Welcome to the Winter edition of St Wilfrid’s News!
It’s been a very exciting Spring and Summer here at St Wilfrid’s Hospice.
Our superstar Moonlight Walkers took to the streets of Chichester once again for the annual Moonlight Walk, and what a brilliant evening of fun and remembrance it was.
This Autumn, you can read about the Moonlight Walk, and all of the other fundraising initiatives in which you have all taken part, to help raise the much-needed funds for your local hospice, as well as ways you can support in the future.
You will also be able to learn about St Wilfrid’s impact on the local community, and the number of local people who we have been able to care for as a result.
We are so grateful for your continuing support and generosity, especially in the face of cost of living rises. Thank you.
Lois Howell Chief Executive
Our care in numbers
Did you know that in 2023-2024, St Wilfrid’s received 244 Hospice at Home referrals, and on average had 343 patients on our caseload at any given time?
The St Wilfrid’s Hospice 2023-2024 annual review is out now, and celebrates the fantastic expert care that our clinicians have provided across West Sussex, thanks to the generosity of people like you, our supporters.
Visit stwh.co.uk/annual-review to see the impact your support made in 2023-2024.
A day in the life of Dr Claire...
M eet Dr Claire, Medical Director at St Wilfrid’s Hospice. Find out what she gets up to as a hospice clinician.
“My role is quite varied here at the Hospice, which is why I enjoy it so much.
First and foremost, I am a Doctor, which means that I am responsible for the medical care of our patients, both on our Inpatient Unit and out in the community in their own homes.
I am responsible for managing our Medical Team, which is made up of consultants, specialty doctors, and training doctors.
I am also part of our Senior Management Team, which means I’m part of the team that runs the Charity. I’m involved in the bigger picture, thinking about whether our services are meeting the needs of our community, both now and in the future.
As a team, we are very much focused on the individual, treating patients as individuals and really trying to understand their story and what matters to them most.
I think that by doing that we’re able to give them the best possible care. Our focus is on our patients, but also on their loved ones.
I work directly with patients myself. So I will go out and see them on home visits in their own home. I might see them as Outpatients in our clinic rooms, and I will lead Ward rounds on our Inpatient Unit. That’s part of the job that I really enjoy, is that I still have that direct patient contact.
Sometimes I will go out on a community visit jointly with one of our nursing team. We will do this joint working quite often so that we can try to meet the needs of the patient. Asking them how they’ve been since we last met them, talking about their medications, thinking about how we might adjust
Watch Claire’s video on our YouTube page: youtube.com/ StWilfridsHospiceChichester
things. And just seeing if there’s any more support that this patient or their family might need from us as a hospice.
We know that the majority of people would like to stay in their own homes if at all possible at the end of their lives, so it makes a huge difference to be able to come out and deliver that level of support”.
The care and attention given to Pat by all of the nurses was second to none. They showed love, passion, and sincerity to their tasks.
I could not have asked for more, and will, forever be in their debt. Thank you all so much.
- iWantGreatCare review
What is the Living Well Centre?
The St Wilfrid’s Hospice Living Well Centre is a drop-in centre where patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families and carers can access a range of activities and therapies.
The Living Well Centre is run by a multi-professional team, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, complementary therapists, chaplains, social workers, nurses, doctors, as well as a team of volunteers.
Living with illness can be hard. Some find it helps to talk to those with similar problems, learning together how to manage their symptoms. Many find staying active through exercise and other activity helps. Having fun with others can also take your mind from your illness.
It is all about enabling you to enjoy life – understand yourself better, connect with other people, feel the benefit of kindness, friendship, support, and having a good laugh.
Pleased to meet... Jo.
Rehabilitation Services Clinical Lead
“In the Living Well team, we can draw on a wide range of skills and experience in our team. However, if we felt we needed extra support, we can work with colleagues in other organisations, for example Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinsons Disease specialist nurses.
We will speak to our Clinical Nurse Support Team, our Triage Team, and if needs be we will then speak to our GP colleagues or Community Nursing colleagues to access that more immediate review if someone is maybe very unwell in the community”.
Our team is small, but we have our physiotherapy colleagues, our complementary therapy colleagues, and the other professionals within the Living Well Centre.
At the Living Well Centre, we have a wide range of events, drop-in sessions, and general support for people living with a terminal illness, and their carers and loved ones.
To find out more about our Living Well Centre services, visit our website: stwh.co.uk/living-well-centre or scan the QR code.
Our latest care news
Hogsback Harley Davidsons return to visit patients
Following the joy and success from their 2023 visit, the Hogsback chapter of Harley Davidsons kindly made a triumphant return to St Wilfrid’s in July to visit patients, volunteers, and employees.
This year, there were over 30 trips out on the bikes! Patients who couldn’t go out were able to admire the bikes whilst enjoying some refreshments. One patient was even able to see the bikes from the comfort of her bed that was wheeled from her room on the Ward.
A huge thank you to the Hogsback chapter for visiting our patients again.
Tiny visitors bring joy
In July, we had some tiny visitors who came to greet our patients and employees - a litter of Daschund puppies!
These visits bring a lot of joy to patients and their loved ones, as well as employees and volunteers.
Lois’ first year as CEO
In April, Lois Howell, CEO of the Hospice, celebrated her first year at St Wilfrid’s. In her blog she speaks about what she has learnt in her first year as CEO.
You can read the interview on our website blog.
We’ve gone Solar!
We are thrilled to announce that in July, we installed solar panels at our Hospice in Bosham.
These solar panels will generate enough power to save up to 35% of our current annual electricity bill, helping ensure that funds raised are going towards our vital care services.
As the Hospice is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, solar panels have been installed on flat roofs only, with all panels away from the road.
The work was carried out with guidance from Chichester District Council and the Chichester Harbour Conservancy.
How much do you know about hospice care?
We asked some of our clinicians across the Hospice about the hospice care myths that they would like to bust. How many did you know?
Myth #1
A hospice is just a place to die
“ Fiction! This is a misconception because 40% of our patients actually go home from the Hospice, or they go to another place of care. Some people stay for a few days, some people stay for much longer”.
Myth #2
Hospice care is free
“ Fact! Hospice care is free for our patients and their loved ones. We receive a small grant from the NHS, but we rely on the generosity of our supporters to raise the remainder of the £9million a year it cost to run our services”.
Myth #3
A hospice is only for cancer patients
“ Fiction! It did used to be, but now we treat lots of different conditions that are chronic, and may mean that the patient is coming to the end of their life”.
Myth #4
Hospice care is only available on the Ward
“ Fiction! Care is available on our Ward and at patients’ own homes, care homes, and in nursing homes. 90% of our care actually happens in patients’ own homes”.
Visit stwh.co.uk/fact-or-fiction or scan the QR code to read more and watch our videos.
The latest from our Education Centre
We have a small, highly skilled, and knowledgeable Education Team which provides specialist palliative care education.
We offer a wide range of education and training opportunities to support you in delivering high quality end-of-life and bereavement care. We are very happy to discuss bespoke training needs if you are unable to find what you need.
We offer a blended approach of virtual and face to face delivery.
Where is the Education Centre?
You can find our Education Centre on Terminus Road, next door to our Furniture Outlet. The address is: 22 Terminus Road, Chichester, PO18 8TR.
What’s coming up at the Education Centre?
NEW workshop! Support for bereaved people at work.
In the last year we have also developed and provided a 2.5 hour workshop to help prepare employees to support bereaved people at work.
57% of employees will have experienced a bereavement in the last five years, and every day, more than 600 people stop work to look after older and disabled relatives.
Upcoming courses
Inequalities in Palliative end-of-life care
Monday 21st October 2024
Introduction to supporting bereaved people at work
Get in touch for a bespoke course
Understanding the needs of the LGBTQ+ community at end-of-life
Coming Autumn 2024
Key features of the workshop include:
• Understanding grief and bereavement.
• Developing strategies to support a bereaved person.
This will be a safe space for the attendees to ask any questions and for those who wish to do so, to share any concerns, or ask any questions.
We have delivered this workshop with some great feedback from local businesses, who are not involved in healthcare delivery, and would be happy to discuss how the workshop could benefit your workplace.
toAhugethankyou allofourwalkers!
Over £133,000 fundraised at the Moonlight Walk!
Ahuge thank you to our superstar Moonlight Walkers!
On June 15th, the local community got together for the 16th annual St Wilfrid’s Hospice Moonlight Walk.
This year we welcomed nearly 800 walkers, who once again set off from the event village at Chichester College and took on a 5 or 10-mile walk around Chichester.
One of the big highlights this year was our newly improved light trail around Bishop’s Palace Gardens, which was an absolutely spectacular sight you can only experience at the Moonlight Walk!
As always, the memory archway at the Guildhall in Priory Park was a poignant moment, where walkers could take some time to reflect on memories of a loved one, and write a message to place on the archway.
In 2024 our brilliant walkers raised an amazing total of £83,344.47.
A very generous donation from an anonymous local donor, which match-funded the first £50,000 of fundraising, meant that the grand total was a whopping £133,344.47 for local hospice care!
Early bird tickets for the 2025
Moonlight Walk end Monday 2nd December. Sign up today at stwh.co.uk/moonlight Sponsored by
Events Calendar
Throughout October
Woof for Wilf virtual dog walk challenge
Saturday 20th October
Great South Run 2024
Sunday 3rd November
Woof for Wilf Dog Walk at Great Ballard School
Sunday 8th December
Light up a Life Service at Chichester Cathedral
Friday 10th - Monday 13th
January 2025
TreeCycle your Christmas tree. Bookings close January 6th.
Sunday 9th March 2025
Wedding Fair at Oakwood School
10th - 21st March 2025
Make a Will Fortnight
Wednesday 7th May 2025
Charity golf day at Cowdray
Saturday 14th June 2025
Moonlight Walk Visit stwh.co.uk/events
Save the date for our Wedding Fair!
Sunday 9th March at Oakwood School
We are very excited to be introducing a special new event. We will be hosting a pre-loved and sustainable Wedding Fair at Oakwood School, Chichester. You can come and watch a bridal fashion show, meet lots of local wedding suppliers, and even buy or sell pre-loved wedding decorations in our market hall.
We are thrilled to be collaborating with Oakwood School for this exciting event and hope to see lots of our supporters there. Keep an eye on our social media for more information about the Wedding Fair.
Pictured: Jack and Beth after taking part in the London Marathon 2024
Could you take
on a
run for hospice care?
At St Wilfrid’s, we have secured places to a number of iconic running events, such as the Great South Run, and various Marathons and Half Marathons across the year.
If you’re interested in taking on the challenge, visit stwh.co.uk/events , or contact the fundraising team to see what spaces we have available.
A huge thank you to our community supporters!
Here are some of our wonderful community supporters, who are making a difference to local lives.
Portsmouth High School
The year 11 students held a preloved clothing sale, hand picking items from our charity shops to sell at school.
The hall was transformed into a haven of bargains, quality clothes, and sweet treats for the rest of the school to purchase. They raised a fantastic £378.48.
Dubfest
In collaboration with Dub Sussex, Maggie and the Dubfest team held a truly memorable weekend of all things VW, motorbikes, and music.
Maggie’s band Ask The Dog, and other bands provided hours of fun and entertainment at Pagham Football Club. The weekend raised an incredible £2,531.
If you are a member of a local club and would like to nominate us as your Charity
Barnham Book Shed
Since August 2023, the wonderful Barnham Book Shed, which is volunteer-run, has raised a fantastic £2,400 by selling a huge array of secondhand books.
Vikki Strachan
In July, Vikki took on her 9th annual challenge for St Wilfrid’s, this year trekking the 42 mile Sussex Ouse Valley, in memory of her husband, Guy. Since the start of her challenges, Vikki has raised an unbelievable £11,100!
Caroline Bark
Caroline took on an enourmous challenge and ran seven hilly trail marathons in seven days, equivalent to the length of Wales! She raised a phenomenal £10,323. Caroline is also a volunteer here at the Hospice and was running in memory of her sister.
Chris Wimble Cup
Beth Wimble and family hosted ‘The Chris Wimble Cup & Family Fun Day’ on Saturday 25th May at Pagham Football Club. The day included a charity football match, bouncy castle, and fantastic ‘colour themed’ raffle. The annual event was a great success – thank you!
Charity Golf Day
Paul McNeill, along with his golfing companions John, Eddie, Wayne, and Graham, hosted the ‘Larry Chambers Memorial Golf Day’ at Chiddingfold Golf Club on Saturday 8th June in memory of their golfing companion Lawrence ‘Larry’ Chambers.
The Golf Day and Bingo event held prior to the day at the Elmer Pub, raised an incredible £2,180.40.
If you would like to let us know about, or would like help with an upcoming fundraiser for St Wilfrid’s, please do get in touch with us: 01243 755184 fundraising@stwh.co.uk
Thank you to all of our wonderful corporate supporters
Thank you to the businesses and workplaces getting involved to raise funds for their local hospice.
We are so grateful to the local community for getting together and doing something amazing for their local hospice, and that includes the brilliant businesses and workplaces doing their bit. Here are just a few of our amazing corporates who have recently fundraised for St Wilfrid’s:
• Zurich Insurance have nominated St Wilfrid’s as their Charity of the Year and have fundraised £16,450.
• Covers have continued their longstanding support of the Hospice, and raised an amazing £7,700.
• The Coal Exchange raised £2,402 at another successful ‘Coalie Fest’.
• Saywell International hosted a track day at Goodwood in aid of St Wilfrid’s, raising £12,448.90.
22 St Wilfrid s Hospice | welcome to our shops!
Welcome to our shops!
Shop, donate goods, or volunteer to support St Wilfrid’s and make a difference to local lives.
Every purchase, hour volunteered, and item donated helps to make a real difference to the life of a patient and their family, so thank you for supporting our shops.
‘Tis the season!
We are thrilled to showcase our 2024 Christmas Cards! Our collection this year consists of 14 designs, three of which are bespoke to St Wilfrid’s, depicting our beautiful local area.
We are delighted to offer the packs at £4 per pack for a fourth year in a row.
Visit stwh.co.uk/shop, or visit us in-store to purchase your Christmas cards.
To find your nearest St Wilfrid’s charity shop, whether to find affordable,
It’s great to donate!
Do you have any items you would like to donate to our shops?
We would love to receive:
We would be very grateful to receive donations of good quality clothing, furniture, and bric-a-brac.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept:
Anything broken, dirty, incomplete, or unsafe.
White goods, computers, and gas appliances.
Firearms, knives, and weapons.
Pillows and duvets.
Upholstered furniture without the correct fire labelling.
Any safety equipment inc. child car seats and helmets.
Handmade toys.
Add 25% to your donation!
If you’re a tax payer, you can GiftAid your donations to our shops at no cost to you. Last year, our shops claimed over £100,00 for the Hospice.
Ask in-store or visit stwh.co.uk/shop to fill in a GiftAid declaration form, and add 25% to your donation!
+25%
Ask us about deliveries and collections!
Buying or donating furniture? Ask us about booking a delivery or collection!
Charity Shop Gift Card
Did you know that we now accept and sell the Charity Shop Gift Card?
The giftcard is accepted across many charities in the UK, including St Wilfrid’s! It makes the perfect gift for people who can’t get enough of charity shopping.
secondhand treasures, or to donate items, please visit stwh.co.uk/shop
The Story of Rose’s Wedding Dress
When you dream of your wedding dress, did you ever think you could find the perfect dress in a charity shop?
“I was told that there was a wedding area being set up upstairs at St Wilfrid’s shop in Terminus Road, and as a volunteer at the Chidham shop, I was fascinated to see what was there! Rose, my daughter thought it would be fun to try a few on, especially as she had no idea what she was looking for.
There were so many! We found three totally different styles to try on. Two were obviously not her; but the third ‘felt right’ and she said made her ‘happy’. However, we left it and went to our ‘proper’ bridal boutique appointments. One dress there stood out as a favourite, but Rose wanted another look at the
St Wilfrid’s dress, which she thought would make a great wedding story, and she felt was just as suitable as the other. When we examined the dress there was minor damage to the hem, BUT under six petticoats was a blue embroidered rose. Rose turned to me and said, ‘Mum, it’s my dress’.
We had a seamstress mend the hem, remodel the bodice, which was too big, and add matching removable sleeves for a church wedding, so that on the day the dress was perfect. Rose took enormous pleasure telling the guests where her dress came from and was able to enjoy herself without the fear of damaging a very expensive frock.
We would recommend having a look, think outside the box, reuse, recycle, and know your purchase is helping to fund a good cause, plus look amazing on your wedding day”.
- Kim, Shop Volunteer at St Wilfrid’s
Ways to support us this Christmas
There are so many ways to support your local hospice this Christmas.
Christmas can be a difficult time of year for many, especially if it’s your first Christmas without a loved one. At St Wilfrid’s, our doors are open all year round, and this includes Christmas.
There are several ways to remember a loved one with St Wilfrid’s Hospice this Christmas, as well as ways to support us.
Your support means that we can keep our doors open all-yearround, ensuring that those who need it in your local community always have access to vital end-oflife care, even on Christmas day.
From attending our annual Light up a Life memorial service, to having your real Christmas Tree recycled by our volunteer elves for a small suggested donation, there are so many ways to help.
Maybe you could even get in touch to offer a helping hand and volunteer as one of our TreeCycle helpers!
Last but not least, you can also pop into our online and high-street charity shops to purchase your Christmas cards, and to discover any pre-loved treasures that would make the perfect Christmas present.
Thank you for your support this Christmas.
‘TreeCycle’ is back!
Our real Christmas Tree recycling scheme returns from 10th - 13th January 2025. We will collect and recycle your real Christmas Tree for a suggested donation of £15 per tree. Bookings close on 6th January.
Book now: stwh.co.uk/tree-cycle
Light a virtual candle
Visit our online dedication page and light a virtual candle for someone you miss this Christmas. This is a completely free service, and you have the option to make a donation to St Wilfrid’s if you wish to.
Visit stwh.light-up-a-life.org
Limited spaces! Bookings close on January 6th 2025
Light up a Life
Join us for our annual Light up a Life memorial service at Chichester Cathedral on Sunday 8th December. Entry is free. Pre-booking is essential.
Book now: stwh.co.uk/light-up-a-life
From the hospice Kitchen!
From our hospice kitchen to yours. Create this delicious Ginger Cake from the hospice café at home.
Ingredients
• 250g unsalted butter
• 250g soft, light brown sugar
• 250g golden syrup
• 3 eggs
• 350ml milk
• 450g plain flour
• 3tsp ground ginger
• 3tsp bicarbonate of soda Method
• Preheat oven to 160 degrees, gas 3, or 140 degrees on a fan assisted.
• Put butter, sugar, and syrup in a saucepan and melt together, remove from heat, and cool for 10 minutes or so.
• Beat the eggs, then stir them in to the sugar mix, along with the milk.
• Sieve the dry ingredients into the mix and beat well.
• Pour into a buttered and lined 25cm deep baking tin.
• Bake for 50 minutes to an hour. The cake should be firm to the touch and bounce back when pressed in the middle. Turn onto cooling rack and remove lining paper.
• Juice 1 orange and mix in enough sieved icing sugar to become thick then spread onto cold cake.
Ways to remember a loved one
Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts. At St Wilfrid’s, we offer a number of ways to help you remember and pay tribute to a loved one.
Ashes to Blooms
If you would like to use your loved one’s ashes to grow something natural and beautiful, you can create your own wildflower memorial. We are in partnership with local independent business ‘Ashes to Blooms’, who can create seed balls of ashes mixed with wildflower seeds, to grow a living legacy in your loved one’s name.
The Memory Tree
Located next to the Ward, our Memory Tree is somewhere you can make a dedication to a loved one and visit as often as you like. You can purchase a bronze, silver or gold leaf which can be personalised with an inscription, to honour and celebrate them.
Visit stwh.co.uk/in-memory or scan the QR code to find out more about ways to remember.
£1,000 has to be won!
Someone has to win £1,000 this December! Could it be you? Play in our winter raffle for only £1 per ticket, and help fund local hospice care at the same time. Play now at stwh.co.uk/raffle
Or you could play in the Local Hospice Lottery!
£1 per ticket!
Just for fun...
Complete our word search and figure out which word is missing. Email us your answer for the chance to win a £20 voucher for any of our charity shops.
Thanks to people like you
who leave a gift in their Will to St Wilfrid’s, our clinicians can continue to provide vital end-of-life care to people in your community, completely free-of-charge.
It costs over £9million a year to fund our services, and only a small percentage is covered by a government grant. We rely on the generosity of our shoppers, donors, and fundraisers to help us raise the remaining money.
Why not leave a gift in your Will?
Visit stwh.co.uk/gifts-in-wills or scan the QR code to find out more.
