Your Hospice Matters Issue 16

Your

HOSPICE MATTERS ISSUE

16

Supporting children through grief Pages 3 and 8

Join our Tree of Love celebrations Page 4

www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk

Patient and Family Support Page 5

@CynthiaSHospice Cynthia Spencer Hospice CynthiaSpencerCharity CynthiaSpencerTV

e m o c l e W ehalf of the hospice and Cynthia Spencer On bHospice Charity may I wish you a warm

Your donation can make a real difference

welcome to the Autumn 2021 issue of Your Hospice Matters. It’s usually a member of our wonderful hospice care team you hear from here, but I wanted to take this opportunity to give you all a little update on how could give wellbeing fundraising has been going through these difficult times and to thank you patients access to virtual support including relaxation techniques, for your loyal, ongoing support, which we value greatly. seated Tai Chi and fatigue The charity has faced a year and a half of huge challenges with almost

management all of our usual fundraising opportunities being made impossible through lockdowns and restrictions. Thankfully though we were able to hold Cycle4Cynthia in September, our first live event since 2019, but could buy the resources for a child to start participant numbers, and therefore fundraising, were severely down. creating a memory box to To try and make up some of this shortfall so we can still continue caring remember a loved one for patients like the ones you will read about on pages three, eight, 12 and 14 we have created a Christmas Cash Prize Draw and you’ll find within a raffle ticket booklet explaining how it works and how you can help could help fund by buying tickets and selling them to friends and family. With cash prizes a counselling session for a totalling £2,500, winning could really make someone’s Christmas! patient or their loved one to support them at a I’m pleased we’re able to introduce to you Rachel Canterbury, our new

challenging time Clinical Psychologist, a role that is being fully funded by the charity and only made possible through your support and generous donations.

On page five Rachel talks about her work providing vital support to our could pay for an overnight stay by a Hospice@Home nurse at patients and their families together with Claire Mould our Palliative Care a patient’s home Patient & Family Liaison Worker, and our Chaplain, Gerard O’Flaherty.

Finally, I wanted to mention our Tree of Love services which you’ll read more about on page four. We’re delighted to be able to welcome you could pay for back to join us at the Cathedral of Our Lady & St Thomas to see our tree 10 visits to a patient from a illuminated and recall fond memories of your loved ones, something we hospice@home nurse weren’t able to do last year.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Your Hospice Matters. We’d love could pay to hear your feedback so please do drop us an email on fundraising@ for eight full days of cynthiaspencer.co.uk if you have any comments. care for one patient in the inpatient unit Thank you again for your continuing Anita Frith support and we wish you all the very best for the forthcoming festive season. Director of Income Generation, Cynthia Spencer Hospice

£ 4 .50

£24.50

£45

£145

£450

£4,500

Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity The Fundraising Office Cynthia Spencer Hospice Pondwood House, Pondwood Close Moulton Park, Northampton NN3 6RT Telephone: 01604 973340 Email: fundraising@cynthiaspencer.co.uk www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1174402 Company Number 10934348

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Cynthia Spencer Hospice

CynthiaSpencerCharity

@CynthiaSHospice

Cynthia SpencerTV

Cynthia Spencer Hospice Charity

Your Hospice Lottery www.yourhospicelottery.org.uk This newsletter is produced twice a year and is sent to over 10,000 supporters.

If you have any comments we would very much like to hear from you. If you would prefer to receive the newsletter by email or not to receive it at all please either email, telephone or write to us at the address shown opposite.

Jo with her Dad and sisters Rebecca and Amanda

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“You made the hardest time in our lives beautiful”

ebecca wanted to share the story of her sister, Jo and celebrate the amazing, personalised support the hospice gave to her and her family both during her care and following her death. Jo was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2009 when she was 40 years old. After battling eight years of treatment including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the pain became too much and Jo’s body was exhausted, and then thankfully a bed was found for her in the hospice.

Rebecca’s memories of the hospice are still so strong: “The environment of Cynthia Spencer is like no other, a place of peace and tranquillity.

Even as you are walking in the face of such a sad journey, the “earth angel” staff always have time for you. Nothing is too much trouble.”

As Jo’s cancer had spread, her condition had become more complicated resulting in her having a colostomy. She passed away on 19th February 2017 from renal failure.

“On the day of her passing, the staff called me and I got all of my family together. We were in a quiet room with Jo, provided with support and care when needed but allowed to spend all our time loving her until she peacefully passed. The staff then placed Jo in the chapel with snowdrops

Jo and her niece Madeline with the comfort quilt she was given by the hospice

by her hair. The staff cried with us too. Afterwards they allowed us to visit and sit in the chapel, light candles and to visit Jo’s fairy garden. As a family we will be forever in the debt of the amazing staff who help make such a devastating time in your life so beautiful.”

Rebecca and her family now support the hospice charity in raising money having taken part in the Bubble 5K event at Abington Park and have made donations through Facebook Fundraisers: “The hospice is our charity of choice and if we can help in any way we will. If we can help one person in receiving the care Jo was given then I know one family will be supported and the person passing will be given the best loving care and nonjudgemental, compassionate support. The hospice is a little piece of heaven on earth. You made the hardest time in our lives beautiful. Those are the memories we treasure. You gave Jo a quality of life so we could say goodbye to her.”

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Join our

Patient and Family Support

P celebrations – your opportunity to join together again to light up a life Just like Christmas 2020, this festive season is going to be an important time to remember those loved ones we have lost either over the years, or more recently. Our Tree of Love celebrations on 14th and 16th December at The Cathedral of Our Lady and St Thomas give you the chance to come together to remember the people you will be missing this Christmas. you how much believe just know It’s hard to one even though you me so ss mi n ca e by your sid they’re still

My favourite memories of my Mum and Dad are from spending time doing the simplest things but doing them together e with ng tim spendi g all the about hin is is er as h Christm u love and c yo make those es you memori

Your dedications By making a donation you’ll also be showing the hospice and our care teams how much you love and appreciate the care they gave to your loved one and continue to give throughout our community.

Make your dedication by visiting www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk/treeoflove.

Alternatively you can call 01604 973340 and make your dedication and donation over the phone. If you would like to receive a dedication form through the post which you can complete and send back to us please let us know by calling 01604 973340 or emailing fundraising @cynthiaspencer.co.uk.

Tree of Love services It gives us great pleasure to be able to welcome you back to our usual services in the Cathedral after our celebrations had to be recorded and played online last December. We’re very pleased that once again Alison Roddy will perform and herald the magical moment our Tree of Love is lit, each light representing a life that is being fondly remembered. Our own hospice choir will also join us along with choirs from local schools. We will have our usual readings from some of our volunteers and staff and plenty of moments for quiet reflection.

All dedications received by 29th November 2021 will once again feature in our commemorative Order of Service which will be available at the Cathedral.

For more information about this year’s Tree of Love services please visit www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk/treeoflove

£ 15 could cover one

hour of vital nursing support in our inpatient unit

£ 36 could pay for an occupatiobal therapy session for one patient

£ 47 could cover one home visit from a hospice@home nurse

atient and family support at Cynthia Spencer Hospice combines together practical and emotional support to patients and their relatives and carers.

This includes psychological and social support, spiritual care, counselling and bereavement support. Though the entire hospice team play a part in the holistic style of care delivered to all patients on their journey with us, three key members of staff bring unique skills to the way they care for our patients and their families. And the impact and benefit of these unique skills and experience provides an unwavering support to patients as well as the wider care team.

Let’s introduce them to you now: “ am responsible for the social care assessments for our inpatients and families, offering practical and emotional support which can cover a variety of issues that might arise during someone’s stay at the hospice. I also have a very special interest in supporting the needs of children who are facing bereavement of their special person. I am able to provide a number of resources for children to help our families talk together about their special person’s illness and bereavement.

These resources include memory boxes which can be given to children and adolescents. The boxes include contents and ideas to help young people express their feelings and keep memories of their special person safe, and which can help them through their own grief journey. I am truly passionate about the work

I do and forever humbled by those people I am helping.”

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Claire Mould Palliative Care Patient & Family Liaison Worker

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e offer care and support for the issues of the mind and heart.

This support is called spiritual care because it touches those unseen, inward places that form each one of us to be unique and special individuals. Our support is available to all patients receiving care in the Gerard inpatient unit, in their own homes or on an outpatient basis, whether O’Flaherty they are of faith or not, and also extends to their families and carers.

Chaplain Some thoughts and emotions are difficult to express and explore, particularly with those closest to you and this is where our Chaplaincy may be able to help. We are trained to be careful and compassionate listeners offering confidential, non-judgemental support regardless of denomination, culture or ethnicity.” “

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s a psychologist my experience is in working with people to help them make sense of their emotional experiences, to recognise strengths and vulnerabilities and to find ways to cope with the physical, emotional and relationship challenges they might face. There are times when those challenges can feel overwhelming. It can be difficult to make sense of feelings and hard to know how to move forward. The holistic approach to care at Cynthia Spencer Hospice recognises the importance of attending to the whole person (physical, spiritual and psychological) and I am very fortunate to be working alongside Claire and Gerard. I look forward to drawing on their skills and experience to further expand the patient and family support we offer”. “

Thaonuk y

Rachel Canterbury Clinical Psychologist

for all the generous donations which have allowed us to provide a large amount of this Patient and Family Support. We could not do what we do for our patients without the generosity of our supporters.

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Hi, and welcome to the

Hospice News

We are the retail team behind eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and the charity warehouse in Moulton Park in Northampton.

Dressing well shouldn’t cost the earth Page

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he stats are alarming: around 300,000 tonnes of textile waste are thrown away each year in the UK, with ay rd tu Sa a Extr £140 million worth of it ending up in landfill, shopping Christmas dates: and only one per cent recycled. With the ber th Novem 13 • fashion industry reported to be the

r be em ov th N planet’s second biggest polluter (after oil), • 27 r be em h Dec • 4t ber people are beginning to wake up to the e are always • 11th Decem r ecembe true cost of all those hardly worn outfits looking for new • 18th D languishing in the back of the wardrobe. volunteers to join our So, there’s never been a better time to retail team, currently we really need help sorting step off the fast fashion treadmill and through all the wonderful donations to prepare embrace slower, more sustainable them for sale in our shop or online. shopping. Visit our Moulton Park shop We also need a social media guru to come as we’re just launching our Autumn/ and build amazing content for our Instagram Winter season and I can’t wait for you page. To find out how you can start volunteering to see the bargains we have in store! please call our team on 01604 973349 So remember, while a ‘new’ dress might give you a buzz “The quality is so good, #meetthevolunteers for a day or two, charity shops no one would know where spread good vibes in every “Hi, I’m Paul and I volunteer three you bought them unless mornings a week. After leaving my last direction. The cause, the you choose to brag about job of nearly 16 years I wanted to do community, the planet, your it, like this dress I recently something very different and as Cynthia wore to a wedding. I could pocket—everybody wins.

Spencer is very close to my heart, Our Donation Station & Shop easily have spent £100+ on I thought volunteering for this great the high street but instead I is open Monday to Friday charity would be ideal. I’ve been made wore this gorgeous Principles to feel very welcome and we’re now such 9am to 4.30pm and the piece which was less than £8 second Saturday of every a well-oiled machine that we can post from our LovedbyCynthia month 9am to 3pm. out over 300 items in a morning.”

Volunteers

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Sharon volunteering with other members of the team at Northampton Town Football Club

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eet Sharon Collins! Sharon will be making links with local community groups, the local school, golf club and pubs in and around Collingtree.

A big part of what Sharon will be doing is recruiting volunteers in this area and setting up fundraising projects for the community to get involved with.

GOLDEN TREE £3.29*

WINTER ROBINS £3.49

ROBIN WREATH £3.29*

PERFECT PUDDING £2.49

Order online (QR code below) or via our hospice fundraising office on 01604 973340 or instore at our Donation Station and shop in Moulton Park

CHRISTMAS SLEDGE BY THE FIRE *shipping early Nov £3.29* £2.99*

TREE OF LOVE BADGES £1 EACH available in blue and green

....................

REMEMBER SOMEONE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET

LIGHT UP A LIFE STAR PIN £1

We are very much looking forward to work with Sharon and supporting her.

Sharon said: “I am so looking forward to volunteering at the events planned for over the months ahead as things are getting back to some sort of normality. It is an exciting time as

we start to plan many exciting events and start fundraising again and such a great time to be a Community Ambassador at Cynthia Spencer.”

Could you be our next Volunteer Community Ambassador? Come and join this exclusive team!

We are looking for volunteers all over South Northamptonshire but particularly in the Daventry and Towcester areas. Please get in touch with Jenny Standen at jenny@cynthiaspencer.co.uk or call 01604 973345 if you think this is something you’d love to be involved in.

45th Anniversary Christmas Cash Prize Draw

clearance outlet” – Charlotte

2021 Christmas cards

Introducing our new Volunteer Community Ambassador for the Collingtree area in Northampton

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e are delighted to introduce our Christmas Cash Prize Draw, with the opportunity to win cash prizes totalling £2,500, which is sure to be a lovely windfall for someone in the run up to Christmas.

As our fundraising recovers from the lingering effects of two lockdowns and with events still only attracting participants at 40% of pre-pandemic numbers, we’ve had to be more creative and introduce new campaigns so that the support that we give our care teams isn’t affected, enabling them to

support our patients and their families in exactly the same way.

By buying the tickets in the enclosed raffle booklet, or by selling them to friends, family, or colleagues you will be supporting the hospice and our patients this Christmas as they face a very uncertain end to the year.

Hopefully you’ll pick up one of our cash prizes too, to make this Christmas that bit more special for you and your family!

Good luck!

For more information and full Terms and Conditions please visit www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk/christmasdraw or call 01604 973340

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Corporat e News

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QI Group have been a great support to Cynthia Spencer Hospice over the last year, showing they really know how to think outside the box and coming up with new ways to get everyone involved virtually all over the country, even as far as Scotland!

Memory boxes and teddies help Claire’s daughters with their grief

It’s 5 Cities in 5 Days for Gary and Grant

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C

laire’s best friend, Debs was like an honorary Auntie to Claire’s two daughters. Debs became poorly in January 2018 and was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in August that year.

In 2019 she was admitted into the hospice inpatient unit when it was discovered that the cancer had spread to her brain.

Claire said: “The care Debs received was outstanding.

Nothing was too much trouble, she could have all her items around her in her room, we could bring in things for her like flowers and food. My daughters drew her some pictures which we put up on the wall. When we visited, staff would help her into a wheelchair so we could take her outside into the beautiful, peaceful woodlands for fresh air and a change of scenery. We were also treated with respect, everyone was very friendly and helpful.”

Both Claire’s daughters were given memory boxes, comfort quilts and teddy bears and as Claire recalls these have become very precious reminders of Debs: “Debs said the bears were a hug from her for whenever they were 8

Debs and Claire in the hospice woodland with Claire’s husband Andy and their daughters Ellie and Abi

hospice staff rang me giving me time to make the journey to be with her.

“I think what stays with me the most is how Debs was treated in her final hours. The respect and missing her. For her to be able to care shown just blew me away.

Debs was unresponsive that day give these items to my girls was and the staff came in regularly important as she worried about to move her position and spoke the effect her death would have to her with such kindness and on them. They treasure them respect, something I had just and sleep with the bears and quilts on their beds, helping them never witnessed before.

“After Debs’ passing we returned with their grief.” to the hospice a few weeks later Claire didn’t live locally to the hospice and recalls how she was and the staff allowed my girls to go and put some painted stones able to keep in touch with Debs that we had done in the garden. as much as possible: “Living 70 We also purchased one of the miles away made me feel a little forget me not flowers in her helpless but I knew Debs was being looked after and cared for memory, for our own garden at to the highest level. I was able to home. We will forever be grateful for the outstanding care that Debs phone at any time and speak to received, thank you.” her. On the day she passed, the

ary Wilson of GPW Consulting and Grant Phillips from GPC Group completed their 555 challenge in August 2021 which saw them run 5K in five cities in five days to support both the hospice and The Lewis Foundation. The duo visited Edinburgh, Birmingham, Cardiff and London before finally finishing up in Northampton. Gary said: “We undertook the challenge to test ourselves outside of our comfort zones and as a way of raising funds for two fantastic charities that are close to our hearts. It was tough, especially the 1,380 miles of driving in between, but we did it and when all donations are in, we should have raised £2,500+ for these two amazing causes.”

BQI Group think outside the box for the hospice “It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside Cynthia Spencer Hospice this year. We have hosted several charity events in 2021, including quizzes and comedy bingo and most recently took part in the Mudnificent 7 muddy run. All of the fundraising that we have done has helped bring our team together, especially throughout the pandemic which has been a very hard time, especially for charities so we know it is vital that we do what we can as a company.”

Lorraine Brown, HR & Office Coordinator, BQI group

Could we be your Charity of the Year?

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s we head towards 2022 we are once again looking to businesses in the local area to support Cynthia Spencer as their Charity of the Year. This relationship with us has many benefits including exposure to a wide audience through our social media platforms and PR opportunities, demonstrating company values and commitment to your customers, employees and local community. It can also be very effective for boosting staff morale and encouraging team building too. There are so many ways a business can approach their Charity of the Year commitment including fundraising, volunteering, networking, taking part in various events and so much more! Just a couple of businesses that have supported us in this way include Piroto Labelling and Silverstone Fleet Management. Piroto Labelling have raised over £70,000 while Silverstone Fleet Management have raised over £7,000 since our partnership began in 2018. We welcome applications from businesses of any size to support us this way as we really couldn’t do what we do for our patients without the amazing support of a whole range of local businesses.

Please contact nina@cynthia spencer.co.uk for more information or visit www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk/ get-involved/corporate-support

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OuranSdupporters £650 was raised by Yvonne Watts who held a tea party in memory of her Mum

Caitlin Alderman went for the chop and had her long hair cut off to raise money for the hospice.

She raised £355 in memory of her Granddad

Nick Phillips raised £261 by holding a street party with his neighbours

10 year old Harry wanted to do something to raise money during lockdown and started to draw pictures which he began selling for £1 each, raising a total of £60 for the hospice

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Sarah Callan swam just over 5km between the islands of Paxos and Antipaxos in Greece to raise money in memory of her Dad Geoff. She’s raised £1,320 so far

Metro Bank not only played in our Golf Marathon but also raffled a hamper raising £400.

The team has also supported through networking and volunteering

Kilby Fox took part in our Golf Marathon in celebration of the hospice’s 45th anniversary and raised a total of £1,570

EBC Brakes have raised £1,453 through hamper raffles since November 2020

Did you know about these new and exciting ways you can support the hospice with Your Hospice Lottery while being in with the chance of winning big cash prizes?

Irene Abbott turned her creative skills into fundraising by making piggy hot water bottles and donated the £250 from selling them

Single tickets Whether you’re a long-term supporter and feel like increasing your chances of winning or you’re just feeling lucky, you can purchase single tickets without the need of a membership for just £1 per play. The draw takes place every Friday purchase your tickets before 9am the day before the draw to be entered. Any tickets purchased after 9am on Thursday will be entered into the following Friday’s draw.

Thank you!

n’t have tely we do Unfortuna feature to e ac enough sp e pages es th on everyone lly e continua but we ar ything er ev r fo grateful r us. you do fo

Play & Save Reward Card If you play Your Hospice Lottery in support of Cynthia Spencer Hospice you will have access to several discounts at a variety of local businesses ranging from take-out restaurants to home and beauty. Your Play & Save Reward Card will be sent by email and if you use it regularly enough, you could save more than your annual lottery membership!

Visit https://www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk/get-involved/lottery/ or call 0800 285 1390 to find out more 13

Support for our Wellbeing patients continues!

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Social support We understand that the social benefit of attending wellbeing sessions is incredibly important.

Our befriending programme help patients have regular social contact over the phone and are made by either a member of staff or a volunteer.

One volunteer who has been making befriending calls is Trevor Hardwell who said: “Some of the patients I know already as I used to drive them to the Wellbeing Centre but all of them are so positive about life, they’re fantastic. Some say they’ve been waiting by the phone for my call which is lovely.

It’s kept me going too through lockdown because if I’m helping other people, it helps me too”.

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ur Wellbeing service has been continuing to take referrals and support patients and carers to help them feel just as supported at home as they would do if they were attending their usual sessions at the Wellbeing Centre. Sessions remain on a virtual basis but our Wellbeing team are hopeful we will be able to switch back to one to one sessions and eventually group activities once guidance and restrictions allow. Patients also have access to a series of eight videos, covering relaxation, seated Tai Chi and fatigue management. The videos are fully subtitled and accessed online and are available any time the patient wants to follow them.

Virtual Wellbeing services Online Get Active Group This activity-based group is aimed as a warm up ahead of when we can get back together and start face to face exercise again. The programme will consist of 6 weeks of discussions, advice and goal setting around increasing activity levels appropriately for participants.

Online seated Tai Chi Participants have an online individual assessment first to get set up with access to Microsoft Teams and ensure the group is appropriate for them. A brand new set of instructional videos

are now also available and will be sent direct to patients so they can practice at home.

Breathlessness Management Support takes place through oneto-one telephone appointments or virtual one to one meetings and community visits where the patient requires it. If help accessing and using technology if needed we’re happy to provide it too so patients get the most benefit out our virtual sessions.

Fatigue Management Offered through one-to-one telephone appointments and supporting information packs sent to individual patients. Online groups are being set up to share hints and tips on fatigue management, to create similar group setting we would normally have in the wellbeing lounge, just virtually instead.

How do I access Wellbeing at Cynthia Spencer?

Wellbeing at Cynthia Spencer is available for patients with a life-limiting illness over the age of 18. To access the service you will need to have been referred by your healthcare practitioner. This can be your GP, nurse, social worker, or allied health professional. At this point sadly we cannot take direct referrals from patients, family or friends.

To discuss a particular programme or to find out more about our service you can call our team on 03000 271260 or visit www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk/wellbeing

Looking forward to Christmas Messages of Christmas Love – a great fundraising activity for schools

Communit y Fundraising

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et creative and design your own festive Christmas Message of Love Board in aid of Cynthia Spencer Hospice! You could put this up in your own classrooms or at a central point in your school for all pupils, staff and parents to see. The way the Messages of Christmas Love work is that you ask each person to make a donation of 50p to write their own message to someone they care about, someone they’ve lost, or just a lovely greeting to cheer everyone up this Christmas. We’ll provide you with message slips to keep with the display for people to write their message.

To get involved simply email community@cynthiaspencer.co.uk Why not #snapandshare? Take some photos of your Christmas display and share on social media tagging us in and adding #45yearsofcynthiaspencer

Could you run a Christmas quiz for your family, have a festive bake off at work, plan a church Christmas raffle or even have a winter wonderland themed tea party. Get your thinking caps on and get in touch with us for posters, balloons and bunting!

Contact Jenny at community @cynthiaspencer.co.uk or call on 01604 973345 for more ideas.

Christmas Hampers

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ur amazing hampers, created by fabulous volunteer, Lesley have raised lots of money over the year and she’s a dab hand at knowing just what needs to go into a festive hamper to really entice people to buy tickets in hopes of winning it! If you’d like one of Lesley’s very special Christmas hampers get in touch on community@ cynthiaspencer.co.uk or call 01604 973345

Jingle bells…jingle bells…

Father Christmas is calling you!

That’s right, your little ones could be receiving a call or letter from the North Pole! Take part in our festive fundraising event to bring plenty of Christmas cheer to your home and to our patients too!

Give them a very special Christmas memory they’ll never forget – a natter with ol’ Saint Nick himself, just to check up on how the Christmas list is coming on, or a personalised letter to your little one complete with a bag of food to put out for Rudolph and the other reindeers on Christmas Eve. Phone call from Father Christmas

Personalised letter from Father Christmas

£8.99

£4.99

Get your Festive fundraising thinking caps on!

Personalised letter from Father Christmas

(including reindeer food):

£6.99

Bookings open: Monday 1st November 2021 Calls to Father Christmas will last: 5-10 minutes

Look out for more on our website www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk and social media For more information email community@cynthiaspencer.co.uk

Events and Challenges 973 miles in 9 days!

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year old Nicole was a patient in the

inpatient unit very recently having

been admitted in July 2021 following her diagnosis of an Astrocytoma Grade Four tumour in March 2019. After two operations followed by a course of chemotherapy had not been very successful, she decided to stop all treatment to give herself the chance to live her life with some quality.

Her sister Chloe, who together with her husband and family have been Nicole and Chloe fundraising for the hospice since Nicole’s admission told us: “Unfortunately Nicole had an allergic reaction to her medication which is why she had her stay at the hospice was there until 20th August 2021.

Chloe continued: Before being admitted Nicole was very “Nicole was grateful uncomfortable and in a lot of pain. to the nurses and The hospice diagnosed her with doctors at the hospice Enterocous Fuecuis Sepsis in her legs for giving her time to which they treated. start her recovery.

“She was feeling very nervous about Since returning home going to the hospice but was soon she is feeling much made to feel welcome and describes more comfortable and the hospice as homely and comforting. is still getting support She said how the staff were so friendly from the hospice who and kind to both her and her family have helped put carers Nicole, Chloe and Nicole’s and they made her children feel in place as well as youngest daughter at comfortable to visit and provided organised a visit from one of Chloe’s recent them with lots of fun activities to share one of the hospice fundraising bake sales with her”. doctors too.

Chloe began fundraising when her “All the funds that have been raised will never be and her family decided they wanted to give enough to say thank you for all the care the hospice back to the hospice for the around the gives to the people and their families who step clock care Nicole was receiving. Chloe has turned through their doors but it’s something to help them her skills as a baker into cake sales while her provide that amazing care. We were struggling to husband David has dedicated his Virtual London give Nicole the care she needed at home so for us Marathon into a fundraiser for the hospice. the hospice has been a saving grace”.

For Nicole’s family “the hospice has been a saving grace”

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All of Chloe and David’s fundraising is being collected via a Facebook Fundraiser and her page will run until 31st October. If you would like to make a donation, please visit: www.facebook.com/donate/514810533149681/569828131128459

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ndrew Overton and James Linnell took part in the Land’s End to John O’Groats/Ride Across Britain cycle ride in September. Only a few days after completing the mammoth challenge Andrew told us: “Many of us were raising money for Cynthia Spencer and James and I have raised over £5k between us so far which is amazing! Thank you to our supporters and families who have endured our months of training and preparation. I thoroughly recommend anyone to do this challenge next year and use it to raise money for our wonderful Cynthia Spencer. It will change your life in some way and make you super fit and healthy!”

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hether you’re a

keen athlete already, or you’d like to

start getting more active,

Spencer’s Mission 28

lets you do it your way.

Rain or shine, pace or

race, you’ll be doing

something amazing to

raise valuable funds for 1st to 28th February 2022

the hospice.

We’re asking you to try to raise a minimum of £280. ual Virtlenge l By raising £280 in your challenge, you’ll receive an g Chanchin lau oon! exclusive Spencer’s Mission 28 medal and goody s pack to celebrate your achievement on completion.

On the way to reaching your target, raise £100 and we’ll send you a free CSH running top to help keep you motivated!

To register your interest email events@cynthiaspencer.co.uk

Spencer’s Mission 28

If you’d like to sponsor either James or Andrew, visit their JustGiving pages here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/james-linnell www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andrewovertonrab

3 half marathons in 3 months in Dad’s memory

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arah Beard and her

partner James only took

up running in January 2020

but by the end of October will have run 3 half marathons! Starting with the London Landmark’s Half Marathon they began fundraising in memory of Sarah’s Dad, Tim who received care from the hospice in 2004 as he battled throat cancer.

Sarah said: “I knew how proud he would have been of us, it was an emotional day and a privilege to be able to raise money for Cynthia Spencer.”

The couple have since signed up for Northampton Half Marathon and the Rock n Roll Liverpool Half Marathon.

Can you help them continue to raise as much as possible in Tim’s memory by visiting their Justgiving page and making a donation? www.justgiving.com/fundraising/s12trb

Ben Nevis 2022

O

17th to 19th June 2022

ur challenge takes you into the heart of the breath-taking Western Highlands to conquer the highest peak in Britain set at 1,345m above sea level. Our trail to the summit is technically easy, but trekking Ben Nevis is a challenge – stamina and determination are a must! The stunning views of the highlands will be with us all the way and provide a fantastic backdrop to one of the most sought-after charity challenges in the UK! Registration fee: £95 Minimum sponsorship: £600

Lands End to John O’Groats 23rd August to 4th September 2022

T

ake on the ultimate UK cycle challenge and journey the length of Britain by bike. The Land’s End to John O’Groats Challenge is an epic adventure which sees us explore three countries, twelve counties and 1000 miles of incredible countryside!

Registration fee: £349 Minimum sponsorship: £3,000

For information on these and all our challenges visit www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk/challenges

Make a gift

We rely on your support to help fund the work of Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

Please consider making a gift today and help us continue providing care for our patients and their families.

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Please return this form to: The Fundraising Office, Cynthia Spencer Hospice, Pondwood House, Pondwood Close, Moulton Park, Northampton, NN3 6RT