HEARTBEAT SPRING 2022
Looking ahead with hope
in-person care at the hospice too. Patients are pictured using the new rooms around The Green at the hear t of the hospice.
It is almost two years since the Covid-19 pandemic turned our lives upside-down.
It feels fantastic to finally use these rooms – and to be able to show you what you helped us achieve, because we can only do this with your suppor t.
In that time, we have faced major challenges and experienced so much change. While challenges continue, at St Richard’s Hospice we always look ahead with hope. For me, one source of hope is the dedication and resilience of our workforce at St Richard’s. Our staff and volunteers have shown such bravery, innovation and professionalism. Their commitment to providing the
Reg. Charity No. 515668 Reg. Company No. 01850502
Last year, it cost £8.75m to run the hospice, including patient care and all the necessary support services. A patient benefits from physiotherapy
best care, through the most difficult times, is unwavering. As well as caring for patients in the community and on our In-patient Unit, I am pleased to tell you some face-to-face care for Living Well Service out-patients is back.
Thank you for helping us continue to care, and to look to the future with hope. I hope you enjoy reading Hear tbeat, and wish you a very happy and safe 2022.
This suppor t ‘went virtual’ during the pandemic, to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Complementary Therapy
Our teams continue to suppor t patients and their loved ones over the phone and video call. But, as you can see pictured, out-patients can now access safe,
Debbie Westwood Care Director
Care News Nurses are officially superstars!
Birthday surprise Our In-patient Unit Team arranged a special surprise for patient Roz, to celebrate her 88th birthday! Singer Nicole, from Doorstep Princesses, visited the hospice gardens last summer to sing for Roz and her family in the sunshine. And, our Catering Team made a birthday cake too!
Our In-patient Unit (IPU) nursing team were delighted to be awarded The Cavell Nurses’ Trust Star medal, recognising their incredible work. IPU Manager, Jamie Yeomans, said: “This award is a true testament to the hard work, commitment, dedication and professionalism that the IPU team demonstrates day after day. ”I’m so proud of how the team has performed and acted throughout the pandemic, maintaining our very high standards and looking after each other to ensure we can continue caring for our patients and their loved ones during their most vulnerable times.” Long-serving hospice Clinical Nurse Specialist, Marina Dixon, was also awarded the Cavell Star making a double celebration as she also marked 25 years of caring with St Richard’s. Head of Community Nursing, Julie Reece said: “Marina has time and time
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again gone above and beyond her role to ensure the best possible care for her patients.
It is always our privilege to help make time spent at St Richard’s as personal and special to our patients as possible.
”We cannot overestimate the impact she has had on palliative care in Worcester and especially in community nursing.” An inspiring national awards programme, Cavell Star Awards are given to nurses, midwives, nursing associates and healthcare assistants who shine bright and show exceptional care.
Marina Dixon with her Cavell Star Award
Birthday surprise at our In-patient Unit
Cricket treat for Larry
Bereavement webinar A webinar by members of our Family Support Team which explores bereavement is now available for anyone to view on our hospice YouTube channel. The team recorded the webinar for bereaved people supported by St Richard’s, but it can be viewed by anyone on https://youtu.be/exlz-Bx2U1Y
Cricket fan Larry Robins and his wife, Carole, were bowled over by a special invitation to watch the County Championship Worcestershire vs Leicestershire match at Worcestershire County Cricket Club. Larry, who has Parkinson’s, is supported by St Richard’s to live well with his illness and staff knew of his love of cricket. After chatting to Worcestershire County Cricket Club - who chose St Richard’s as their Charity of the Year for 2021 – the couple were
invited to spend a day as special guests. Carole said: “We had a wonderful time at the cricket. Larry has been a life-long lover of cricket both playing and watching the game.
The webinar explores the impact of bereavement, and how people can develop strategies to cope with their loss at what can be a very challenging time.
”Thank you to everyone who made this a special day to remember.” Larry has been supported by St Richard’s since 2017 through the hospice’s Living Well Services, including creative therapy, adapted t’ai chi sessions, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Royal event Fundraising Director, Tricia Cavell, and Family Support Practitioner, Nikki Butterworth, were honoured and excited to share details of our hospice care and the huge impact of the pandemic on patients and families with HRH The Earl of Wessex. Nikki said: “It was wonderful to meet Prince Edward and really see the community come together to share their hard work and
To find out more about the care and support we provide, visit our website www.strichards.org.uk
innovation. Prince Edward was interested to hear St Richard’s plans to move forward with new ideas on how we can support patients and families in the future, following the success of new ways of working during the pandemic.” ”The Prince acknowledged how the restrictions had impacted the bereaved and took the time to congratulate St Richard’s on the continued support to patients and families during lockdown.” Care News
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Judith and Michael’s story “They can’t make Michael better, we know that,” says Judith. “But they are there, they are our rock. They are like the light at the end of a dark tunnel.” Judith is a carer for her husband, Michael, who lives with Parkinson’s. The couple began accessing hospice support during the pandemic. Our teams support them at home, as well as over video call and the telephone. Judith attends our virtual carers support group, where she can speak to others in a similar situation and share experiences.
“Just talking to other ladies that have husbands with the same problems as Michael, I can’t tell you – I’ve learned so much,” says Judith. “It’s so nice to talk to people who understand.”
Supporting people with learning disabilities
tools such as Widgit symbols (pictured) to create social stories on a range of topics – from explaining what death is, to what happens at a funeral.
Crafts can be an important way to support someone with a learning disability to explore, communicate and cope with their grief – both before and after bereavement.
Our teams support Michael at home, allowing Judith time to
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“I know that I’m not the only one. I know that I can pick up the phone and there is somebody at the other end who will talk through my concerns with me. Nothing is too much bother for them.”
box can also be a tool for someone with limited verbal communication to let those around them know the person who died is on their mind. “We treat every person as an individual. This way, we can make sure to do everything possible to support everyone to learn to live with their bereavement.”
Andy Schwab, a specialist palliative care social worker in our Family Support Team, says: “Many people struggle to discuss death, dying and bereavement. It’s a complex, nuanced and very emotive topic. “We ensure people with learning disabilities are offered the same opportunities to access emotional support as neuro-typical people. “This includes using communication
run personal errands and go shopping. And, we are at the end of the phone to support Judith with any concerns, or questions she may have. During virtual sessions, our complementary therapist has even taught Judith how to give relaxing head and back massages to Michael, to help with his pain. And, Michael attends our virtual Men’s Space patient support group where he meets others, talks, and shares experiences. Judith says: “Carers support from St Richard’s has made life totally different.
Pictured here are examples of the creative tools used to support people with learning disabilities to cope with bereavement.
“Craft activities are important too, such as creating memory boxes. As well as creating a space to keep photographs and mementos safe, a memory
Caring for patients at home Jody Parker, Hospice at Home Co-ordinator, shares an insight into the work of her team. “The Hospice at Home team consists of eight health care assistants, who are specially trained to provide palliative care in patients’ homes. “Hospice at Home provides 24/7 care. As a team, we offer carer support visits, provide a package of care to complement the community nurses, and give specialist night time support so families can sleep well and manage care needs the next day. Every day in my job is different.
While we have many pre-planned support visits, our team has to be responsive to sudden change in a patient’s health and react at short notice if needed. Our team provides personal care, support with emotional and psychological distress, and actively provides physical care to someone who is dying. ”If a patient is unable to be left alone at home due to their care needs, our team can step in to give their relatives a break from managing their loved one’s care. This allows the carer time to run personal errands, and helps them manage in their role for longer. Our staff are trained to give certain medications, support the district nurses with physical care, and talk with families about what happens when people are dying.”
Solar panels save funds
We’re looking forward to another summer of sunshine to help save money for St Richard’s by generating power through our solar panels. In 2015, we installed around 800 solar panels on the roof of the hospice, along with inverters to convert the power into electricity which can be used by the hospice. Since then, we’ve saved an incredible £106,000 in electricity costs and been paid £82,486 through the feed-in tariff for the electricity we are producing.
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Staying in touch
How to access our care Patients who would like support from St Richard’s can be referred by their GP, consultant at the hospital, district nurse or other healthcare professional. Our Gateway referral team is also available should a patient, or person close to them, wish to talk to them directly for information or advice. No charge is made to patients and their families for any of our services. This is made possible due to the generosity of our donors, volunteers, supporters and local community.
If you would like more information about referrals, please contact the Gateway Team on 01905 763963.
From time to time we would like to keep you up to date with our hospice news, events and activities. Knowing your preferences means we can be more cost effective with our communications and ensure that we contact you in the way that you wish to hear from us. Heartbeat is published once a year. You can join our email mailing list for regular hospice updates. Let us know how you prefer to be contacted (by post, email, telephone or no further contact) by visiting our website strichards. org.uk/contact or emailing us at appeals@strichards.org.uk or telephoning 01905 958262. Care News
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Volunteer News Thank you to all our amazing volunteers who give so much time and energy to St Richard’s. Top award for volunteer Stella
Therapist since 2006 and was pivotal in developing the use of aromatherapy oils within hospice services, providing significant benefits to patients.
A warm welcome
Spreading the word on shop volunteering
We now also have volunteers in reception who welcome visitors to the In-patient Unit (IPU) and talk them through the Covidprecautions. During the pandemic, visitors were asked to use the rear car park behind the hospice and walk through the gardens to an outdoor visitor welcome hub.
The HR Team has been out and about in our shops, encouraging people to think about volunteering in our stores.
A dedicated volunteer who spent more than a decade serving St Richard’s, has been honoured with a prestigious award. Recently retired volunteer Complementary Therapist, Stella Reeve, received the Badge of the Order of Mercy at a special ceremony held in London. The award recognises the work of volunteers who have spent at least seven years working to support others, including those living with a serious, progressive illness.
Only 50 medals are awarded to volunteers from around the country each year. Stella had volunteered as a Complementary
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We’re indebted to our team of volunteers who help out on reception, both during the day and into the evenings.
This changed back to entering through the main reception for better monitoring of visiting, the wish to improve the visitor experience, and the safety of our visitors as the nights drew in. Thank you to all those volunteers who are helping to make this possible, including Ron Williams, pictured below. Lavinia and Eileen in our Droitwich shop
We already have an incredible group of dedicated shop volunteers but are always keen to welcome more. If you are interested in volunteering at one of St Richard’s shops, the first step is to go to see the manager of a shop convenient for you to find out what they do, when help is needed and to discuss how you could help.
There are so many ways you can get involved in volunteering.
If the shop manager is not available, please contact Volunteer Services by telephoning 01905 763963 or emailing volunteerservice@ strichards.org.uk
Just visit our website or call us on 01905 763963 to learn more about the opportunities available. strichards.org.uk/ volunteering
Shops news
A great and green way to support St Richard’s care Thank you to everyone who continues to support our 18 shops across the county by buying and donating goods towards our care. We always need your unwanted clothes, shoes and other items to help raise funds to support patients and families. It’s also a great – and green – way to extend the life of things that you don’t need anymore. So, if you’re having a spring clear out, we’d love you to pass on your items to your local St Richard’s shop or our warehouse in Leigh Sinton. Thank you. Find out details of all our shops on our website. Our specialist shops Our shops across Worcestershire sell a wide range of quality donated and new items. Our shops include a book store, a dress agency selling designer clothing, a bridal department, furniture stores and everything in between! Spotlight on Déjà Vu
Déjà Vu is our dress agency in Great Malvern, specialising in designer and high-end clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories. We sell on your behalf to raise funds for both you and St Richard’s. If you have items with the wow factor, wedding guest outfits or just gorgeous pure materials like cashmere or alpaca then we want it! We are also looking for high-end men’s wear. If you would like to sell items in this store, while supporting our care, please contact the shop on 01684 577890 and make an agency appointment. Here comes the bride If wedding bells are in the air, don’t miss a visit to our shop in the heart of Worcester city on Mealcheapen Street to explore the bridal department upstairs. Beautiful gowns for weddings and proms are on sale in a range of designs and prices and you can try before you buy.
There is a particularly good selection of poetry and plays. It’s a treasure-trove for the imagination! Play the Worcestershire Hospices Lottery Take part in the Worcestershire Hospices Lottery and be in with a chance of winning some great prizes.You’ll also be helping local hospices, including St Richard’s, continue to care for patients and their loved ones. Tickets are £1 each and you can buy them online. The draw is run every Friday.Visit the Worcestershire Hospices Lottery website to play and for full terms and conditions worcshospiceslottery.co.uk/strichards You must be aged 18 and over to enter the Worcestershire Hospices Lottery.
A good read Our book and media store on Worcester Road, Malvern, is stocked with around 10,000 good quality books, DVDs, CDs and vinyl. There’s an extensive range of fiction and children’s books alongside a wide variety of non-fiction and rare books.
If you feel you have a problem with gambling, visit www.begambleaware.org or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
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Challenges & events For full details on the events on page 8 and 9 please visit strichards.org.uk/events or call the Fundraising Team on 01905 958262
Could you do something incredible for our care in the year ahead? Find out about our upcoming events and challenges:
Family-friendly Lantern Walk Saturday 12th February 2022, 4:30 – 7:30pm
Bikeathon challenge. Choose your route of 5, 10 or 15 miles, each through predominately quiet country lanes or designated cycling routes. Starting and finishing at the Norton Parish Hall, Littleworth,Worcester. Messy Madness Saturday 26th March 2022
Join us at dusk to walk a beautiful 1.5-mile route around the grounds of National Trust, Croome, and help us light up the night sky. Whether you’re joining us to remember a loved one or just to enjoy the picturesque setting of Croome, the evening is set to be a magical experience for all. Family Bikeathon Sunday 13th March 2022
Shake off the winter blues and join us for a morning’s scenic cycling through the beautiful south Worcestershire countryside with our fantastic family-friendly
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Who’s up for some messy madness this March? This fun-filled family day is back for 2022 and, whether you choose to walk or run the 5k route, you will absolutely end up messy! Scenic Six Sunday 27th March 2022
Join us for a six-mile mile run or two-mile walk/fun-run through the lovely village of Peopleton. An off-road event, providing a safe and scenic route for experienced runners or families alike, it’s also a brilliant way to help us fund the care we provide at St Richard’s.
Challenges
March 2023 – the year you trek the Sahara?
Worcester Full and Half Marathon Sunday 22nd May 2022 Always wanted to take on a marathon? Why not make 2022 the year you do and run your home city for our care. Starting from Sixways Stadium, the route heads east from the city and takes in some stunning Worcestershire countryside. We’d love you to join our team! Lake District Triple Challenge 10th – 11th June 2022 A brand-new challenge for 2022, this is your chance to bike, hike and paddle the waters in the spectacular setting of the Lake District National Park. Trek to the summit of one of the Lake District’s most iconic peaks, the Old Man of Coniston, before testing yourself on the off-road mountain bike trails of Grizedale forest, then kayak across Coniston Water.
Join us for the adventure of a lifetime by trekking across the Sahara! A six-day trip, you’ll get to experience one of the most breath-taking and largest deserts in the world. Spend four days trekking across ancient dried up river beds, sand dunes and vast sun-baked plains before sleeping under shining stars.
Walking
Malvern Hills Walk - Saturday 14th May 2022 A firm favourite with St Richard’s supporters, our Malvern Hills Walk is back for 2022. Enjoy a two, five or 11-mile route for our care and a hospice hero’s medal awaits you at the finish!
London to Paris Cycle Tour de France Edition July 20th – July 24th 2022 Ride London to Paris for our care, arriving in time to witness the finale of the world’s greatest cycle race. As you enter Paris in one large peloton, the crowds will be cheering thinking the Tour has reached the city one day early! The atmosphere is simply electric. With a limited number of spaces available, don’t miss out on this amazing challenge. Run the London Marathon for St Richard’s Sunday 2nd October 2022 Each year, we have five Gold Bond charity places for the London Marathon. A chance to experience this iconic marathon run like no other, and with the full support of our fundraising team, please get in touch to go for gold this year.
Worcestershire Way Walk - Friday 8th July 2022 Take on the wonderful Worcestershire Way, covering 31miles in a day and raising funds for our care. Starting out in beautiful Bewdley at 6am, walk this route individually or as a group, finishing with the spectacular slopes of the Malvern Hills.
Write your Will for free with St Richard’s You can help patients with serious progressive illnesses, as well as look after what’s important to you, through a gift in your Will. And writing a Will needn’t cost you a penny to have it done professionally. That’s because, working with our partners Bequeathed, we are pleased to offer our free and easy online Will writing service. Our user-friendly online platform can be accessed from the comfort of home and, for added reassurance, everyone who makes their Will with Bequeathed receives up to 30 minutes of free legal advice from an accredited firm. This can be by phone or video call, at-home or in-office. Visit our website to find out more and secure the peace of mind that comes with knowing everything is in place for your loved ones. www.strichards.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/bequeathed-free-online-will-writing/
Make a difference throughout the year with Regular Giving We’re hugely grateful to everyone who makes a regular donation to our care by direct debit. By choosing to give a regular monthly gift, supporters help us to plan ahead and make longterm improvements for our patients and their families.
A regular donation allows us to plan for the future because we know, day in day out, that we will have a steady income stream that we can rely upon. If you feel able to support us with a regular gift we have an online facility where you can set up a direct debit quickly and easily and where you can start helping local patients and their loved ones today and every day. Thank you!
How to make a donation
We rely on donations to fund the majority of our care and greatly appreciate any gifts which help us to continue to support patients and their loved ones in the future. If you would like to make a donation to our ongoing care then please go online to strichards.org.uk/donate If you would prefer to send a cheque then please make it payable to St Richard’s Hospice and send to the Fundraising Department, Wildwood Drive, Worcester, WR5 2QT. We would be grateful if you would fill in the donation form, available to download on our website via the URL above, with the Gift Aid option and return with your donation. You can also donate over the telephone with your credit/debit card by calling the Fundraising Team on 01905 958262.
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Regular Giving Visit strichards.org.uk/donate
Snowdrop Draw Take par t in our Snowdrop Draw and you could win our top prize of £3,000 in cash or two fur ther cash prizes of £250 and £100. Tickets are just £1 each and our hear tfelt thanks in advance for any draw tickets you feel able to buy or sell on our behalf. To enter the Snowdrop Draw and to see the terms and conditions, rules and prizes, please visit strichards.org.uk/campaigns/snowdrop-draw-2022 or contact the Fundraising Team on 01905 958262. There is a minimum spend of £5 when purchasing tickets online. The closing date is 24 March 2022. Promoter: Mrs June Patel, St Richard’s Hospice, Wildwood Drive, Worcester. WR5 2QT. Tickets should not be sold to or by anyone under the age of 18. If the winning ticket belongs to a person who is under the age of 18, the prize will be forfeited. If you are concerned about gambling, you can contact GAMCARE www.gamcare.org.uk/ or 0808 8020 133. Further support can be found at www.begambleaware.org/
A SUMMER OF SMILES! They say an elephant never forgets and we’ll always remember what our 66-strong herd brought to the county and to the hospice last summer.
So many played a part in Worcester’s Big Parade from brilliant partners, sponsors and artists to an army of makers and volunteers. And, of course, our wonderful community too who welcomed our herd into your hearts and joined us out on the trail and at farewell events. Then came the auction and the kind of generosity that left us speechless – a mammoth £368,800! In total this fantastic project raised a profit of £472,425 to help us care for patients, their loved ones and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
A heartfelt thank you to our amazing community for supporting us not just during our summer of ele-fun but each and every day – we simply couldn’t do it without you!
The hospice is currently home to six of our 30 large elephants. Thanks to our wonderful community, ‘An elephant never forgets’ was secured via a community campaign, and bolstered by generous auction attendees on the night. A further five eles will stay at St Richard’s until the spring thanks to the generosity of the Dew Family locally who successfully bid for them. Carrie-Ann Dew said: “St Richard’s means a lot to us all – Jonathan and myself – his mum and dad were both looked after by St Richard’s, my grandad was looked after by the hospice and the care and support we receive is amazing. Even years after, they are still in contact. “St Richard’s is very close to our hearts and buying the elephants at the auction is really our way of saying thank you for all they have done and continue to do.“
PRESENTING PARTNERS
Thank you to all fundraisers Chloe completes Oxford Half Marathon in less than two hours raising an incredible £1,651!
childhood memories. “I was talking to him on my way, and when I got to Barmouth I said: ‘Dad, I’ve done it!’”, says Mark, who was cheered on by friends and family.
their loved ones and bereaved people across Worcestershire.
Rebecca raises £8,187 completing Half Ironwoman Challenge An incredible 56 miles cycled, 13.1 miles run and 1.2 miles swum for our care at St Richard’s!
Chloe Underwood, running in memory of her uncle David Underwood, says: "It was an incredible atmosphere and everyone was spurring everyone on. An honour to be part of something so special."
“My inspiration is the care, compassion and dignity the hospice provides for so many local families going through end-of-life care. The hospice cared for my late father-in-law in his last hours and my friend’s Mum last year,” says Rebecca Widdowson.
Care home residents take on marathon for our care, raising more than £600!
100 tough miles cycled, in 7 hours 15 minutes, raising £4,243!
A bee-utiful way to celebrate and remember This is the incredible achievement of Mark Breakwell, riding in memory of his Dad, Pete, who was cared for by St Richard’s before he died in 2020. Mark cycled from his home in Cleobury Mortimer to the seaside town of Barmouth – a place of happy
We’re so grateful to everyone who supported our Celebration Garden over last summer which saw 1,000 intricately painted, handcrafted bees creating a buzz at The Hive in Worcester. With your generosity, we raised £30,000 for our care to patients,
Residents and staff from Burcot Grange and The Lodge took on a marathon walk. Their snowdrop shaped adventure – in honour of the hospice emblem – took them down overgrown footpaths, tight bypasses and even saw them helping a sheep. A baa-rilliant fundraiser for patients, their loved ones and bereaved people locally!
A huge thank you to all of our fundraisers.
St Richard's Hospice | Wildwood Drive | Worcester | WR5 2QT | 01905 763963 | strichards.org.uk