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St Christopher's Hospice -
expert palliative care for the dying
Press Releases
Midnight Walk raises £30,000 for Hospice Candle Project!
Thu, 19/01/2012 - 19:59
On Saturday 17 September 2011 hospice supporters burned the midnight oil and walked five miles around the St Christopher’s locality to raise funds for the charity’s Candle Project, which supports bereaved children and young people. Around 200 people took part in the event and the charity hoped that at least £18,000 would be raised. The walkers have now raised over £30,000, surpassing all expectations!
Before they set off on the event, walkers were told about the important work of the Candle Project, and the speakers included the Stokes family who have been supported by Candle since their eldest son was murdered six years ago. The walk was then officially started by comedian Jo Brand.
Community Fundraiser at St Christopher’s, Liz Sowden, said “Thank you so much to our wonderful Midnight Walkers who have raised a phenomenal amount - and an extra special thank you to the volunteers who made the event happen! Thank you to Jo Brand for entertaining us, our sponsor Fidelity Worldwide Investment for generously supporting us, and our media partner the News Shopper. It was a fantastic event and it was lovely to see the community joining together and achieving something for a great cause. We are absolutely bowled over by the amount our walkers have raised and are so grateful for their support of the Candle Project.”
The top fundraiser for the event was Joanna Burgess, who raised a very impressive £7,300. Joanna said “The Candle Project is a cause that means more to my family every day. In 2005, I lost my best friend and husband, but our four children lost their Daddy. At the time their ages ranged from 12 years to six weeks old. Over the last six years the Candle Project at St Christopher's has helped them come to terms with that loss; it has helped them find a vocabulary for something most of us still can't find words to adequately express. It has helped them feel that they are not alone, and taken a great deal of the fear and anxiety from them.”
St Christopher’s is so impressed by the achievements of Joanna and all the Midnight Walkers. After such success they have already set a date for the walk this year: Saturday 13 October 2012. If you would like to register your interest for the Midnight Walk 2012, or find out about other ways you can support the Candle Project, please contact Liz Sowden at e.sowden@stchristophers.org.uk or call on tel: 020 8768 4575.
St Christopher's Hospice Christmas Festival 2011
Fri, 18/11/2011 - 13:28
St Christopher’s Christmas Festival - 3 December 2011
The annual St Christopher’s Hospice Christmas Festival will take place on Saturday 3 December. All money raised at the event will help the hospice continue its essential work providing the best possible end of life care for patients as well as invaluable support for their families.
The event will feature lots of stalls selling lovely Christmas gifts, cards, bric-a-brac and festive food and drink. There will be attractions, prizes to be won, entertainment and even Santa himself will be in attendance! There promises to be fun for all. The Festival is an ideal opportunity to do some Christmas shopping and also enjoy a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.
Community Fundraiser Liz Sowden says: “We are really excited about our Christmas Festival. Last year, even amongst knee-deep snow, we raised an amazing £6,000. This year we are hoping to raise even more and are aiming for £10,000. Please come along and help us reach our target!
Meet our £100k fundraiser Peggy Taylor on the day
One of the stalls on the day will be that of our inspirational volunteer, Peggy Taylor. Peggy has been fundraising for St Christopher's for over twenty years, after her husband was cared for by St Christopher’s. Last year she celebrated reaching her £100,000 milestone in funds raised for the hospice. Peggy fundraises tirelessly, spending many of her weekends taking her stall to various local craft fairs and events. She runs a 50p tombola, sells teddy bears and sells other small children's gifts. To have reached this total is such an epic achievement. Come along and meet Peggy and browse her stall, as well as all the other attractions at the Christmas Festival. We look forward to seeing you there!
For more information please call 020 8768 4575 or email e.sowden@stchristophers.org.uk.
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St Christopher’s Family Fun Day – Saturday 25 June 11am – 4pm
Mon, 27/06/2011 - 16:14
St Christopher’s Hospice will open its doors to the local community tomorrow for its annual Family fun Day. Last year over 1,500 people came along to join in the fun.
There will be live music and entertainment and many stalls to browse including jewellery, plants, arts and crafts, cakes and a BBQ. For children there will be a bouncy castle, face painting and toys to be won at the fair-ground style attractions and ice-cream, crepes and candyfloss as well as a fancy dress competition!. Everything takes place in the beautiful hospice gardens in Lawrie Park Road, Sydenham SE26. Admission is £1.00 (Children are free)
Says Rebecca Kemp Community Fundraiser “It’s lovely seeing the community and people further afield coming together. We really couldn’t continue our work without their support year after year”
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St Christopher's Hospice Social Programme brings local community together
Thu, 16/06/2011 - 15:46
The St Christopher’s ‘Social Programme’ aims to bring together those who use the hospice and members of the local community.
Weekly events such as a community choir, a curry night and a quilting group offer opportunities for St Christopher’s to develop as a ‘social hub’. Many people are afraid to visit a hospice and do not feel comfortable talking about death and dying. St Christopher’s believes that we all have a responsibility to change this and these events are planned in order to offer social opportunities to dispel myths and change perceptions of both St Christopher’s and the people who use the services that the hospice offers.
More than 2,100 already registered for St Christopher's Hospice Fun Walk on 22 May!
Wed, 18/05/2011 - 16:11
Only a few days remain before this year’s sponsored Fun Walk on Sunday 22 May. This event, which takes place every two years in and around Keston Common in Kent, is great event for families and friends of all ages – so please get together and help us to raise money to support our specialist services for dying patients and their families across five south London boroughs – Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. Our target from this year’s event is £250,000.
Start and finish is at the Greyhound pub, Keston Common, Kent. Start time between 8.30am and 3.00pm. Pick the walk that suits you – there are four to choose from – 3, 5, 8 or 11 miles. (Latest start time for the longest walk is 1.30pm).
There are trophies to be won for the best fancy dress costume and the team and individual who raise the most money. Entertainment and refreshments on the common.
Come and join the fun!
More volunteers needed at new hospice charity shop
Wed, 18/05/2011 - 16:09
Our new shop has been open for six weeks and in that time has proved very popular with the local community of East Dulwich. We have received so many kind donations that we need even more volunteers to help sort through items for sale in the shop.
Those interested should contact Stuart Maslin at the hospice on tel: 020 8768 4514 or by email s.maslin@stchristophers.org.uk or call into the shop at 85 – 87 Lordship Lane and speak to a member of staff.
Our continued thanks to our supporters who help us raise funds so that we can continue to care for the dying in our local community.
Tessa Jowell MP to open hospice charity shop at 1100 on 28 March 2011
Mon, 28/03/2011 - 15:50
St Christopher’s Hospice charity shop, 85-87 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, SE22
We are delighted that the Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP for Dulwich and West Norwood will officially open the new St Christopher’s Hospice charity shop at 11am on 28 March, with St Christopher’s Chief Executive Dame Barbara Monroe.
The new East Dulwich shop will be St Christopher’s tenth charity shop across the five south London boroughs served by the hospice – Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham, Croydon and Bromley. This shop is about fives the size of any of our existing shops and will stock furniture and some electrical goods as well as new and donated clothing and bric-a-brac.
The shop will be open seven days a week: 10am - 5pm Monday - Saturday; 11am - 4pm on Sundays. The shop will be staffed by two paid managers with the help of volunteers.
Gift Aid facilities will be available at this shop, allowing us to reclaim the tax on purchases made by UK tax payers.
Music and art at St Christopher's featuring works by the artist Antonio Pacitti - part of St Christopher's 2011 Concert Series
Mon, 14/03/2011 - 15:26
St Christopher’s is hosting an evening of music and art on Saturday 26 March 2011, celebrating the life and works of artist Antonio Pacitti who was cared for by the hospice until his death in 2009. The musical entertainment will be provided by the Zenoria Trio who had a special connection with the artist. Violinist Declan Daly was Antonio’s violin teacher who also became a close friend following Antonio’s decision to start learning to play the violin at the age of 80.
In spite of the paralysis of his right hand following a stroke, Antonio continued with his art during visits by St. Christopher's Community Artist, working with both watercolour and moulding material. Art produced in this period will form part of an exhibition on display at the hospice of over 60 works, including Antonio's vibrant and nature-inspired oil paintings and watercolours, shown as a collection for the first time.
His wife Diane Pacitti has put together a sequence of 25 photos which will celebrate the joys and challenges of Antonio's life, including images relating to his final illness. The art and photo exhibition at the hospice will continue until 6 June 2011. Entrance is free.
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Last Night of Proms £11,500 donation to St Christopher's Hospice!
Fri, 21/01/2011 - 14:36
St Christopher’s Hospice was presented with a cheque for £11,500 by the committee of the Last Night of the Proms Croydon last week. The money was raised from ticket sales of the concert held at the Fairfield Halls last September. The annual fundraising concert, had a full house and is one of three major events performed by Croydon Symphony Orchestra each year. The programme this year featured popular classics from Stage and Screen.
Senior fundraising manager for St. Christopher’s, Paul Fennelly, commenting on the donation said, “We are delighted to have been chosen by the Last Night of the Proms Charity Committee to receive this financial support. I would really like to say how grateful we all are at St Christopher's for all the huge amount of hard work that the LNOP committee put in to running this extremely popular event, the concert was a complete sell out. As such I would encourage anyone thinking of attending this year’s concert to get tickets early to avoid disappointment.
The £11,500 donated to St Christopher's is to go towards the Candle Project which is our bereavement service for Children and will help many of the 250 children and young people we work with in the year to make sense of a very difficult time.
St Christopher’s provides daily care to 850 dying people in their homes and 2,000 in the hospice each year in five South London boroughs including Croydon. Providing these services costs £14 million each year and although £5 million comes from the NHS it means that St Christopher’s must raise the additional £9 million each year to continue to provide the end of life care we are so proud of”.
Photo caption – Dame Barbara Monroe (left) St Christopher’s Chief Executive, pictured with the Last Night of the Proms Committee.
Barbara Monroe, Chief Executive of St Christopher’s Hospice awarded Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in Queen’s Birthday 2010 Honours list
Sat, 12/06/2010 - 16:17
St Christopher’s Chief Executive Barbara Monroe has been appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday 2010 Honours list for services to palliative care.
Barbara has been a social worker for over 30 years. She joined St Christopher’s Hospice in 1987 and became Chief Executive in 2000. She is founder and Director of the Candle children’s bereavement project at St Christopher’s and was Chair of the national Childhood Bereavement Network for eight years. She is Module Leader on the MSc in Palliative Care and Policy run jointly by St Christopher’s and King’s College London. Barbara is a well-known speaker and lecturer and has delivered training programmes across the world. She has written extensively about psychological and social aspects of palliative care and sits on a variety of national committees supporting the development of end of life care. Barbara is an Honorary Professor at the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster University and has a long term interest in how we achieve ‘good enough’ end of life care for all.
On the announcement of the award, Dame Barbara Monroe DBE said; “I am thrilled and proud to receive this award. It recognises the importance of good care at the end of life for everyone and the significance of the work that hospices nationally and internationally do to achieve this”
Rod Bennion, Chair of the Management Council of St Christopher’s said; “I was delighted to hear that Barbara had been appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She works tirelessly not only in her role at St Christopher’s but in the wider area of palliative care both nationally and internationally. This award is richly deserved.”
Says Penny Hansford, St Christopher’s Director of Nursing: “I am thrilled that Barbara has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. She deserves this recognition for her outstanding achievements and contribution to palliative care, bereavement services and social work. St Christopher’s is very fortunate to have someone like Barbara with her wide ranging knowledge and experience at the helm. On behalf of everyone at St Christopher’s, I would like to congratulate Barbara on such a wonderful achievement”
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