Author: Karen Bascombe

“Placing a ribbon on the memorial tree each year has become an important tradition for our family.”

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

Sam Rootes spent just three nights in St Christopher’s care before she died in June 2024, but in that brief stay husband Steve and daughters Georgia & Molly say the hospice made her last days the best they possibly could be – for all of them.

Continue reading ““Placing a ribbon on the memorial tree each year has become an important tradition for our family.””
A photograph of colourful ribbons hanging from a tree at St Christopher's hospice.

“Placing a ribbon on the memorial tree each year has become an important tradition for our family.”

When John’s partner’s mum, Sam, died at St Christopher’s two years ago, he had no idea that his own mum Jackie had also spent her final days in the care of the hospice – when he was just five years old, back in 1997.

“Placing a ribbon on the memorial tree each year has become an important tradition for our family.”

Having made that belated discovery, it means John joins his partner Molly, her sister Georgia and their Dad, Steve, at all the St Christopher’s remembering events. John reflects on the memory of his own mother as well as sharing memories of Sam.

“I grew up not having a place to remember my mum and to reflect on her life,” says John, a security manager at Canary Wharf.

“Now I have that place. It’s a new experience and it’s one we all want to keep going because it’s an opportunity to remember Jackie and Sam and it bonds us with the hospice. It’s so nice to have a place to remember them and not let their memory die.”

A photo of Sam Rootes - she has short blonde hair and is wearing a smart black dress. She's sitting at a table, at a party, looking away from the camera and smiling widely at someone.
The Rootes family at a Ribbons event at St Christopher's. They're standing in front of the tree which is covered in hanging, colourful ribbons.

John joined the family at the Ribbons event in the garden at St Christopher’s just weeks after Sam died in 2024.

“We all wanted to come together as a family to hang a ribbon on the tree in the garden,” he adds.

“It was there in the garden at St Christopher’s that we all have one of our best memories of those final days with Sam.

“We brought the grandchildren in and the staff brought Sam out to the garden in her bed by the fishpond. It was beautiful, the sun was shining and her grandkids played around her as if nothing was wrong. It’s a memory that will last with us forever.”

It was that moment that stood out for Sam’s husband, Steve, too as an example of the compassionate care shown by all the staff at St Christopher’s. He adds: “Those moments meant more than words can express. It’s these small, thoughtful acts that show how much a hospice supports not just the person who is unwell, but their whole family.”

John has learned from his Dad that Jackie and her family also enjoyed some memorable moments out in the garden during her stay at the hospice back in 1997.

“Now, we’ve placed leaves on the memory tree at St Christopher’s for both Sam and Jackie and that’s one more special reason for us to keep coming back.”

Sam spent just three days at St Christopher’s, but it was enough time for the quality and style of care to make a big impression on Steve, Georgia and Molly and returning to the hospice regularly with like-minded people is a source of solace for the family.

“Mum spent her final days there, and the care and compassion shown to her and our family means a great deal to us,” says Georgia.

“Coming back each year to place a ribbon on the memorial tree, take part in the Fun Walk and attending the remembering service helps us feel connected to her, reflect on the love we shared, and remember that she is never forgotten. It is also comforting to be among others who understand loss and to share in a space of remembrance, support, and peace.”

“Those moments meant more than words can express. It’s these small, thoughtful acts that show how much a hospice supports not just the person who is unwell, but their whole family.”

A photo of the Rootes family at Fun Walk. They're all wearing personalisd blue tshirts with a photo of Sam, smiling at the camera. It's a sunny day.

As well as one of the opportunities to hold Sam and Jackie in their thoughts, Fun Walk is also a chance to raise money for the hospice – something John was very keen to do when he discovered his own personal connection.

“I’d never really run properly before – only played football – but I decided to run the London Marathon for St Christopher’s. I would have run in Sam’s memory anyway, but finding out they cared for my mum too gave me another reason.

“It was amazing to do. I really had to go through some pain but had to keep reminding myself that it was nothing compared to what they had to endure.”

John raised £4,000 completing the marathon and knows the importance of every penny.

He adds: “As well as an opportunity to remember Sam and Jackie, coming together again as a family there feels like it really helps bond us even more closely with St Christopher’s and we know they need our support now more than ever.”

“Placing a ribbon on the memorial tree each year has become an important tradition for our family, bringing us together to reflect, remember, and feel close to her again.

As the Ribbons event approaches the family inevitably has slightly mixed feelings.

“Yes, we do look forward to these events,” says Molly.

“Although they can be emotionally heartbreaking, they are also comforting and meaningful. They give us the chance to pause, remember our mum, and honour her in a special place that cared for her so well.”

The regular opportunities to return to St Christopher’s as a family provoke the same emotions in Steve.

“We will continue to return each year for as long as we can, doing what we’re able to give back. Visiting brings me and the girls a sense of closeness to Sam, and a chance to remember her together.”

If you’d like to join us to dedicate a ribbon to someone important to you, you can find out more about our 2026 Remember with Ribbons events here.

Sam Rootes spent just three nights in St Christopher’s care before she died in June 2024, but in that brief stay husband Steve and daughters Georgia & Molly say the hospice made her last days the best they possibly could be – for all of them.

Continue reading ““Placing a ribbon on the memorial tree each year has become an important tradition for our family.””

A really fantastic family event!

Posted on by Karen Bascombe
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Fun Walk: a really fantastic family event!

For mum, Caroline, and her daughter, Sophie, St Christopher’s Fun Walk really is a family affair. And, for the pair who’ve attended every Fun Walk since 2019, along with numerous relatives, the 2025 Fun Walk took on an extra significance and poignancy as it came just six months after Sophie’s dad, Bryan, died at the hospice.

For 16-year-old Sophie, who wasn’t able to complete the walk because of her asthma, the day still more than lived up to its name because she won the giant bear whose name participants had to guess – Fun Bear.

A photograph of 16 year old Sophie holding the giant bear that she won at Fun Walk 2025. Sophie is sitting on a haybale hugging her giant bear, who is bigger than her!

“It really is a fantastic family event. There’s something for everyone to do, it’s a great charity and even if you don’t raise a tonne of money it’s a fun family day to remember loved ones.”

Sophie and her dad Bryan. They're both looking into the camera and Sophie is smiling. Sophie is wearing glasses and has dark brown hair in a ponytail. Bryan is also wearing glasses and is wearing a maroon coloured tshirt.

“It was extra special for us this year because Bryan died last November. It was a beautiful day and there were thousands of people there.”

Bryan, who ran a printing business and was an avid Crystal Palace fan, was diagnosed with cancer in September 2024. He spent a month in hospital and was then admitted to St Christopher’s for palliative care.

“The care and the staff at St Christopher’s were absolutely fantastic – so kind and caring and they really took Sophie’s feelings into consideration,” Caroline adds.

Sophie has returned to St Christopher’s for bereavement counselling with the hospice’s Candle project.

She says: “It’s been very good as it’s helped me to talk about my feelings and understand that it’s OK to talk about Dad, and now Mum and I talk about him a lot.”

While Caroline and the family were walking the course, Sophie was busy on the many stalls – particularly naming the bear. Her hard work paid off when Fun Bear, her hunch, was announced as its name.

While Sophie was delighted to add to her collection of hundreds of bears, Caroline wasn’t sure how they’d get the six-foot brown bundle of fun back to their Swanscombe home on public transport.

Caroline was joined by her parents, siblings and their partners, nephews and nieces on the 8-mile walk and the large family group not only raised more than £500 for St Christopher’s but also thoroughly enjoyed the day.

“We try and make it a fun time to get together, have a laugh and a joke and not make it too sad as we remember people along the way. We’ve also lost friends, neighbours and aunties and uncles over the years. Every year it feels like we add a new name to the T-shirt to remember. This year it was Bryan.”

“The driver was threatening to charge him for a seat!”

A photograph of the giant bear, named Fun Bear, in Sophie's home. Fun Bear is wearing a Fun Walk 2025 tshirt!

Back home, Fun Bear now sleeps on the top bunk above Sophie and, with his connection to her Dad, shares a special place in her heart along with Bear, who Bryan gave her when she was just three.

Asked if they’ll be back in Keston for Fun Walk 2026, Caroline and Sophie both said, “absolutely.”

Leslie Dickson – In memory

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

Staff and volunteers share their memories of one of our most memorable volunteers and his four legged friends.

Ask those who spent time with 40-year veteran volunteer Leslie Dickson, what he was like, and they’d most likely tell you he was both a gentleman and a gentle man. They’d also find it impossible not to mention his canine companion, Dusty – an eight-stone gentle giant of a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Following Les’s death, a day after his 89th birthday, in April this year, fellow volunteers and members of staff started sharing their memories of the pair who left a huge mark on St Christopher’s, countless patients and colleagues.

Les started volunteering at St Christopher’s in 1985, and there are photographs on display in the hospice of his first dog ‘Boss’, another Bernese Mountain Dog – an ancestor of Dusty’s – pulling toddlers around in a little cart.

Therapy Dogs

After a hiatus, Les, following the death of his beloved wife of 50 years, Maureen, in 2018 under the care of St Christopher’s, and united with a new Dusty, began visiting the wards again. In all, Les brought five dogs to St Christopher’s over the four decades.

His visits were eagerly anticipated and his and Dusty’s arrival needed no announcement, as Dave Manners, Senior Facilities Manager at the hospice, recalls.

“Dusty loved coming and started to bark excitedly as they drove towards the Lawrie Park Rd turning. We could hear the barking quite clearly from the Estates office and knew he was nearing the car park, a signal to get his welcome biscuit ready!

“They lifted the spirits of the entire building and Thursday actually became known to some of us as Dusty day.”

Leslie Dickson and Dusty outside St Christopher's Hospice

Martyn Buss, a retired police officer, who’d been visiting patients at St Christopher’s for a few years already recalls the first time he met Les – and Dusty.

“I remember this man turning up with a huge dog. He had a grip of iron, so much so I thought I wasn’t going to get my fingers back.

Martyn was always struck by Leslie’s modesty and keenness to protect his own privacy.

“I remember him saying he only told people what he wanted them to know. But fairly quickly I learned he’d been an RAF dog handler and done the same job in the Met police. We also shared a dry, black sense of humour.”

One thing that was crystal clear was Leslie’s utter devotion to both Maureen and Dusty.

  • Leslie Dickson and Dusty outside St Christopher's Hospice
  • Therapy dogs

Fellow volunteer Dilip Varma says Leslie shared with him that meeting Maureen was a lifechanging moment – although it was one that took a while to materialise.

“Les used to walk past this shop in the West End every day and one morning spotted a beautiful young woman dressing the window. He went past day after day until he plucked up the courage to go in and ask her out.

“He was a shy man but also very personable and exceptionally good with the patients. He’d always joke about Dusty being eight years old but acting like an eight-month-old and would call him an old rascal.”

“He was immensely proud of Dusty,” adds Martyn.

“The thing he always used to say was how, when this damn great dog went into people’s rooms, the smiles on their faces and the joy it brought people. Leslie would just melt into the furniture. It was all about the dog and since Maureen died, Dusty was his world. He just described himself as the transport manager – so unassuming.”

Martyn fondly remembers one occasion when a woman who’d welcomed Dusty into her room, got down on the floor to get closer to him.

“She just sat there cuddling him. Eventually we had to help her back up. She had tears in her eyes and said thank you.”

Although fellow ward visitor Johanna Sullivan has only been at St Christopher’s since December 2023, Dusty and Leslie still had time to make a serious impression on the retired health NHS employee.

“Leslie just had this aura about him – it was his very dignified and gracious way. What he had a was deep understanding of both people and animals. He was a gentleman, gracious and gentlemanly.

“As for Dusty…the look of wonderment in some people’s eyes was amazing. You would see tears, excitement and then a big cuddle. It was sheer joy.”

In terms of Leslie and Dusty’s legacy, Johanna is quick to point out that there are other dogs that visit the hospice, but stresses that Dusty was one of a kind.

“Dusty was an extension of Leslie’s arm. It was as if they were velcroed together. Dusty was a very big dog with a very big personality and he’s left a Dusty-sized hole.”

The other extension of Leslie’s arm was a paintbrush. Borrowing photographs of friends’ pets he would produce exceptional paintings – never accepting any payment.

Bernie Moloney who, as Ward Administrator at St Christopher’s, knew Leslie well, treasures the drawing Leslie did of her border collie. “He wouldn’t take anything for it, so I got around it by buying treats and toys for Dusty. I’m not sure what to say, just that Les was one of a kind.”

St Christopher’s isn’t the only health organisation that will miss them. Dilip says one of the things he was most proud of was the positive impact Dusty had on a young female patient at St Thomas’s Hospital whose brain illness responded to nothing as positively as his visits.

Since Les’s death, Dusty has been looked after by All Animals Rescue and Rehome.

“There’s a whole side to St Christopher’s that people don’t know about”

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

Thousands of people have completed the St Christopher’s Fun Walk over the years, almost all raising money in memory of a loved one who was cared for by the hospice. Rob Anderson’s motivation to walk the three-mile course this year came from within and required some serious resolve. He’s been one of our patients since March 2024 when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 thyroid and spinal cancer.

Continue reading ““There’s a whole side to St Christopher’s that people don’t know about””
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Rob Anderson shares his experience of care at St Christopher’s and his plans for Fun Walk 2026

Thousands of people have completed the St Christopher’s Fun Walk over the years, almost all raising money in memory of a loved one who was cared for by the hospice. Rob Anderson’s motivation to walk the three-mile course this year came from within and required some serious resolve. He’s been one of our patients since March 2024 when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 thyroid and spinal cancer.

Continue reading ““There’s a whole side to St Christopher’s that people don’t know about””

Meet our volunteer trustee

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

Two years ago, Satvinder Reyatt was approached about becoming one of the hospice’s trustees. As Executive Director of People, Finance and Governance at the Royal College of Occupational Therapy at the time (she’s now Interim CEO with a strong people and organisational development background ), Satvinder had experience of working for a range of health care organisations. Satvinder saw the potential for both organisations and herself to benefit from the crossover, and had a strong personal reason for wanting to take up the role.

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There are dozens of opportunities for volunteering at St Christopher’s and myriad motivations for giving your time to support us.

Two years ago, Satvinder Reyatt was approached about becoming one of the hospice’s trustees. As Executive Director of People, Finance and Governance at the Royal College of Occupational Therapy at the time (she’s now Interim CEO with a strong people and organisational development background ), Satvinder had experience of working for a range of health care organisations. Satvinder saw the potential for both organisations and herself to benefit from the crossover, and had a strong personal reason for wanting to take up the role.

Continue reading “Meet our volunteer trustee”

Walking in memory of Brenda

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

Dressed in donkey ears, Marina Jones and her husband Scott really embraced the spirit of the St Christopher’s Fun Walk 2025.

In fact, the couple toned it down for this year’s event, after overheating in the spring sunshine wearing a full donkey’s head outfit in 2024.

Marina explained that her mother Brenda Brown, in his whose memory she was walking, loved donkeys.

Continue reading “Walking in memory of Brenda”

“We decided that after all they did for us, St Christopher’s would be our thing now and we’d do whatever we can for them.”

Dressed in donkey ears, Marina Jones and her husband Scott really embraced the spirit of the St Christopher’s Fun Walk 2025.

In fact, the couple toned it down for this year’s event, after overheating in the spring sunshine wearing a full donkey’s head outfit in 2024.

Marina explained that her mother Brenda Brown, in his whose memory she was walking, loved donkeys.

Continue reading “Walking in memory of Brenda”

Remembering Dame Cicely Saunders

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

On 14 July 2005, Dame Cicely Saunders died at St Christopher’s, the hospice that she founded. To mark twenty years since her death, we spoke to nine current members of St Christopher’s staff and asked them to share their memories of the woman who changed the field of hospice care.

“She knew everybody by their first name”

Bill Punyer, Senior Maintenance Technician at St Christopher’s, was only a child when his father was part of the construction team. Bill never dreamed of working at the hospice but has now been here for 46 years and he still remembers Dame Cicely with a lot of tenderness. “She knew everybody by their first name, she’d know everything about your family; she really paid attention”.

When at work, she would always be Dr Saunders and many mentioned she was both formidable and deeply caring. Described as having a very strong personality and being very clear about what she wanted, Dame Cicely was known for also being very gracious in her demeanour. “I felt sort of overawed and a little bit nervous being next to her, but she was somebody who I really looked up to”, said Anna Butt, recently retired Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Dame Cicely’s trailblazing approach engaged and inspired people around her.

Anne Nash, Nurse Consultant, stated that “you couldn’t doubt that when you met her that there was something special about her”. “She was really good at gathering people around her who were incredibly clever, different, and had a different way of thinking about the future”, shared Anna Butt.

As a medical doctor, Dr Saunders was always focused on the individual.

“Her ethos became the core of my thinking”

Anne Nash witnessed her doing holistic assessments first hand, “which was her vision for palliative care and she really practised it and advocated others to do”. Rose Remedios, Staff Nurse on the inpatient unit added Cicely “would include family, any family members. She would sit by the bed and talk to the patients in their language, in a simple and not patronising way; she would have a conversation with them at their level”.

Cicely profoundly impacted the staff who worked with her, shaping their approach to care and instilling a deep sense of value. Gill Early, currently Senior Associate in Education but previously a nurse at the hospice, said Dr Saunders “was a real educationalist, teaching all the time”. Her ethos became “the core of my thinking” for Clare Hope, demonstrating a lasting influence on professional practice. The staff felt their opinions were genuinely sought and valued, as Anna recalled, “She asked our opinion as nurses and wanted to know what we thought should be done”.

Working alongside her also meant being part of a larger, collective experience. Rev. Dr. Andrew Goodhead, Lead Chaplain at St Christopher’s, noted that “she was very much about it being everybody’s experience and her experience was just part of that whole”. This inclusivity, where her journey was interwoven with theirs, made staff feel part of the greater movement. According to Andrew, her ability to “win people over and draw them in and sell them the vision” meant that her influence extended beyond direct instruction. This strong, inspiring presence meant that staff felt motivated to continue her evolving legacy.

“Have I done enough?”

Towards the end of her life, Dame Cicely, like her husband Marian Bohusz-Szyszko ten years previously, was admitted to the hospice that she founded. Despite her status, Dame Cicely desired to be treated like any other patient.

Julie O’Neill, Ward Manager, recounted how she repeatedly told her, “I’m just like any other patient”, although Julie said she was “realistic enough to know that that that could never be, due to who she was and her immense legacy”. While an inpatient, Dame Cicley would often test her doctors by questioning them about her medication, “knowing full well what she was on,” a challenge Julie affectionately described as being a common interaction between the two of them as well.

Dame Cicely had a strong Christian faith. Andrew recalls her frequently asking, “have I done enough?” as the end of her long life approached.  “She was always reflecting and questioning her actions, regrets and other aspects”, shared Julie, “which I think is very powerful because most people go through that and it’s easy to think that someone like her would not”.

“We need to go back and listen to what she said
because it’s all relevant now”

Dame Cicely’s impact has spread all over the globe, making her known as the founder of the modern hospice movement.

“She started a movement around enabling people to start looking into and talking about death and dying” said Anne Nash, “but she was also focused on making it professional, making it about research-based evidence and reflection, about working together”.

Jan Noble, Director of Quality and Innovation, says that Dame Cicely’s legacy sits on the development of the concept of holistic care and the whole person approach, “the concept of total pain, recognising spiritual needs, social needs, emotional needs as well as the physical needs”. She continued to say that “linked to all of that is what matters to people and seeing the individual. She saw no barriers and made sure people got the care and support they needed whatever their background”.

Dame Cicely recognised the need of society to talk about death and dying and changed end of life care very profoundly, and her focus on the person – not the patient – has remained as a core value in Palliative and Hospice Care. “We need to go back and listen to what she said because it’s all relevant now”, Gill said.

Julie added “She would have something to say about how we do things now, of course she would, but I think she would be very proud for all we continue to achieve. Doctor Saunders didn’t leave things as they were. She moved things forward and actually we’re continuing her legacy, keeping in mind the foundations but always evolving”.

Steve Smith, CEO of St Christopher’s Hospice and Helen Wilkinson from Women in Fellowship hang ribbons to remember Dame Cicely

Dame Cicely Saunders
22 June 1918 – 14 July 2005

Thank you to Anna Butt, Anne Nash, Bill Punyer, Clare Hope, Gill Early, Jan Noble, Julie O’Neill, Rose Remedios and Tracy Ryan for sharing their memories of Dame Cicely.

You can find out more about Dame Cicely Saunders and her work on our webpages

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Gwynneth still campaigning as she approaches her 100th birthday

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

“Enjoy life and take all it has to offer. It’s a wonderful world. I can’t walk, see or hear, but my mouth and brain work overtime and I want to be on the ball!”

Those are the inspiring words of soon-to-be centenarian Gwynneth Pedler who’ll be marking her 100th birthday in July with a party for 104 people who’ve had an impact on her life, including her two daughters Jennifer and Margaret, son-in-law , Andy, and granddaughter Jade.

Continue reading “Gwynneth still campaigning as she approaches her 100th birthday”

“They asked me if I had a goal and I told them I wanted to be able to walk as far as the pub and the post office down the road.”

“Enjoy life and take all it has to offer. It’s a wonderful world. I can’t walk, see or hear, but my mouth and brain work overtime and I want to be on the ball!”

Those are the inspiring words of soon-to-be centenarian Gwynneth Pedler who’ll be marking her 100th birthday in July with a party for 104 people who’ve had an impact on her life, including her two daughters Jennifer and Margaret, son-in-law , Andy, and granddaughter Jade.

Continue reading “Gwynneth still campaigning as she approaches her 100th birthday”

Emilia inspired to run the London Marathon in memory of her ‘Aunty’ Gerry

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

A very occasional jogger, Emilia returned from three months travelling with her twin sister last year having completed her legal training, watched the London Marathon and made the big decision.

Continue reading “Emilia inspired to run the London Marathon in memory of her ‘Aunty’ Gerry”
Emilia at her fundraising bake sale

“My tips for fundraising would be – plan in advance and don’t panic.”

A very occasional jogger, Emilia returned from three months travelling with her twin sister last year having completed her legal training, watched the London Marathon and made the big decision.

Continue reading “Emilia inspired to run the London Marathon in memory of her ‘Aunty’ Gerry”

“There was only one charity I’d want to run it for”

Posted on by Karen Bascombe

Michael Mumford and Tony Spark were almost inseparable as young boys growing up in neighbouring flats in Elephant and Castle, through their teenage years and into their 20s. It will be countless memories from that closest of friendships that will drive Michael on to complete the 26 miles-plus course of the London Marathon. That, the dozens of friends and family who’ll be dotted around the capital’s streets to cheer him on, and, the knowledge that, by crossing the finish line he’ll be raising valuable funds for St Christopher’s where Tony spent the last four months of his life, before dying, aged just 26.

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Marathon man Michael motivated by memories of his best mate Tony

Michael Mumford and Tony Spark were almost inseparable as young boys growing up in neighbouring flats in Elephant and Castle, through their teenage years and into their 20s. It will be countless memories from that closest of friendships that will drive Michael on to complete the 26 miles-plus course of the London Marathon. That, the dozens of friends and family who’ll be dotted around the capital’s streets to cheer him on, and, the knowledge that, by crossing the finish line he’ll be raising valuable funds for St Christopher’s where Tony spent the last four months of his life, before dying, aged just 26.

Continue reading ““There was only one charity I’d want to run it for””