I helped organise events and trips for staff and volunteers until we sadly had to stop because of Covid. It has been such a great experience.
“A happy shop means happy volunteers and staff with happy customers, which in turn better raises funds for the organisation and I’m proud to be part of it!”
The local winners for the BBC Make a Difference Awards will be announced during a ceremony in September. Good luck, Stephen!
Volunteers are needed in almost all St Barnabas charity shops across Lincolnshire, of which there are 26, and we welcome volunteers from all backgrounds.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, click here to find out more and register your interest.
Below pictured left to right: St Barnabas’ Wayne Banks, Debbie Robinson, and Stephen at the Lincoln High Street South shop
Supporter to run 40km marathon for St Barnabas Hospice 40th anniversary
David Albans, a 64-year old running enthusiast, will be taking part in the 12 hour endurance marathon The Big School Run at Worksop College on Saturday 27th August to fundraise for St Barnabas Hospice and as a way to thank the charity for supporting a number of his close friends and their families in their hour of need.
The Hospice is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and is asking supporters to take up challenges with a theme around the number 40 to help raise funds. David is also celebrating an important anniversary this year, as he married his wife Kathleen 40 years ago.
David will be attempting to run for an incredible 12 hours between 7am – 7pm around the 5km circuit at Worksop College, and his goal is to run 40km, or even 40 miles if he can!
David says: “I have never done anything like this before and my longest ever run has been a half-marathon which is 21 kilometres.
“I am running to support St Barnabas Hospice’s work in helping those who need it, which recently has included some of my close friends and their families. I have witnessed what an amazing difference their support makes at a time of great difficulty for people. I know that if and when my family need it, St Barnabas will be there for us too.
“I started running in my 50’s and at the beginning I couldn’t go 200 metres without having to stop to catch my breath. I now love the challenge that distance running offers; testing both the mind and the body.
“I like being able to achieve what many people of my age wouldn’t even consider, and I would advise those of any age who are considering giving running a go, to just to start doing it regularly and this will help your progress.
“Last October I took part in the Lincoln 10K in support of St Barnabas, and though it was a very wet day, it was fantastic. The St Barnabas team gave me a lot of support, including providing me with high quality running tops with their logo, advising me how to raise funds, and being very encouraging all the way through. They were there to greet me at the finish line with smiles, congratulations and a goodie bag, which was very much appreciated. It definitely makes me feel like part of the St Barnabas team.”
To donate to David’s fundraiser, find his JustGiving page here.
In 1982 St Barnabas Hospice started from very humble beginnings with three nurses, with a vision to improve end of life care in Lincolnshire and has grown to become one of the region’s biggest charities supporting more than 10,500 people each year.
If you are inspired to host your own ’40 for 40’ event in support of St Barnabas Hospice, take a look on the website here for inspiration. Simply choose one of the themed activities or come up with your own 40-themed challenge to help raise money to support the charity’s great work.
St Barnabas patient is gifted Bell Tent Sleepover experience
Amanda Garrett from Grantham, 46, and her friends were treated to a gifted Bell Tent Sleepover Experience by local businesswoman Lisa Westwick. She was inspired by a social media post by BowelBabe, Dame Deborah James, who enjoyed a similar experience before her death on 28th June.
Lisa reached out to St Barnabas and asked if she could offer one of our patients this exciting experience. Her company, Lisa’zzz Sleep Retreat, offers sleepover experiences and wanted to do something similar for a St Barnabas patient going through a tough time.
Amanda said “I couldn’t believe it when I received the call to say Lisa would like to offer the experience to me! I was having a rough, emotional week suffering with pain, but this opportunity has really lifted my spirits and I can’t wait to have chilled night in with my girlfriends.”
The gifted Bell Tent Sleepover Experience took place on Saturday 9th July, and Amanda, along with four friends, had a great time.
Amanda says: ““I had an absolutely fantastic night! Great friends, good food and a perfect setting. The Bell Tent was such an amazing gift and the memories I made with my friends are priceless.
“Thank you to St Barnabas and Lisa for giving me this wonderful experience.”
Amanda was diagnosed in May 2020 with primary breast cancer and given the all clear in May 2021. However, just a few months later in September 2021 she was diagnosed with secondary stage 4 breast cancer which had spread to her liver, lungs, spine and pelvis.
Amanda describes understandably feeling ‘devastated and very angry’ after the diagnosis and reached out to St Barnabas Hospice straight away for support after a Macmillan specialist nurse explained what St Barnabas could offer Amanda.
Amanda is 46 with two children, and Chloe, our Welfare and Benefits team lead, was able to guide Amanda through what financial support she was entitled to and helped claim her disability badge to make trips out more comfortable and stress free for Amanda and her family.
“I’ve used the relaxation classes and counselling services at St Barnabas in Grantham. They’ve been amazing. I am feeling “reasonably well” now, but my life is full of appointments, so I want to cut them back and have some more normal days. However, I know these free services are there waiting for me when I need them in the future and that is comfort.
“I can honestly say St Barnabas have been amazing, they have helped me so much. There is always someone at the end of the phone, and they just have advice and a listening ear. Chloe even came to my house, sat down with me and went through the forms, applications and supported me. I really feel like I’ve got someone on my side helping me live better.”
If you or someone you know is affected by a life-limiting or terminal illness and need help with finding out financial support that may be available, take a look at our Welfare and Benefits services on our website here.
Below: Amanda and her sons
Jean’s Care for a Cuppa fundraiser
Best friends Jean and Marion are hosting a Care for a Cuppa in support of St Barnabas Hospice, who they have both supported significantly with fundraising since the death of their respective husbands 10 years ago.
Jean and Keith Bray were six weeks short of their 45th wedding anniversary when Keith died after a yearlong battle with lung cancer.
Jean says: “Keith had a number of trial drugs, but nothing was helping. After a family meeting with our children, Keith decided that it was time to stop the trials and make the most of the time he had left.
“The Hospice at Home nurses would visit us to make sure he was comfortable and had everything he needed. I always thought he would want to be at home when the time came, but when we got to the Hospice when Keith needed more care, we felt this overwhelming sense of being safe.”
Jean and Keith have two children, Donna and Carl, who gave them eight grandchildren (four boys and four girls). With a big family, all wanting to support their parents and grandparents, the Hospice was able to offer them space to say their goodbyes.
Jean continues: “Some of my children don’t live close by, so being able to stay over in the family rooms made everything easier. We all felt looked after, it wasn’t just about Keith. It felt like they were caring for us all.”
“When Keith was on the ward, I kept seeing Marion with her husband, Den who was poorly too. We never really spoke, but just smiled knowing what each other was going through.”
Keith died peacefully with Jean and family by his side. In the weeks after his death, St Barnabas nurses would reach out to Jean to join a bereavement support group, hosted nearby.
Jean remembers initially feeling too upset and not wanting to attend, but after a little encouragement joined the session.
“I looked around the room and was a lot younger than the others. I felt angry because I didn’t feel old enough to have lost my husband. Then, I spotted Marion. From that point we started talking and supporting each other. It’s been 10 years now and she is my best friend.
“Marion and I have done a lot to support St Barnabas over the years, and this next coffee morning will mark 10 years since Keith and Den died. We wanted to do something to say thank you again to the Hospice and the people who helped them.
Jean and Marion will be hosting a Care for a Cuppa in Jean’s garden, one of Keith’s favourite spaces.
“Keith was a keen gardener and loved his allotment. I hope the weather is nice and our friends and family can enjoy the day in the garden – Keith would have liked that.”
To find out more about Care for a Cuppa or to get started on hosting your own, click here.
“Nanny always looked after everyone so well. We all loved her. I miss her so much. Thank you to the nurses at St Barnabas for caring for my Nanny.”
Luca, age 8 will be running in memory of his Nanny, Karen at the Colour Dash and has raised an incredible £350 using his Facebook Fundraiser. We have spoken to Luca to learn a little more about his Nanny and to his mum Lydia, Karen’s stepdaughter about the support the family received from St Barnabas.
“Nanny always looked after everyone so well. We all loved her so much. We used to walk into Lincoln, over the blue bridge. I always wanted to wait for the trains, and she’d let me. I miss her so much. Thank you to the nurses at St Barnabas for caring for my Nanny.”
Lydia, Luca’s mum and Karen’s stepdaughter explains why St Barnabas means so much to the family.
“Karen was my step mum, and me and my siblings felt so blessed to have her in our lives. She loved us, and my mum, her wife Ashley immensely. She had a wicked sense of humour and absolutely adored her grandchildren. They gave her so much joy, especially when they reached toddler age and started to get into things and started to express their personalities. Karen loved to travel and had been many places and had a huge love of animals. A keen tennis fan, she loved Wimbledon and didn’t miss it for 20 years. Karen worked as a nurse for the NHS for over 30 years and loved her job.
We were so blessed to have Karen in our lives and love us all the way she did. She was the best sounding board and have the best advice.
We miss her every day.
Karen was 63 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It was a real blow to us all, but she vowed to fight it all the way and that’s exactly what she did.
Karen had a very rare form of ovarian cancer and it was exceptionally aggressive. But she underwent treatment she was told she couldn’t have because it wouldn’t work, but it did! Her prognosis was six months, but she stayed with us for two and a half years. She gave it everything she had. She was strong and we drew from her strength. She was a warrior and we fought hard with her. Now that she has gone, there is a huge void in our lives.
Karen wished to remain at home until she passed away and St Barnabas were key in making sure that this time at home was as comfortable as possible and that she maintained her dignity. They were so caring, thoughtful, kind and considerate and not just to Karen, the care extended to us too.
They were excellent after Karen had died, making sure my Mum, Ashley had access to counselling and support.”
If you would like to set up your own Facebook Fundraiser, to raise your sponsorship for the Colour Dash – it can be done in minutes.