Welcome

Welcome to our Summer newsletter.

As I write this, the sun is shining on one of the warmest days of the year, there is the constant whizz of traffic from the road beside me with people heading out to make the most of the beautiful weather and England have just kicked off their first game in the Euros. Life seems to be buzzing all around us.

I’m not entirely sure how to summarise the last few months but to say it very much remains an ebb and flow situation. In the words of my countryman Robert Burns in the poem ‘To a Mouse’ he said, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men. Gang aft a-gley”. Or, the best laid plans of mice and men can still go wrong. It feels a little like that at times; you can try to plan as best you can, but it doesn’t always turn out that way. Sometimes, you just need to go with the flow.

As a Charity one thing we can never really plan for, or depend upon, is income we receive from people who have kindly remembered the work of Forest Holme Hospice in their wills. Therefore, we try to plan as many fundraising events and initiatives to ensure that we have a consistent level of income throughout the year to meet the costs of the many areas of work we support in the hospice.

It will come as no surprise to you that the last year has had a considerable effect on our ability to fundraise, but we have been very fortunate in monies we have received through legacies this year, which has meant that we can continue to provide this lifeenhancing support, and even increase some areas of nursing and counselling, to meet the growing need within our community. To everyone who took the time to plan leaving a gift in their will to Forest Holme, we thank you. Their thoughtful planning has made it easier for us to carry on during an incredibly difficult time.

The past year has probably helped focus our minds on what really matters most to us. The little things, which often make the greatest impact on our health and wellbeing, that often get taken for granted are overlooked in our rush to live life on a daily basis.