Hello from David
I’m proud and privileged to lead Primrose Hospice and Family Support Ce We are a much-loved local charity which thrives on serving our local community, who in turn support Primrose in so many amazing ways.
It’s a wonderful organisation to be part of and there is much to be proud including recent improvements to services and extending our reach to sup more people in our community
It is my responsibility, together with the Primrose Team, to ensure that this c community now, but also be here to support future generations.
Ensuring we have enough money to sustain and develop our services gets harder year on year Costs are increasing, demand for services is increasing and there are more worthy causes than ever before competing for financial support.
We are currently spending more money than we raise each year so we have taken steps to reduce how much we spend with sustainable initiatives like solar panels reducing our electricity costs. We are also looking to increase the money we raise by expanding our shops and expanding our fundraising activities. So far, we have managed this without any detriment to our services
We do receive a small grant from the NHS but have to raise nearly all of the £1.95 million we need every year to provide our services free.
I am extremely grateful to all the people who support us by volunteering their kindness, expertise, passion, determination and support. You make a huge difference to our community. Thank you.
How your donation could help
£35 £35 £160 £160 could allow our patients without access to a car to be transported safely to our Day Hospice for a whole month.
could contribute to a child receiving specialist support from our Family Support Team, helping them to find their way through th i i f
£350 £350
could contribute to a child attending our children’s activity days, supporting them to conne t ith others who understand their experiences.
Is how much it costs each year to fund our services, with only 14.6% being received via statutory routes. £1.95m
Chief Executive Officer
Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre
David Burrell
“I own my cancer—it doesn’t own me.”
Ruth and her family turned to Primrose Hospice after she was sadly diagnosed with terminal cancer. Overwhelmed and in need of support, Ruth found comfort in the support we provide for her and her loved ones.
One of our Clinical Nurse Specialists, Mel, introduced Ruth to our services, including Family Support for her husband and two children. She encouraged Ruth to explore our Complementary Therapies like Reiki and massage d having Reiki and massage,” Ruth shares. “Even though I can only my hands and feet massaged, it’s absolutely amazing. I didn’t ve in Reiki at first, but it’s wonderful. You leave feeling like you can on the world again, which is exactly what you need.”
daughter, Cerys, has received ongoing support from our Children’s ung Person’s team, participating in everything from our Explorations group to our Teen group and one-on-one sessions.
“The teen group is so much fun.” Cerys says “The random things we’ve done are just bonkers! It’s also nice to walk through school and recognise friends from the group.”
Ruth cherishes seeing Cerys happy and engaged. “I know she values her time here because there are things she can’t always say to me, and I understand that.” Ruth also attends our GALS group, where women with life-limiting illnesses connect over crafting, conversations or simply a slice of homemade cake.
“Coming here has changed my perspective,” Ruth says. “I own my cancer, it doesn’t own me. It’s given me a new, positive outlook.”
Thank you, Ruth and Cerys, for sharing your journey. If Primrose Hospice & F Centre could support you or your family, reach out to our team to see how we could help.
FLOURISHING FIVERS
‘Flourishing Fivers’ is a Primrose Hospice campaign which helps young people to unleash their entrepreneurial potential, whilst also being given the opportunity to fundraise for charity!
We give £5 to each child chosen to participate in the campaign, and challenge them to try and turn a fiver into a fortune! This could include buying materials to make items to sell or working together as a team to combine their money and host an event
Why not join in our ‘Go Yellow’ campaign to make those ‘fivers’ go further...see page 12 for more details.
Charity Shop Champions
Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre is fortunate to have 370 incredible volunteers who take on a wide range of roles from maintaining our beautiful garden to ensuring our charity shops are well-stocked with donations for our customers.
Each year, 78 dedicated volunteers generously give 23,868 hours of support across our five shops, keeping them running smoothly seven days a week Today we’d love for you to support us and by volunteerin
Karen has been our Headless Cr seven years “W volunteers here to look after, it’s to see everyone flourish as it bec circle for us all cake and a Chr
I’ve got so man volunteering he the shop enjoy h might be the only people they speak to that week, so if we can provide that for them it’s definitely worth doing. I get a great sense of achievement from knowing we might have helped that person and made them smile
Our top tips to help you shop pre-loved
Whether you’re a seasoned charity shop pro or just venturing into the world of secondhand shopping, we’ve got some top tips to help you get the most out of your pennies.
1. Visit regularly - Stock changes frequently across our shops, so visiting often to find the best hidden gems could help you find that unique bargain.
2. Take your time – There is always a lot to see in our shops so taking your time to find that treasure could just be worth that extra five minutes.
3. Keep an open mind - You might not find exactly what you’re looking for, but being flexible can lead to finding unexpected items, that may become your new f it !
4. Look for Labels – Designer and high-quality pieces are often donated to our shops, so next time you’re browsing keep an eye out for your next designer bargain.
The hospice benefits hugely from you volunteering but it’s also about what our get out of it too. We’re very xible across all the shops, whether you can do an hour or ten hours, we’re grateful for any support The volunteers all support each other and I’m really proud of that. We’ve always got a cup of tea and piece of cake on the go o how could you resist that?”
5. Give back – Finally, remember w your purchases have done their cyc your home to donate them back to Primrose. Your donation might become someone’s next treasure and will be helping us to raise vital funds for our services along the way
Why not invite a newbie along on your next charity shopping trip and share these tips with them?
Find out more about our shops and how you’ll be helping Primrose Hospice
Charity Shop Champions
uart has been volunteering at our Kingfisher shopping centre shop for ver three years, volunteering his time for seven days a week!
have found it to be a rewarding experience and I enjoy the social aspect ith the other volunteers, staff and customers.
nd it satisfying to know tha vital services provided by eering in our shops, I wou
ent to volunteer in with a lo ospice to be very welcom ws me to volunteer around
You’ll also see Tina if you visit our Kingfisher shopping centre shop who has also been volunteering with us for over three years.
Across all our shops, we process around 80,000 sales every year.
“I really enjoy volunteering at the Primrose shop. I love helping customers and meeting people of all walks of life. I often listen to customers’ stories, hoping I've made a difference to their day
All the volunteers here are so kind and friendly and everyone feels part of the family as they say! Come along and spend some time in a relaxed environment, you won’t regret it!
Turn the page to meet more of our volunteers and find out how you could join our volunteer team!
Journey of a retail donation
We couldn’t do it without you When you donate pre loved items you no longer need to Primro making a difference to o l i t the planet. All
Step 1:
Get everyone involved in a Spring clear o
Charity Shop Champions
Elvis started volunteering with us at the beginning of 2025. He ensures all electric items which are donated are PAT tested and safe to be re-sold to our customers.
“I volunteer because I wanted t something back to a wonderful organisation who supported me whilst my wife was having her treatment. I know support from Primrose is always there whatever your situation.
I enjoy knowing that the volunteering I’m doing is helping those who need support now an will help anyone who needs sup in the future
Without volunteers Primrose Hos struggle to provide the vital services for those in need. Your time given to the organisation will always help those accessing Primrose services Whether it be now or in the future ”
Evelyn helps to look after our thriving Ebay site which raises vital funds for us all year round.
“Volunteering allows me to focus on others rather than myself and my cancer. The support I have received from Primrose Hospice can never be repaid, but I am trying, which gives me a feeling of peace.
My most memorable moments are linked to meeting the other volunteers They are all ordinary people doing something so extraordinary, which I have personally benefitted from.
I know volunteers are a lifeline for the hospice and giving a small portion of your time increases the support, finances and care available for others’ needs at a very vulnerable time I say this as someone who has benefitted from the services Primrose Hospice provides ”
Eight exciting months of success Eight exciting months of success
We spoke to Ian our Retail Manager about our newest shop in Bromsgrov
“Our new shop in Bromsgrove opened in September 2024 and it has been a huge success with great sales and some fantastic donations of pre-loved items We wanted this shop to stand out on the high street but also to ensure donating items is easy for people, hence we have a drop off location on Windsor Street where you can park to make your donation.
We could not have achieved the sales in all our shops this year without our wonderful shop volunteers who have helped immensely to keep the shops full of stock: sorting, hanging, pricing, researching, and working on the shop floor to support this wonderful charity.
Across our shops, customers spend an average of £7.65 every time they shop. We sell valuable items and furniture worth hundreds of pounds and smaller items for a few pence, so every donation and every purchase is truly appreciated
Thank you to all our volunteers and everyone who has helped support our shops this year.
Find out more about volunteering here or call: 01527 871051
£6Entry
8th-11th
Let's hear it for our Fundraisers!
Leading with Purpose, Trekking for a Cause
Melanie Hawkett from North Worcestershire Business Leaders isn’t afraid of a challenge. In 2024 she took on an 11 day trek through the Himalayan mountains, raising £1,703 through her challenge and other events.
Melanie said: “One of our core values at North Worcestershire Business hing we do is about bringing the local brate and contribute, and I cannot thank community enough for their generous ations to support my fundraising campaigns over the years. m trekking the Sahara and Himalayas to raising funds at our nts and business awards, I am so proud of the community and commitment to supporting Primrose Hospice.”
well as her fundraising for Primrose Hospice, she has also kindly ported us with ‘Ready to Grow’ training through her company ke Strides Learning & Development We’re excited to say in 2025, anie and NWBL will continue to support Primrose at their events d will be taking on the North Worcestershire Way 26 mile challenge
o Wonderful Wing Walks for Primrose Hospice
When Alison Mills decided she wanted to take on a daring Wing Walk to raise money for Primrose Hospice she said: “I am sure we all know of someone who has been affected in some way by cancer.
Having recently seen the effects this has had on family and friends, it motivated me to focus on raising funds to help others.”
As well as challenging herself, she wanted to show cancer that everyone is still out there fighting it. She raised an incredible £3,035.
“I am a proud survivor and hope to be able to support more survivors just like me. My Wing Walk was not just a personal milestone, but a powerful statement of support for the amazing work Primrose do.”
After Rosemary’s daughter Becky sadly died from ovarian cancer she decided she wanted to help in some way by taking on her own Wing Walk Challenge.
She said: “Becky was incredibly brave throughout her treatments and was fiercely determined to be home for Christmas in 2022. She made it...just.”
Rosemary’s family have since received loving support from Primrose Hospice and she raised £4,981!
“What an amazing experience. I know Becky would be pleased for me...she occasionally said "Do it Mum" if I was dithering over making a decision. So it was apt that those words were on my Primrose t-shirt.”
A moo-mentous fundraising effort
When the Longhorn Cattle Society told us they’d raised £485 for Primrose Hospice we were so moo-ved (we’ll stop with the cow jokes now).
The donations were generously raised through the society’s Annual General Meeting where they provided a farm tour and a delicious BBQ.
We spoke to Ollie from Coopers Hill Farm on behalf of the Longhorn Cattle Society who said: “We chose Primrose because the Hospice has helped both family members and friends. We are pleased that we are to support our local charity and hope very much to do more in the future”.
Remarkable Running in Memory
After Philip Wells’ close friend Phil sadly died, he wanted to take on a running challenge in memory of him
“I knew that had he still been here, he'd have been by my side doing it all with me. So the main inspiration was him. We had entered the Race To The King but he passed before it happened, so I knew I had to complete it in memory of him and with that in mind, the year-long challenge was born.”
Phil completed over 10 challenges throughout the year totalling a massive 2,024 miles run across the year and raising an incredible £968!
Could you fundraise for us?
There are a huge variety of ways you could fundraise for Primrose Hospice, whether you prefer to do that solo or with a group of friends, we have something for everyone!
In 2024 Chadsgrove School hosted a fantastic cake sale, raising £127 for Primrose!
“The event brought together our entire school community, with generous donations of cakes and incredible enthusiasm from both pupils and staff. It was heart-warming to see the joy and excitement as we went around with music and our cake trolley, raising funds for such an important cause. Supporting Primrose Hospice’s invaluable work has been a privilege, and we hope to continue helping in the future.”
How do I get in touch with the fundraising team? Dates for
Call us: 01527 889796
Email us: fundraising@primrosehospice.org www.primrosehospice.org
Join us at our events: Cake with
Snowdon at Sunrise: 18th May
Go Yellow: 7th-22nd June
Primrose Tea Party: 14th June
Memory Walk: 6th July
Corporate Dinner: 25th September
Check our website for more info: primrosehospice org/support-us/events-calendar
Caring with Compassion
Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre has a team of truly special staff and volunteers who help us deliver vital care and support for our community. Today we’d like to invite you to get to know staff nurse Alison and find out more about how our clinical team support our wonderful patients…
“I’ve had the pleasure of working at Primrose Hospice for over two years now and I can really say no two days are ever the same
I love seeing the difference we make to patients and families I feel privileged to see first hand how our support brings comfort, dignity, and a better quality of life. We are continually reminded of impact by the positive feedback we receive, which reminds us of the meaningful connections we build an the lasting support we provide.
Our Day Hospice session then starts which can be anything from discussions around pain management to a singalong with Roger our regular ‘Elvis’ impersonator.
After this we provide a healthy and nutritious lunch for all our patients This is an important time for us as we can assess w patients are managing with their ietary requirements and any help hey may need here or at home
My day starts by being greeted by o lovely volunteers on reception who le me know if any patients have cancelled their visit or need phone advice from our tea
We then have a team hand over and we start to welcome patients into our Day Hospice, ensuring we have time to speak to each patient individually for a quick catch up and to see if any of them need to speak to one of the Clinical team privately.
The most rewarding part of my role is seeing the difference we make to patients and their families and the tinuous positive feedback we receive.
P l often have a misconception that ices are ‘sad’ places; we know at mrose that isn’t the case We are out ‘living with’ and not ‘dying of’ my role is centred around cation and support so our patients e the best quality of life for as long ssible
How can we support you?
Counselling Living Well Service
Our counselling service is available to patients and families who are experiencing a life-limiting illness or who are bereaved.
This service supports patients with a life-limiting illness and families to help manage and maintain their quality of life.
Children & Young People Benefits Advice
We support young people when a family member has a life-limiting illness or when someone special has died.
Our team provides benefits advice for patients and families including handling concerns about money and employment.
Day Hospice
Our Day Hospice is aimed at helping patients not only manage their illness and symptoms but also achieve their goals.
Adult Family Support
Our Team offers an empathetic ear to support people through the different stages of a life-limiting illness.
Group Support
Our groups provide safe spaces for patients to meet others who may have the same experiences and share advice.
Our physiotherapy support aims to maximise patients’ independence and optimise their quality of life.
What does Primrose mean to you?
“To all the wonderful staff and amazing volunteers, I leave with a ball of emotions, excited to begin my next adventure but sad not to see you all each week and to work alongside some of the most amazing, kind and gifted people ever.
I will take with me a deeper understanding of life and people and now realise more than ever to make every day count. I have worked with some very special people and children and have truly been enriched, rewarded and have felt very privileged.
Thank you so much for welcoming me, guiding me and allowing me to be part of the Primrose family ” - Family Support Client.
“I had the good fortune to be introduced to Primrose Hospice At the time this was something which alarmed me, the association of the word 'Hospice’ had a clear finality about it.
However, my fears and trepidations could not have been more misplaced The support, help and guidance I had and continue to receive from everyone at the Primrose has been overwhelming. Since my first meeting Primrose been a great comfort to me and remains so.
They all help to get you through the bad days and show that you are 'not alone' as it can be a 'very lonely place on occasions' ” - Day Hospice Patient
Primrose is incredibly excited to announce the launch of our new corporate partnership programme, Primrose Partners.
To sign up to be a Primrose Partner comes at no cost or obligation to your business – instead, we simply ask if we can contact you on a monthly basis, through email, about any opportunities we have for you to get involved with Primrose Hospice!
“You've supported my children for a long time and my son has just gone through a particularly bad time. He went back off to university, and I said, do you want to get back in touch with your counsellor?
And his response was, No, I'm fully equipped with the toolbelt my counsellor gave me, I've got all the tools I need. And I think, as a Mom, what more could you want? Primrose have done that for my child.” - Family Support Client
To sign up or for more information please email:
hannahi@primrosehospice.org or call 01527 889796
Or scan the QR code to find out more
go YELLOW! go YELLOW!
Join us from 7th-22nd June to ‘GO YELLOW’ and fundraise for Primrose Hospice
How can you get involved? How can you get involved?
Find out more: primrosehospice.org/ events/go-yellow E: events@primrosehospice.org T: 01527 889796
Centre are free, which is why we heavily rely on donations from our generous public. We are really grateful for donations of any size to help us support more people in North East Worcestershire.
It’s simple to donate online - scan the QR code or visit: primrosehospice.org
If you would like to donate by cheque please make it payable to: ‘Primrose Hospice Ltd’ and post to: Fundraising Department, Primrose Hospice, St Godwalds Road, Bromsgrove B60 3BW. You can also donate over the phone by calling: 01527 889796. Thank you.
If you would like to make a referral to our Clinical or Family Support you can call: 01527 871051 or you can make a referral online for our Clinical support by scanning the QR code. You can also talk to your GP, Consultant, District Nurse or any other health care professional involved in your care
For more information on all of our services visit: primrosehospice org
updates and fundraising events we have going on throughout the year
You can now sign up to receive email updates on our website
We want to keep our communications as cost effective and environmentally friendly as possible If you would like to change the way we contact you, let us know what is the best way to contact you by getting in touch with our Fundraising Team: 01527 889796 or email:
fundraising@primrosehospice org