NewsNews from your local Hospice charity

Life changing care…Autumn 2014

Today. Tomorrow. Together

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Hospice News. At St Clare we are always keen to hear about people’s experiences of the Hospice and one of the nicest parts of my job is reading through our feedback forms.

So when we hear from a relative, or receive a beautifully written heartfelt note, to thank us for helping make what can be the worst of times that little bit easier then it makes us even more determined that everyone should receive the same compassionate care.

Hospice Care Week, from October 6 to 12, is an opportunity to highlight our work and reach the people who we know could really benefi t from our help, and you can fi nd out how you can ‘Share the Care’ by joining the St Clare Grapevine on pages 4 & 5.

It’s by sharing our personal experiences of our incredible care that we can inspire and infl uence others, and we are grateful to people like Day Therapy patient Roger Thorlby, and Peggy Inkersole, whose husband Terry was one of the fi rst to be cared for by our Hospice at Home team, whose life-affi rming stories feature in this edition.

You can also read about other ways of supporting St Clare, whether it’s joining our User Involvement Forum, which helps shape and inform future services, attending one of our Light up a Life ceremonies taking place over Christmas, or buying our special edition 25th anniversary calendar, which features the work of members of our local camera clubs.

We are also incredibly excited about the imminent opening of our eighth St Clare shop set to launch in Loughton this autumn, which will generate vital funds to ensure we can continue being there for our local families when they need us the most.

Tanya Curry Chief Executive

Comedian Ed Byrne dived into a yellow zorb to draw the winning ticket for the Hospice’s best-ever Spring Raffl e – which raised a record-breaking £32,251!

Submerged in more than 32,000 tickets, the Irish funnyman pulled Vera Morley’s name from the giant infl atable as St Clare staff, volunteers, patients and guests gathered to watch.

Mrs Morley, from Old Harlow, was then invited to come and collect her prize – the keys to a new Ford Studio KA – from our lottery manager Caron Lakey and Mark Bennett, sales manager at local Ford dealership Gates of Harlow.

The second prize of £1,500 cash was won by Vera Eley, from Harlow, who was the fi rst prize winner of our Spring Raffl e in 2013, while St Clare Specialist Palliative Care Nurse Penny Hampson, a member of

our recently expanded community team, was

our third prize winner, scooping £1,000

of holiday vouchers.

An amazing rollover of up to £10,000 is now up for grabs following the re-launch of the St Clare Lottery. As part of our new prize structure, players have the chance of winning one of 24 weekly cash jackpots, including a guaranteed £1,000 weekly prize. Second prize is £200, third prize is £75, fourth prize is £25 and 20 players will win £10 each. If not won, the second prize of £200 rolls over to a maximum of £10,000.

St Clare lottery manager Caron Lakey said: “For just £1 a week, and with better odds than a national lottery, why not take a chance on the St Clare Lottery.” To start playing the St Clare Lottery, call 01279 773730, email lottery@stclarehospice.org.uk or visit www.stclarehospice.org.uk/hospicelottery.html

• There are now even more ways to win – and support your local Hospice – with the launch of our new St Clare Scratch Cards. Each card costs just £1, with a one in fi ve chance of an instant win of up to £1,000. St Clare Scratch Cards are on sale at our Hospice shops and will also be available at our fundraising events.

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St Clare Lottery relaunch

scooping £1,000 of holiday

vouchers.

St Clare Lotter

Spring raffl e draw

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St Clare Sizzler serves up a winner…Supporters holding alfresco fundraisers over the summer were urged to serve up a sausage which was created especially to raise money for St Clare as part of a new summer campaign.

For the fi rst time ever, we teamed up with Jason Drage, owner of the Churchgate Sausage Shop, to create a gourmet ‘St Clare Sizzler’ – and invited people to put forward their favourite fl avour combinations as part of a competition run in conjunction with the Herts and Essex Observer.

More than 30 entries were submitted, with three going forward to a taste test by our panel of judges, who included MasterChef semi-fi nalist Saira Hamilton and St Clare chef Ed Firth, pictured bottom left with Jason and Observer editor Paul Winspear.

The winner was Bishop’s Stortford resident Adam Benson with his delicious cheese and Marmite entry, which then went on sale during July and August, proving a hit with sausage lovers everywhere, with more than 2,000 sausages sold!

A percentage of the sales were donated

to the Hospice, and people were also

encouraged to hold their own St Clare Sizzle parties for family and friends to boost

funds. A big thank you to everyone who took part.

Flashes of fl uorescent lit up the night as more than 600 people turned out for our 80s-themed Midnight Walk – helping raise a fantastic £35,000.

Neon pink, yellow, orange and green illuminated the night as people of all ages came out to support the biggest fundraising event in the St Clare calendar.

Against a sound track of 80s classics, the procession snaked its way through the streets of Harlow as walkers set off on either the 5km or 10k route.

St Clare Director of Fundraising and Marketing Elizabeth Palfreman said: “Once again, our Midnight Walkers did the Hospice proud, helping us

raise an incredible sum. There was a real buzz on the night and it was great to see how much effort people had put into their 80s-inspired fancy dress.

“We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every person who took part as well as our army of volunteers and marshals, who helped ensure the night was such a success, and the many local businesses that supported us. It was a truly wonderful night.”

The fi rst back were Chloe Hammond, 17, and Jamie Dalgliesh, 23, who ran

the 5km route in 33 minutes. They were followed by their friend Christine Ford, 16, who walked the same distance in

49 minutes.

Jamie is the daughter of St Clare nurse Anne Dalgliesh, while Chloe is the daughter of Hospice at Home nursing assistant Sandra Hammond.

Congratulations also to Keeley Bird, who won a voucher for the King Harold’s Head pub in Nazeing, as the individual who raised the most money, collecting a fantastic £1,185 in sponsorship. The team prize, a free game of bowling at Harlow Bowl, was won by The Ongar Mums Group, who together raised an amazing £4,000.

lit up the night!Jason Drage (left) & winner Adam Benson

Photos courtesy of Kevin Lines

the 5km route in 33 minutes. They were followed by their friend Christine Ford, 16, who walked the same distance in

49 minutes.

Photos courtesy of Kevin Lines

TTTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNKKKKKK YYYYYYYYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNKKKKKK YYYYYYOOOOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOYYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUUUUU TTTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNKKKKKK YYYYYYOOOOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOYYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUUUUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU• Tracey Begley and Essex Choi Kwang Do taught

Hospice mascot Clare the Bear a few moves at a martial arts masterclass in Dunmow – £950

• Loughton Town Council awarded the Hospice a grant – £500

• Pupils at Leventhorpe School in Sawbridgeworth for choosing to support St Clare during their annual charity week – £2,200

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• The Manuden Singers hit the right note at their Village Glyndebourne – £1,270

• Skydivers Caz Santaniello, Tina Chandler and Connie Harris from Harlow salon DG & Co took the plunge from 13,000ft – £3,000

• Ongar Friends held a coffee morning – £1,750

Physiotherapy student Rachel Newton has just started the fi nal year of her Master’s degree at the University of Essex. She began her fi ve-week placement with the physiotherapy team at St Clare in July.

“Before coming to work at the Hospice, I didn’t know much about hospices or what to expect. Other people said they imagined working at the Hospice would be a challenge and an upsetting place to work.

“At university, we had had lectures about palliative care and the physiotherapy management of fatigue, pain and breathlessness, and I knew there would be an Inpatient Unit for end of life care, but I was unaware of the other areas of the Hospice. I had no idea the Hospice offered such a range of services, from breathlessness, neurological and carers groups to creative writing and art workshops, and complementary therapy programmes.

“From day one, when I spent the morning with a Day Therapy group and the afternoon with patients in the Inpatient Unit, I knew I would enjoy working here. In joining the Day Therapy group, I got a real

feel for the openness and positivity of the sessions. Everyone had faced

so many challenges but was happy to share what they had been through and it was so nice to have the time just to be able to chat and listen. The Hospice really looks at the whole person

and how best we think we might be able to help them, whether it be seeing a physiotherapist, occupational

therapist, nurse, chaplain or trying massage or refl exology,

for example.

“Before coming to St Clare I thought hospices were depressing places but now I know

they are warm and caring.”

Winning hearts and mindsRetired carpenter Roger Thorlby started attending our Day Therapy and breathlessness groups in June. The 57-year-old dad-of-four, who has heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was referred to the Hospice by his cardiac specialist nurse at St Margaret’s Hospital.

“When it was fi rst suggested I come to St Clare for therapy I thought I’d be stupid to say no to something that could do me some good. I’d only heard of the Hospice as a ‘doom and gloom’ place; somewhere you go to die. That seems to be everyone’s impression and I had no idea they did therapy for people like me.

“I came along for an introductory meeting with Jennie, one of the nurses, where we sat and chatted and she explained about the breathlessness group and Friday therapy sessions and straight away put me at ease. The treatment you are given is absolutely fi rst-class and everyone really does care. It almost makes being ill worthwhile coming here – it’s like a ray of sunshine and I really look forward to coming.

“To people in the same boat with an illness that can’t be cured, I’d say if you get the chance to come to St Clare then go. You simply won’t regret coming, unless you’re a miserable, joyless, hopeless so and so and even then they’ll cheer you up! When you’re stuck at home, sitting and staring at four walls, it makes you miserable, but you come here and you see someone smile and it makes you smile too. I had months where I just couldn’t breathe and it went on and on and that really gets you down. What I’ve learnt here about what to do has really helped me cope and I just wish I’d known about St Clare Hospice back then.”

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May I share a conundrum with you? So many people who have discovered St Clare wish they had found out about the incredible range of care available earlier, or, wish they had said yes to help when it was fi rst suggested. In fact, everyone who knows about St Clare, wishes everyone did. But, how to spread the word, when at the mere mention of the ‘H’ word people stop listening... or reading? Why? Well, because people believe that a hospice is only about death and dying – a topic, let’s face it, that no one likes to think or talk about.

I started working at St Clare Hospice in April this year and on telling one friend about my move, he said: “Why on earth do you want to work in a place like that? It must be really depressing.” How can I persuade him that nothing could be further than the truth? That in all the places I’ve worked, this is the most life-affi rming, life-enriching, life-inspiring place. A place where you watch people’s fears melt away, their worries subside and their confi dence for the journey ahead grow. A journey, incidentally, that can span months and years, not just the last few days. Why wouldn’t I want to work here?

So, back to the conundrum. How to shed light on the ‘H’ word in a way that will help more people understand what hospice care is really all about. In today’s media-saturated, spin-weary, cynical world, we prefer to listen to people we know and trust, especially people who can speak from personal experience. So, maybe the grapevine is the key.

In the lead up to Hospice Care Week (October 6 to 12), a national initiative led by Help the Hospices, we are running a ‘Share the Care’ campaign to encourage all those who know the truth about hospice care to be part of the St Clare Grapevine and invite a friend or family member to a special Open Day on Saturday, October 11 from 11am-3pm.

At the Open Day, there will be a chance to tour the Hospice, enjoy a hand massage, join a creative therapy taster session,

listen to a carer talk about their experience and pose questions to the team of St Clare experts.

Will you be part of the St Clare Grapevine and share the care with your friends, family and work colleagues? Who could you invite to the Open Day, if you haven’t already? I’m just off to invite my friend who expressed such horror at the idea of me working at St Clare!

T he ‘H’ Challenge

Hospice Myth Hospice Truth

Just about death and dying It’s also about life and living; about giving the expert care, understanding

and time that is needed for each person to feel safe, calm, comforted and more confi dent to cope on the journey ahead.

Just a building to go to It’s a skilled way of caring for people in their homes as well as at our Hospice Centre.

Just for the last few days It’s expert care available at any stage of a life-limiting illness; a journey that can span months and years, not just days and weeks.

Just for cancer It’s for all life-limiting illnesses, including chronic respiratory, neurological

and cardiac conditions (COPD, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s etc) as well as cancer.

Just for the person who is ill It’s for the person and their family and friends; they, too, are on a

diffi cult journey.

Just until death Our care and support continues for those grieving the loss of their

loved one.

listen to a carer talk about their experience and pose questions to the team of St Clare experts.

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Karen Griffi thsCommunications and Marketing Manager

Six Myth Busters...

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TTTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNKKKKKK YYYYYYYYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNKKKKKK YYYYYYOOOOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOYYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUUUUU TTTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNKKKKKK YYYYYYOOOOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOYYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUUUUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU• David Malyon, of Pawley & Malyon

Chartered Accountants, for helping pay for six days of Hospice care in memory of his father – £25,000

• Chigwell School donated in memory of Hospice patient Andrew McKenzie – £1,063

Therapeutic techniques making a real difference to St Clare patients suffering from shortness of breath are being adopted by healthcare professionals from across Europe thanks to research by our Day Therapy Manager Emily Stowe.

Her research poster based on the positive experiences of those who attend our weekly breathlessness group received wide interest from clinicians, doctors, nurses and therapists when she was invited to present it at the European Association of Palliative Care Research Conference held in Spain.

As part of her research, our Day Therapy patients were asked to rate their levels of anxiety, effort and discomfort before they started using the techniques and other coping strategies and then again afterwards. Many of them reported a marked difference in managing the symptoms of their condition, which ranged from cancer and heart failure to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Emily said: “It was wonderful to be able to share with others what we are doing so successfully here at

the Hospice, and proving that there is specifi c, measurable value in what we do, not

only to help people feel better and manage their symptoms but improving their overall quality of life.

“Our breathlessness group empowers people and gives them the confi dence to cope with the challenges of their illness through strategies that we know can bring

benefi ts, it’s great that other people are taking those away to

implement in other hospices.”

Research poster success

• Tri Sport Epping organised a Try a Tri event at Ongar Leisure Centre – £800 • Neighbouring North Weald

businesses Retail Therapy and Davis Homes organised a static cycle challenge on the day the Tour De France passed through the village – £1,000

• A three-piece band and topless waiters added to the fun when long-time St Clare supporter Moira Pring held her second annual ladies’ night – £736

No day is ever quite the same for former engineer and St Clare volunteer Joe Jackson, who has been helping our Day Therapy team for the past 18 months. Not previously known for artistic fl air, he decided to get stuck into a new art masterclass on collage techniques, led by local artist Zoe Hunter of Zozi Designs.

Working alongside patients, Joe created a picture of a cow entitled ‘Innocence’ and within 24 hours, had an offer to buy the artwork from Day Therapy patient Lyn Whitworth, whose favourite animal happens to be a cow! The new art masterclasses began in July, giving Day Therapy patients the opportunity to learn new skills and techniques, including painting, craft and origami.

Masterclass in cow painting

Trainee doctors are benefi tting from the knowledge and experience of St Clare’s Deputy Medical Director Dr Qamar Abbas after he was appointed as a Senior Clinical Tutor at Cambridge University.

With a wealth of expertise in palliative care, Qamar is widely considered an authority in his fi eld. Part of his new role, will be sharing evidence-based knowledge and best practice in four key areas – end of life care, symptom management, bereavement and ethics.

“It is a great honour for the Hospice team to be able to share what we do here at St Clare,” he said. Cambridge students are gaining the expertise of two of St Clare’s senior clinicians as our Medical Director Dr John Zeppetella also holds the title.

Cambridge tutor appointment

Lyn was moo-ved by Joe’s cow collage

Ensuring the care and support provided by the Hospice continues to meet the changing needs of people living with a life-limiting illness is the focus of St Clare’s new Director of Patient Care.

Beth Burton offi cially took over the post in August, over-seeing all clinical services, from our Inpatient Unit, Day Therapy department and Community and Hospice at Home teams, to our family support and bereavement services.

Beth said it was an exciting time to take on the director role as we look to continue developing our services, ensuring those with a life-limiting illness have timely access to skilled and compassionate care which meet their individual needs in a place of their choice.

Beth’s new post

Beth Burton offi cially took over the post in August, over-

“It is a great honour for the Hospice team to be able to share what we do here at St Clare,” he said. Cambridge students are gaining the expertise of two of St Clare’s senior clinicians as our Medical Director Dr John Zeppetella also holds the title.

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TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUU TTTHHHAAANNNKKK YYYOOOOOOYOYYYOYOYOYYYOY UUUUUU• Bishop’s Stortford Chamber of Commerce

organised a golf day after selecting St Clare as its charity of the year – £1,400

• Church Langley Church held a quiz night and fayre – £850

• St Clare volunteer Goolmohr Cantel hosted her second annual tea party and represented the Hospice at Bishop’s Stortford mayor Cllr Diane Hollebon’s summer event as well as the Cazfest music festival – £1,700

• Epping Rotary Club attracted a record number of golfers when members organised another fantastic golf day at Saffron Walden Golf Club – £16,000

Cambridge tutor appointmentSince launching at the beginning of 2014, our new Hospice at Home service has received more than 200 referrals, meaning more local families than ever before are benefi ting from our expert and compassionate care in their own homes.

Terry Inkersole and his family were among the fi rst to receive help and support from our Hospice at Home team, and here his wife Peggy shares her story about the incredible care they received from our dedicated nursing assistants, giving them the support and confi dence to face the road ahead, and most importantly honour her husband’s wishes to spend his fi nal days at home.

Terry died peacefully on April 17 not long after the Loughton couple had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

“It was the most terrible, terrible blow to lose him from my life but I have really happy memories of our last few

days together at home thanks to the support we both received from the St Clare Hospice at Home team.

“Terry was fi ercely determined to stay at home; it’s where he’d always lived. He would say ‘I’m not going back to hospital’ so we cared for him at home. We started to have visits from our local District Nurse, but towards the end they said we should talk to St Clare because Terry needed more help than even they could provide.

“So, the St Clare nurses really took over for the last 10 days and they were just wonderful. So kind and knowledgeable; I knew Terry was in safe hands.”

The Hospice at Home team also provided much-needed support for Peggy, giving her precious time to just be Terry’s wife again. “I was able to care for my husband for most of his last few months, but at the end it got too much for me. It was such a relief to be able to hand over his care

to someone I knew I could trust, right from the start.”

The Inkersole family say they will be forever grateful to the Hospice for enabling them to keep Terry at home, and ensure he remained comfortable and peaceful until the very end, and want to fundraise for St Clare in his memory.“Now that he’s gone I want to honour his memory, and help other families to have the same support as we did. I can’t praise St Clare enough and if we can raise enough to pay for the care of another family then that will bring me so much joy.”

Hospice at Home story…

A group of people able to offer a unique insight into the work of St Clare are helping to shape future services.

As former or current patients, or relatives whose loved ones have received our care, the members of our User Involvement Forum help infl uence the quality of our services by providing valuable feedback. Led by our chief executive Tanya Curry, the group meets every two months to share their views, bringing a new perspective on Hospice life.

Forum member Sue Chambers, whose late husband Brian was cared for at the Hospice, said: “We are all different ages, backgrounds and careers but everyone has been touched by St Clare in some way. We are a very diverse group with different opinions and ideas. It’s wonderful to be involved and to see the Hospice services blossom and fl ourish.”

Paul Woodward, who joined the forum after attending our carers’ group, added: “Our points of view and experience from inside the service have enabled a more rounded approach to maintaining the quality of care and we hope assisted in change if needed for the good of all.”

User involvement forum

St Clare staff were incredibly proud to show off the results of our £472,098 refurbishment to provide inspiring, modern and therapeutic spaces for patients and families at the grand unveiling of our ‘Space to Breathe’ project.

Our chief executive Tanya Curry said: “Our Day Therapy and Community services are focused on improving patients’ quality of life, providing individualised care and promoting independence, and both these areas of the Hospice have been central to the renovation. We are delighted with the results, which have created beautifully modern and inspiring spaces for our patients and their loved ones, all fi nished to the same excellent standard we achieved for our Inpatient bedrooms.”

Hospice refurbishmentHospice refurbishmentHospice refurbishmentHospice refurbishment

A group of people able to offer a unique insight into the work of St Clare are helping to shape future services.

As former or current patients, or relatives whose loved ones have received our care, the members of our User Involvement Forum help infl uence the quality of our services

User involvement forum

Hospice refurbishmentHospice refurbishment

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Volunteers’ Week celebrationThe invaluable contribution made each and every day by the army of volunteers who contribute to the work of St Clare Hospice was celebrated when we marked Volunteers’ Week.

From supporting those who attend Day Therapy and making copious cups of tea for families visiting our Inpatient Unit, to serving customers in our Hospice shops or lending a hand at our fundraising events, we shone the spotlight on some of the remarkable people who give up their time to support us, taking the opportunity to highlight the many and varied ways they help us.

Dedicated serviceTributes have been paid to a long-serving Hospice volunteer who helped welcome the very fi rst patients in our Inpatient Unit.

June Coyne, who passed away at the Hospice in May, began volunteering for St Clare in May 1992, helping stuff envelopes to promote the charity and sourcing prizes for fundraising events.

Our voluntary services manager Chris Crump said: “We will miss June’s cheeky smile and wonderful sense of humour. Her spirit and resilience throughout her illness was humbling as she continued to cover her shift on reception for as long as she was able.”

GSK volunteersA team of orange overall-wearing workmates from GlaxoSmithKline proved they had a zest for volunteering when they spent a day lending a hand at the Hospice.

Thirteen colleagues from the company’s Operations, Planning and Strategy department offered their services as part of their fi rm’s ‘Orange Day’, which encourages staff to support good causes in their community.

Their offer of help was gratefully received by the St Clare facilities team, with the volunteers put to work cleaning the garden furniture and erecting a section of fencing.

Sixth-former Jimmy Ball, 16, is our youngest volunteer, helping our facilities and fundraising teams. “Every day I’m doing something different,” he said. “It’s a great way for me to give something back to the people who cared for my Nan and to help them to do the same for others in a similar situation.”

Retired PA Barbara MacDonald has been an Inpatient Unit volunteer for almost 13 years. Her duties include taking the patients’ lunch orders and making sure they are comfortable.

“Whatever the patients need, I try to provide for them, even if it’s just having a chat,” she said. “Sometimes I think us volunteers get more out of it than the patients.”

Former RAF pilot Robin Ekblom joined the Hospice as volunteer handyman in 2008. A skilled furniture maker, he can turn his hand to any task our facilities team throw his way, from putting up shelves to hanging pictures. In his own words Robin “Generally does what he’s told!”

“I’ve had a good life and volunteering at the Hospice is my way of giving something back” he said.

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Hospice stalwart Ellen Long is one of our regular street collectors, shaking her St Clare tin outside the local supermarkets. “I do like to rattle my tin so people know I’m there and people are incredibly generous,” she said. “I fi nd that a smile goes a long way.”

Former company director Steve Edgley clocks up an average of 600 miles a month as a volunteer driver, providing lifts across the Hospice patch. He said: “I recently picked up a gentleman whose wife was at the Hospice. He’d tried coming by bus and it had taken about three hours and when you hear things like that I just have to make myself available.”

As the founding chairman of the Loughton Friends Group, Marilyn Coleclough has been fundraising for St Clare for more than two decades. “Volunteering is one of the best things I have ever done; I’m still as passionate about St Clare as I was all those years ago,” she said.

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Shop News

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Calendar on sale!Copies of a commemorative calendar celebrating St Clare’s 25th anniversary in 2015 have been presented to the photographers whose stunning images feature in its pages.

An evening reception was held at the Hospice to thank them for submitting their favourite pictures of local land-marks that fall within the Hospice catchment area.

The calendar is £3.50 and available from the St Clare shops, our Ebay shop and the Hospice reception.

Meanwhile, fourteen festive Christmas cards which were selected with help from two of our reception volunteers, Margaret Promfrett and Gill Taylor, are also now on sale.

The seasonal cards, which feature a range of traditional and contemporary designs, are available from our St Clare shops, our Ebay shop and the Hospice reception as well as the Cards for Good Causes pop up shops in Harlow and Saffron Walden. Each design comes in a pack of 10, with prices ranging from £3 to £4.50.

Vouchers are a giftVolunteers at our Epping shop were delighted to receive a £20 Marks and Spencer voucher as a treat thanks to Epping Forest District Council.

The voucher was up for grabs in a prize draw to encourage councillors and employees to sign up for Gift Aid as part of a stock appeal held at the civic offi ces in May. Every donor who completed a Gift Aid form was entered into the draw, with the eventual winner deciding to generously give the voucher away to our Epping volunteers.

Stortford ’s switched onStaff and volunteers at our Bishop’s Stortford shop have been plugging their new range to shoppers now they can accept donations of electrical items.

Good quality second-hand instruments, amps, turntables, stereos, speakers plus DVD and CD players are among the media equipment now on sale at the shop in Devoils Lane.

Shop manager Jeff Hepting said: “As a muscian myself, I’d love to get a Gibson Les Paul guitar or a Strad donated to the shop. That’s one of the great things about working here – you never know what’s going to come through the door.”

St Clare shop in store for LoughtonOur retail team have been brimming with excitement as we prepare to open our new St Clare shop in Loughton.

We are thrilled to confi rm that our latest outlet, in the High Road, will be our eighth shop and the very fi rst in Loughton to support a local charity that has been providing care and support to those living in the community that it serves for 25 years.

Like our Scarlet shop in neighbouring Buckhurst Hill, the new Loughton shop will offer something different to challenge the traditional perceptions of

charity shopping. It will be stocked with pre-loved fashion, accessories, books and artefacts that we hope will appeal to those looking for unique and quirky items for their wardrobe and home.

Our retail sales manager Fiona Eaton said: “The opening of our new Loughton shop is a chance for us to take a fresh approach and create something that will really stand out from other charity shops by offering shoppers an exciting blend of antiquarian and contemporary goods that will ensure customers keep coming back time and time again.”

We are planning an offi cial launch event later in the autumn and donations of stock have already started coming in, including a beautiful Ralph Lauren bag. Loughton-based Bespoke Recruitment have also been helping after one of our relief managers, Richard Noakes, visited them to talk about the Hospice’s work.

Company directors Simon Noakes and Stephen Chetwynd said: “We were really impressed by the valuable work the Hospice does and we intend to donate at least once a month to help raise funds.”

Vintage and RetroThe trend for all things vintage has arrived at our Harlow shop with the launch of a new section dedicated to retro clothes and accessories.

Shoppers have been snapping up pre-loved bargains from every era, from the 1960s through to the 1990s, following the introduction of our retro range.

Our retail sales manager Fiona Eaton said: “Our vintage and retro section is already a hit with our customers who are looking for something unique they wouldn’t ordinarily be able to fi nd.”

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For St Clare supporter Jan Withey, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without attending our Light up a Life service.

Offering the chance each year to pause, refl ect and remember the lives of people you love is an important part of the ongoing care provided by St Clare, and this year there will be 12 Light up a Life services across the Hospice patch this winter.

Jan has attended Light up a Life for the past seven years since husband, Tony, passed away at the Hospice in January 2007. “The memories come fl ooding back and I feel close to him, especially as it was Christmas when Tony was at St Clare,” she said. “My thoughts include things that make me smile, not just feel sad.”

In addition to the services being held here at St Clare Hospice on Saturday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 10, the other services are taking place on:

Light up a Life services

Deer oh deer! The Hospice has been overrun with reindeer as we look to launch a new family-friendly festive fundraising campaign this Christmas.

This yuletide we are encouraging St Clare supporters to buy our cuddly reindeer mascot to hang on their Christmas tree, helping raise awareness of our work supporting local families not just during the festive season but every day of the year.

To help launch our reindeer campaign, we are inviting local schoolchildren to help us name our reindeer. It will then be on sale for £1.50 in the countdown to Christmas at schools, festive fairs and at the Hospice reception as well as our eight St Clare shops. A special edition reindeer featuring a festive St Clare enamel pin badge will also be on sale for £2.50.

Reindeer Revelry

How leaving a gift in your Will can help fund the care of people at the end of their lives is the focus of a joint awareness campaign being supported by St Clare and six other Essex hospices.

For the fi rst time ever, we have come together with Farleigh Hospice, Saint Francis Hospice, Havens Hospices, St Helena Hospice, The J’s and St Luke’s Hospice to highlight how vital gifts in Wills are in ensuring we can continue to provide expert and compassionate care to those with life-limiting illnesses.

The fi rst phase of this new partnership was the launch of a joint website – www.legaciesforessexhospices.org – to encourage people to leave a legacy to their local hospice to help guarantee future care for patients in the years to come.

Our Director of Fundraising and Marketing, Elizabeth Palfreman, said: “A legacy is your gift to the charities and good causes that were important to you during your life.

Leaving a gift to your local hospice in your Will is a lovely way for your support to live on even after you are gone.”

Meanwhile, St Clare’s own Make a Will Fortnight is expected to raise £10,000 after more than 60 people took the opportunity to make or update their Will when 13 local solicitors agreed to waive their usual fee in exchange for a donation to the Hospice during two weeks in June.

Joining forces to promote lasting care

the Hospice reception as well as our eight St Clare shops. A special edition reindeer featuring a festive St Clare enamel pin badge will also be on sale for £2.50.

Saturday, November 29 Methodist Church, Loughton at 4.30pmThursday, December 4 Waltham Abbey Church at 7pmSaturday, December 6 St John’s Church, Epping at 5.30pmSunday, December 7 GreenAcres Woodland Burials, North Weald at 11amThursday, December 11 St John’s Church, Buckhurst Hill at 7pmThursday, December 11 St Martin’s Church, Ongar at 4.15pmSunday, December 14 St Andrew’s Church, Harlow at 6.30pmSunday, December 14 St Mary’s Church, Stansted at 11amSunday, December 14 United Reformed Church, Great Dunmow at 3.30pmSunday, February 15 St Mary’s Church, Saffron Walden at 6.30pm

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Please treat this donation and all donations I have made to St Clare Hospice in the past four tax years prior to this declaration and all future donations until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations* Date….../….../…...

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11stclarehospice.org.uk

Fifteen fun-loving teams got wet and wild for our It’s A Knockout competition. With eight fun infl atables and other obstacles to tackle, every player threw themselves into each challenge as they slipped, slid and scrambled their way around the course in a bid to be crowned the champions.

Among those taking part were a nine-strong team from the Hospice, including corporate fundraiser Brooke Stacey, who organised the fundraising event at Bishop’s Stortford Rugby Club. Other participants included TV presenter Jeff Brazier, who was part of the team entered by competition sponsor George Cooper, owner of Stansted-based GC Physiotherapy.

The eventual winners were Harlow-based Branson Leisure, with Bishop’s Stortford Chamber of Commerce taking second place and Scott Traveler’s Football Academy in third.

The other teams were S Cobbin & Co, The Hunter’s Meet, Herts & Essex Observer, AV UK, The Tooley & Foster Partnership, G-Card, Aldi, Intercounty, Bishop’s Stortford Business Connections and BNI.

Brooke said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part for making our fi rst-ever It’s A Knockout competition such a spectacular success and helping us put the ‘fun’ in fundraising.”

It’s a Knockout success…

A spot of stilt walking, plate spinning and stick twizzling in between sampling homemade cakes, admiring beautifully made crafts and striving to win a cuddly bear... much fun was had by all at the annual St Clare May Fayre.

More than 10 stallholders set out their wares in the Hospice dining room during the event organised by St Clare stalwart Pat Prior, centre.

In addition to the wholesome goodies from Pat’s own kitchen, including her homemade jams and preserves, there were traditional handicrafts, such as knitwear, linens and cushions, on sale along with children’s toys and games, plants and a raffl e. There was also a circus skills workshop for the young and young at heart.

The May Fayre raised £1,000 for the Hospice.

Fun at May Fayre

St Clare Communications & Marketing Offi cer Eleanor Scotchbrook, above, was among the 250-plus runners who limbered up for the Stansted 10k Fun Run in aid of the Hospice.

Despite the sweltering heat and mostly uphill cross country course, she fi nished in a respectable 60min 19 sec.

“This was the fi rst year the Hospice organised the long-running community event, having been invited to take it over by the previous organisers. There was a nice buzz as everyone gathered together at the start line waiting to set off and it was lovely to hear everyone cheering you on as we huffed and puffed our way across the fi nish line at the end,” she said

The fi rst runner back was Crispian Bloomfi eld in 37min 26 sec, followed by Alan Pritchard in 39 min 41 sec. Third place went to Danny Beazley in 40min 35 sec.

The fi rst female fi nisher was Emma Deary in 44min 51 sec. Second place was Fiona Halls in 45min 22sec, with Evelyn Carter taking third with a time of 50min 08sec.

In the under-16s category, Daniel Evans was the winner, arriving back in 47min 13sec, followed by James Inkley in 52min 08sec and Devon Williamson in 55min 40sec.

It is hoped the event will have raised £4,000 once all sponsor money has been received.

Stansted 10kStansted 10k

Photos courtesy of Stephen Brent

Photos courtesy of Peter Cozzi/FG Gates Ltd

Two solar powered chickens delighted our animal-loving Hospice chaplain Rev Joyce Smith when St Clare staff and volunteers gathered to bid her a fond farewell.

Over almost four years in the role, Joyce has shown great compassion to our patients and their families, providing guidance, comfort and support on their journey with the Hospice.

In addition to playing an integral part in organising and leading our annual Light Up A Life services, Joyce often went the extra mile to support those we care for, memorably arranging with the Redwings Ada Cole Memorial Stables for Jessie the donkey to visit the Hospice to meet one of our patients, fellow animal lover Janice Whitall.

As she stepped down as our Chaplain to pursue new challenges out in the community, it was apt then that she was presented with the ornamental chickens as a leaving gift. Continuing the animal theme, staff also organised a birds of prey experience for Joyce and a friend.

Our medical director Dr John Zeppetella said: “It has been a pleasure to have had Joyce as a member of our team and we are fortunate to have benefi tted from her experience, compassion and hard work in supporting patients, their families and our own staff. I am pleased to say that Joyce will continue her relationship with the Hospice on a voluntary basis.”

St Clare bids a fond farewell to Joyce

Hospice on a voluntary basis.”

Rev Joyce Smith receives the ornamental chickens as a leaving gift.

Registered Charity No. 1063631. St Clare Hospice, Hastingwood Road, Hastingwood CM17 9JX. All rights reserved

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Hundreds of visitors passed through the gates of 29 of the best-kept green spaces in Harlow, Church Langley and Hastingwood, helping raise a blooming marvellous £6,400 during the 20th annual Harlow Open Gardens Weekend.

The two-day horticultural extravaganza has grown and grown each year since the fi rst event in 1994 thanks to the careful cultivation of organiser Ann Gould.“This year, there were 28 gardens on show and one allotment,” she said. “The weather was very bad at times but despite the rain, visitors kept coming to the gardens, enjoying the plants and homemade cakes, teas, coffees and ploughman’s lunches.”

Many of those who opened their gardens to the public, such as mother and daughter Viv and Claire Chipperfi eld, pictured right, also organised live music, gift stalls and plant sales, laid on refreshments and held raffl es to boost funds.

Blooming marvellous Open Gardens Where ’s my local shop?

BISHOP’S STORTFORDSing for your Supper, Bishop’s Stortford 22nd November 2014 Local choirs will be showcasing their talents when Sing for your Supper returns for its second year at Bishop’s Stortford College. Sarah has further details on 07528 520015.

Zumbathon, Waltham Abbey 5th October 2014 Join fitness instructors Bee Payne and Sam Champion at Waltham Abbey town council starting at 10am. Tickets £12 in advance, £15 on the day from Sam on 07988 732038.

Quiz Night, Theydon Bois18th October 2014 Quiz whizzes are being invited to enter a team for Marilyn Coleclough and Marion Oliver’s quiz night at Theydon Bois village hall. Tickets are £7 from 01992 812042 or 020 8508 6115.

Waltham Abbey Supporters Quiz Night15th November 2014 Organised by our Waltham Abbey Supporters Group. At the Scout Hut in Cornmill, Waltham Abbey. Tickets £10 (includes a ploughman’s supper). Call Sally on 01992 711849.

Theydon Bois Gift Fair 15th November 2014 Pick up early Christmas presents at a gift fair at Theydon Bois village hall from 10.30am to 3pm. Entry is £2 (under-12s free). Ring James on 01279 773751 for details.

Epping Friends Gift Fair, Epping22nd November 2014 Browse stalls selling cakes, bric-a-brac, books, children’s toys and more at a gift fair organised by our Epping Friends at Abridge village hall. Entry is £1.50 and includes a cup of tea and a mince pie.

Santa Run, Debden 7th December 2014 The second annual Santa Run in memory of Joan Davis, Dave Stannard and Jane Matthews. Starting from Geraldine Wilson Hair Fashions in The Broadway. At 12.30pm. Registration opens at 11.30am. Entry is £12 adults, £5 under-12s and includes a free Santa suit. Details from 020 8505 6070.

Harlow Friends ‘Posh Tea Party’ 19th October 2014 Enjoy a cuppa and a slice of cake with our Harlow Friends at their ‘Posh Tea Party’ at Hastingwood village hall from 3pm. Tickets are £10 from 01992 718859 or 01279 422468.

An evening of cabaret and burlesque14th November 2014 Enjoy a night of cabaret and burlesque at the Park Inn, Harlow. Tickets are £15 seated, £12 standing and include nibbles. Over 18s only. Contact Anna on 07958 487644.

Clavering Lakes Fishing Competition4th October 2014 Our hugely popular annual fishing competition returns to clavering Lakes this autumn. Call Sarah on 07528 520015 for more information.

Manuden Charity Lunch17th October 2014 Enjoy a delicious lunch with friends and browse a selection of interesting stalls at Manuden Community Centre. To book tickets, call Sarah on 07528 520015.

Quiz Night, Saffron Walden24th October 2014 A fun, lively quiz night at St Mark’s College, Audley End. Includes fish and chip supper. Tickets are £10. Call Sarah on 07528 520015.

Amici Cantate concert, Thaxted15th November 2014 A wonderful evening of entertainment at historic Thaxted Church. Tickets are available from www.amicicantate.org.uk

For more information on these please contact the Fundraising team on 01279 773750 or email fund@stclarehospice.org.uk

What’s on near you?

UTTLESFORD

EPPING FOREST

HARLOW