On Friday 6th September, St Barnabas Hospice hosted an intimate event to celebrate 10 years of their ‘Hospice in the Hospital’ service at Grantham and District Hospital.
Attendees included St Barnabas executives, trustees, volunteers and clinical staff, alongside members of the community who have been integral in supporting and fundraising for the charity’s services in Grantham and surrounding areas.
The intimate event, which took place at the Hospice in Grantham itself, was hosted to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the opening of the ward, which first opened on Monday 8th September 2014.
The first patient was admitted the following day, on Tuesday 9th September 2014, and since that time, nearly 1,500 patients have been admitted to the Hospice.
Lisa Roberts, Ward Manager at the Hospice in Grantham, said: “We have looked after so many families who all bring a different story with them. These stories are wonderful to hear and help tremendously in developing the connections we have with our patients.
“An overarching impression is that the Grantham Community have embraced the Hospice and support us extremely well, with donations of equipment and sometimes cake!
“We have a wonderful group of volunteers who are very dedicated and for some volunteers they have been supporting the Hospice nearly from the beginning.
“We have also been here to support our wider team at Grantham Hospital when their patients have required hospice care. Staff across the Hospital often “pop in” for a chat or for some support in times of need. This demonstrates the power of the Hospice and the supportive care we are able to give to the wider community.”
Attendees at the event were invited to reflect in the beautiful garden, which has and continues to provide a place of solace for patients and their families.
Alongside this, a dedicated volunteer, Nicki Johnson, whose mum was cared for on the ward, made and delivered homemade cakes for all to enjoy.
A special addition to the event included 10 engraved ironwork feathers in the garden of the Hospice, to represent each year that the ward has been open and providing care.
The feathers were originally part of the Hospice’s in-memory appeal ‘Feathers from Above’ which took place earlier in the year and honoured over 2,000 loved ones who are no longer with us.
St Barnabas Hospice Deputy CEO, Michelle Webb, gave an emotional speech at the event. She said: “On behalf of the Executive Board I would like to express our thanks for a decade of hard work, dedication, and compassionate care.
“Alongside Lisa and her remarkable team, I would like to extend that thanks to our volunteers and generous donors. Your contributions of time and resources have been invaluable, and without you, our work would not be possible.
“To mark this special occasion, we have placed 10 ironwork feathers in our garden, each engraved to symbolise the 10 years of care we’ve provided. I believe you’ll agree that this is a beautiful way to both commemorate our milestone and remember the patients we’ve had the privilege to care for over the past decade.”
St Barnabas Hospice would like to thank all who attended the event, and those who continue to support the Hospice in Grantham, and across the county.
To find out more about St Barnabas’ ‘Hospice in the Hospital’ at Grantham, alongside other care and services provided across Lincolnshire, please visit the St Barnabas Hospice website.