HEARTBEAT SUMMER 2019
Reg. Charity No. 515668 Reg. Company No. 01850502
Can you please help us to change lives with new specialist equipment for our bigger hospice? Thanks to everyone’s wonderful generosity, the finish line of our major expansion and redevelopment project is in sight! It won’t be long until we start Stage 2 and the vision of our bigger and better St Richard’s is even clearer – so we’d love to share with you what it’s going to look like and a little about the fantastic things we’ll be getting up to inside! We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by your donations; the outstanding support from our community means we’ve almost secured the funds to cover the building costs. But, now it’s time for one last ask – and it’s a very special one; can you help raise enough to finish the building and help us purchase the equipment we’ll need
to fill these wonderful new rooms? Our new living well centre will be fantastic, and each new space is going to completely change the face of the care we provide; we can’t wait to get in! You can read more about the rooms we will be building inside. But to give you a sneak peak; we’re talking all about our new art studio, with special height adjustable work tops, a horticultural room with adjustable height work benches so people can work from chairs or standing and a tremendous new music and cinema room with a huge screen, so we’ll have our own hospice film nights!
stuck into activities that perhaps otherwise seemed impossible. In this new space, everyone can get creative, get messy, learn – have fun! Plus, there’ll be loads more clubs and classes; chances to gather with friends and family and maybe try something new. The possibilities are truly endless, we can’t begin to imagine how great it’s going to be. Take a look inside at what we have planned and how you can help.
Each room will need specialist equipment for our patients, giving them the opportunity to get
Please take a look inside for how to donate and to see how our new rooms will revolutionise St Richard’s Hospice care. June Patel, Chief Executive
This is the final push; we’ve got £493,770.88 left to raise of our £5.3m target until our dream hospice can become a reality! Can you help us to finish the building & buy the equipment we need to fill these wonderful rooms?
How your support has already made an impact Thanks to you, here’s what we have achieved so far:
We’ve welcomed patients and their loved ones into the lovely, bright and modern, redeveloped day rooms and reception areas. There’s now more space for group activities such as sessions on how to manage fatigue or pain. People can gather around the big oak table; share their experiences and support each other. “Knowing I’m not the only one who has these problems really helps”.
Our two-storey Day Hospice extension is nearing completion
“Most helpful were tips when we were short of breath and panicking – we were taught how to be in control.”
New Reception Area Our quiet new reception area where people can sit in a peaceful and calm environment is being well appreciated. We are receiving some lovely comments: ‘Great improvement, the surroundings are beautiful and comfortable, very impressed’. ‘The improvements are just amazing, so beautiful, relaxing and warm – grand job.’
The new area was also the perfect space to hold a recent wedding, decorated with balloons and confetti before family members gathered to celebrate the couple’s marriage. “You are such an amazing hospice and what you did for my wife and I being able to finally marry I will treasure for the rest of my life.”
Our bigger hospice will improve people’s quality of life Being able to move about really does help to restore a healthy state of mind – and body! We’ll be able to offer sessions to everyone who’s been given an exercise schedule by the physiotherapist, as well as one group activity every day – something like Nordic Walking or Pilates adapted to meet the needs of our patient groups. We’re excited to purchase special exercise bikes that can
Exercise Studio
The gym has been purpose-built – which means patients will be able to exercise with equipment that’s suited to their specific, unique needs.
be operated from a wheelchair. You can use them to move your legs passively or use resistance for leg strengthening – it’s even possible to pedal with your arms. We need some wall-based equipment too for strengthbuilding activities and small equipment like weights and resistance bands for patients. This physiotherapy equipment will help patients work on their mobility, in
a way that’s comfor table for them. We’ll also need a set of stairs and walking bars, to work on getting people back on their feet. Right now, we have to shuffle things around and it can be difficult to have large groups in to do things like Tai Chi – which everyone loves. The new studio will mean that we can have many more people moving about and exercising together.
on The new Exercise Studio opens into The Green.
Training Kitchen Our wonderful training kitchen will be used for lots of different activities. So many people will be able to pop in and use the kitchen; our bereavement group may use it to make a meal together, or our Waterbugs group for children and young people might come in to bake some biscuits! Cooking and baking are great ways to encourage people to ‘do’ and talk at the same time – and this kind of psychological suppor t is so vital for families who come to St Richard’s.
But, of course, there are also patients who need to relearn cooking skills to help them cope with making food at home – so they can stay as independent as possible. So, every bit of equipment would be something you’d find in your kitchen at home, with accessibility in mind; we need an induction hob (they’re easiest to use), an oven, a microwave and a fridge at an appropriate height. But we’ll also need a ‘normal’ oven and fridge, because patients don’t always have the ideal at home. It’s impor tant we have heightadjustable worktops, too,
so that if someone’s in a wheelchair, they can still practice preparing and cooking food. With The Green just outside the door, patients can eat what they’ve made with friends and family. This new room will make the difference between someone struggling to manage in their home alone, to living independently, getting their own drinks and maybe cooking their own meals. It means that we can help a patient in the transition to moving back home - a huge gift to so many people.
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Horticultural Room One of the rooms we’re most looking forward to having is the hor ticultural room; we simply don’t have anywhere currently to work with plants other than outdoors – which just isn’t ideal in the winter! If you’d have seen the mess we recently made with soil and stones in Day Hospice, you’d know how much we need this space! It’ll be wonderful to have a space to cultivate greenery – and so many people will benefit from joining in. First, patients will be able to do the things they like to do at home, but if they simply can’t get out into their garden – or get down low enough – we’re hoping to buy impor tant equipment like adjustable height work benches and sinks, so people can work from chairs, wheelchairs or standing up. Because when
Art Studio When words sometimes seem too difficult, our new Ar t Studio will enable us to use the creative process to explore ‘inner’ experiences. Ar t helps patients to cope with loss, change and uncer tainty; effectively reducing both emotional and physical pain. A skilled and attentive ar t therapist will suppor t those using the space to consider their feelings and behaviours, communicating strong emotions safely and symbolically through ar tistic materials. Each piece of equipment we need for the room has its own unique benefit, such as pens
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Some of the Men's Space group enjoy gardening in the green house but they can't wait for an indoor planting area for all year round use.
you’re potting plants, you need to be able to make a mess! Clear watering cans will enable patients to gauge how much water is inside, and whether they’ll be able to lift it. Hor ticulture is also absolutely perfect for giving each of us something to look forward to. From picking out some lovely plants, preparing them with potting trays, secateurs and trowels, to planting. Finally seeing those plants coming into
and pencils for precision drawing, chalk and oil pastels for smudging (this can be really soothing for some people!) and height-adjustable tables, so those with varied needs can get stuck in too!
blossom can be such a beautiful experience for outpatients, staff and volunteers alike. Gardening is a truly brilliant form of therapy – and with our new, special room, more people will be able to enjoy focussing on these cathar tic tasks, helping them to worry less about whatever might be troubling them. We can’t wait to have this special new room full of green fingers! “Getting my hands in the soil makes me feel better.”
“The best art class ever. What can I say; these guys are amazing, supportive, understanding – always there when feeling not yourself.” “I found the painting sessions relaxing and encouraging and have enjoyed every class.”
At what is often a messy time in someone’s life, comfort can be found in messy and unstructured creations; ar t helps people manage their new reality. For the family too, a loved one’s creations are always a cherished par t of their legacy. A new ar tistic hobby can also give a sense of purpose, joy and self-worth – it helps someone to feel like they’re more than a diagnosis – or an illness.
Read on to find out how you can help us get the essential equipment for these new rooms.
Counselling Room It’s so important that our counselling room maintains an air of tranquillity and peace, so during difficult times, patients and their loved ones can talk with our experienced
counsellors in a relaxing space. That’s why it’s going to be decorated in neutral, calming colours. We’ll also need to purchase the most comfortable armchairs, so people can be as
at ease as possible while working through complex feelings. We need side tables too – somewhere to place cups of tea, tissues and anything else someone may wish to have near them.
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Complementary Therapy Room Our talented team offers a variety of complementary therapies – Indian head massage, reflexology, aromatherapy – ‘normal’ massages too! Many people we meet are being treated with high doses of medication that affect their day-to-day life, so our goal is to make this new Complementary Therapy room feel as ‘non-clinical’ and as inviting as possible – a place you’re excited to visit! So, we’re desperately going to need a new massage couch
and a cushioned, adjustable chair, to enable people with limited mobility to comfor tably enjoy their treatment.
be able to easily move their necks, as well as comfy reclining chairs. Something simple like having your hair washed can make you feel so much better and more vibrant. Getting your nails done or having a hand massage just gives you such a sense of wellbeing and puts a spring back in your step. That’s what we want for every single person we meet at St Richard’s.
There will also be space for our amazing volunteers to do patients’ hair and nails. When you’re in pain or feeling sick all the time, it can take up a lot of your energy – and when that happens, it can be easy to forget to look after yourself. So, “The aromatherapist is actually we’ll need height-adjustable hairmagical: the calming, healing washing basins – for wheelchair powers she has are miraculous!” users and people who might not
Music & Cinema Room This large new room is going to be simply amazing! It’s going to be a space filled with noise and laughter – so many people will get joy from spending time here with others.
films to large groups. To do this, we’ll need a huge screen and top-of-the-range projector. To make sure everyone (even those in the back row) can hear, there will be some built-in speakers.
We’ll be getting folding doors that will open wide onto The Green – our social and eating space - so that we are able show
This equipment will be great for the music therapy we hope to offer too; there’s so much evidence that singing enhances
your wellbeing. For people with breathing issues like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who find talking difficult, singing can help regulate breathing, which can be so empowering for those struggling with breathlessness every day. But we all know that the joy of making music with new friends and loved ones just makes you feel good!
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A green & healthy hospice St Richard’s strives to provide excellent care and support for patients and their loved ones. We want our building to offer the best health facilities and to be environmentally friendly too. For example the newly refurbished areas of • Durable natural finishes throughout the building and Stage 2 of Build 2020 have for minimal maintenance. been planned with a pioneering use of healthy materials for the benefit of all users of the space, • Timber building structure – a natural renewable low-carbon material. par ticularly those with respiratory conditions. • Passive cooling strategy, keeping the building The new building will run on minimal energy cool in summer through tailored ventilation costs and carbon usage. Features include: including night cooling, therefore avoiding • Excellent insulation to all walls, floors the need for costly air-conditioning. and roofs significantly above current Solar panels have been installed on our roofs building regulations standards, to for several years now and contribute to a minimise energy use and heating bills. reduction in our use of electricity from the grid. • Ultra-low water usage taps, WCs We also receive a feed in tariff payment which and other water fittings. benefits the hospice by keeping costs down. •U ltra-low energy LED lighting throughout, with very low running costs and long lamp life to minimise maintenance costs.
Transformation to therapeutic garden This month we will see the transformation of a courtyard space outside of Day Hospice into a delightful therapeutic garden.
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A team of 40 apprentices from Western Power Distribution will be creating the garden in just a week during July in a 'DIY SOS' style transformation. Webbs Garden Centres is generously donating the plants for the raised beds which will feature a white-
themed planting design. Pictured are representatives from Western Power Distribution and Ed Webb who came to discuss the finer details of the project. You can follow the progress on our social media channels including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
WILL Generous gift in Will gave a golden opportunity An unexpected, and extremely generous gift in a Will of £2m, was a golden opportunity not to be missed for St Richard’s to launch the Build 2020 appeal.
The Green We’ve named the new heart of St Richard’s in the living well centre, The Green, in recognition of Alan’s gift in his Will.
St Richard’s Fundraising Director Tricia Cavell, said: “Alan was a wonderful supporter of the hospice and we were devastated at his The vision of building a bigger untimely death. The news of the gift hospice to care for more people had in his Will – the largest ever given been in our minds, but it was only to St Richard’s – was unexpected when news came of the unexpected and enabled us to undertake the legacy that we were able to expansion and redevelopment move forward with confidence. project. We very much hope he would have been proud that his gift Now the legacy of former will help us make a big difference to Worcestershire resident Alan the lives of many people affected Green will live on at St Richard’s by a serious progressive illness.” thanks to his generous gift. Alan, who died in 2015, had supported St Richard’s for many years, particularly through his village open gardens scheme in Wichenford.
Leave more than memories Gifts in Wills fund the care of one in six people supported by St Richard’s. After you have provided for family and friends, please consider a gift in your Will for St Richard’s Hospice. A few hundred pounds or small percentage of your worth/ estate can make a real difference. To find out more about why making a Will is important and how you can support St Richard’s through a gift, please visit our website www.strichards.org.uk/gifts-in-wills or call Fundraising Director Tricia Cavell on 01905 763963.
Architect's illustration of The Green, where patients, families, staff and volunteers can meet. (Associated Architects)
Wills & donations
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Barclays Bank’s Test the Team quiz – 11th July Book your place for Barclays Bank inaugural Test the Team quiz event in Worcester! This national event is coming to Worcestershire for the first time, raising funds for St Richard’s Hospice Build 2020 and is aiming to be the county’s biggest quiz night ever. The event will take place at Sixways Stadium. Teams are a maximum of five and there is a minimum entry donation of £50 which includes food. Book tickets online strichards.org.uk/barclaysquiz
Twenty 20 cricket for Build 2020 – 11th August 2019
Swansea Male Choir – 17th August 2019 Hear the Swansea Male Choir sing in The Hall at the recentlyredeveloped Royal Porcelain Works. Doors open at 6.45pm. Find out more and book online strichards.org.uk/swansea-male-choir
Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, New Road, Worcester.
Join us for exclusive hospitality in the St Richard’s Hospice marquee and enjoy the T20 in style. The Worcestershire Rapids take on the Nor thants Steelbacks.Match admission tickets include private access to the St Richard’s Hospice marquee; access to exclusive pitch side viewing area; reserved seats on allocated tables; complimentary arrival drink; two course walk-up premium grazing buffet; player Q&A session; match day scorecard, private cash bar ; charity raffle & auction. Charity raffle & auction. Tickets are £65 per person. Book tickets online strichards.org.uk/twenty20
Holding an Event If you would like to hold an event to fundraise for Build 2020, or are interested in a talk about the redevelopment and expansion, please contact the Fundraising Director Tricia Cavell on 01905 763963 or email tcavell@strichards.org.uk
I'd like to help you fill these wonderful new rooms full of specialist equipment I’d like to help buy a specialist item for the bigger St Richard’s. Please fill in the form below or go online to donate at www.strichards.org.uk/Build2020 Please accept my gift of: £30.18 – 50 donations of this amount could help us purchase something for our Hor ticultural Room, like an adjustable height work bench. £50.25 – 100 gifts of this amount could help buy equipment for our Exercise Room, such as a wheelchair-friendly exercise bike. £89.50 – This could help cover the cost of something useful for our new Training Kitchen, like a set of ergonomically designed pans. £
, my choice of amount.
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St Richard's Hospice | Wildwood Drive | Worcester | WR5 2QT | 01905 763963 | strichards.org.uk