Donations Archives - Page 3 of 8 - East Cheshire Hospice
01625 610364
Skip to content

Category: Donations

Toni’s Hospice Journey

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

A bride’s wedding day is always special, but for Toni Walsh it was an even more emotional occasion.

She knew her husband Tim Longden had only days left to live.

The Macclesfield couple were married at East Cheshire Hospice in February 2020, weeks after Tim had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

They had been together for 12 years, having known each other for 20 years.

Toni popped the question while Tim lay in a hospital bed, just before he was told nothing more could be done.

Tim was transferred to the Hospice where the chaplain made wedding arrangements for the following day.

A social media appeal for help to make their day special prompted a flood of donations.

Tim and Toni on their wedding day.

Toni said: “The support from the community was overwhelming. It was absolutely amazing. I had six offers of wedding dresses and two people stayed up all night making wedding cakes.

“We were supplied with a buffet and I had my hair and make-up done. Tim couldn’t walk by then so they wheeled him into the chapel for our blessing.

“Our wedding was on the same day as my mum Kath’s birthday and she’d died the year before aged 64.

“It was a lovely day under the circumstances.  Tim hadn’t really got any symptoms before. He’d just started missing words and slurring his speech and thought he might have had a stroke.

“He managed to say his name and ‘I do’ and was aware what was happening. Then, unfortunately, he went downhill and died 12 days later.”

The couple worked for BT for many years and after Tim’s death at the age of 50, Toni left to volunteer at the Hospice’s charity shop in Poynton.

She is now assistant manager at its Thornton Square store where customers have generously donated in a bucket for a fundraising challenge.

Toni at Thornton Square charity shop where she is assistant manager.

Toni, with Tim’s sister Rachel Richards and her husband Mark, are trekking across the Sahara in November in a Hospice event.

Toni said: “We’re calling ourselves The Three Camels. I’m so unfit and it’s a massive task for me in the heat, but it’ll be an amazing experience in Tim’s memory and I want to give something back to the Hospice.

“The support I’ve had in the shop has been incredible and I can’t thank the community enough for the spirit and love shown two years ago and ever since.”

Toni Walsh with in-laws Rachel and Mark Richards. 

 

*To sponsor them visit www.justgiving.com/team/wwwjustgivingcomfundraisingThree-camels

Joan’s Sunflower Donations Continue to Blossom

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

A simple sunflower seed has led to a thriving fundraising venture for Joan Edwards to honour her son-in-law’s memory.

When Liam Ward was in the care of East Cheshire Hospice in 2018, his wife Michaela bought a packet of seeds from the Hospice reception area.

Liam died of sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, aged 34 and the sunflower is the Hospice emblem.

Joan has grown the sunflowers in her greenhouse since her daughter gave her the seeds, raising £810 for the Hospice in return for a £1 donation for each flower.

Joan said: “Michaela isn’t green fingered and asked me to grow them. It started as a bit of fun between the family and grandchildren.

“I took the seeds from the head of my biggest sunflower and dried them over the first winter before planting them again and selling 450 last year.

“It wasn’t quite as popular this year, but it doesn’t make any difference how much, or how many. It’s my way of giving back to the Hospice for what they did for Liam and the help they gave him, Michaela and their two boys.

“I advertise on Facebook and lot of people buy them who’ve probably faced a similar situation in their lives. It’s become popular and friends now look forward to it each year.”

Joan also grows lettuce, spring onions, tomatoes and runner beans in her back garden.

Joan Edwards at home in her greenhouse.

Heather Broadbent Update

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

Sailor Heather Broadbent is refusing to give up on her round-the-world voyage despite a two-year gap at home.

She was midway through the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race before it was suspended early last year because of Covid-19.

The event is due to resume in the Philippines next February, although Heather admits she had serious misgivings about completing the race and thought long and hard about going back.

She hopes to raise £40,000 for East Cheshire Hospice where her late husband Adam (45) was a patient.

Heather said: “After a difficult year of low and lonely times,  I’ve really struggled with my mental health and I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to continue with my round-the-world challenge for the Hospice.

“Only in the last few weeks with the support and encouragement of my family have I realised that I’m still strong and capable and I can finish what I started over three years ago when I first signed up for the 40,000 mile race and a £40,000 challenge.”

Heather, a landscape gardener, will possibly enter the record books for competing in the longest round-the-world race in history.

An event that should have taken 11 months saw some competitors drop out because of the lengthy delay. It is now due to finish almost three years after its start date in September 2019.

Heather, from Disley, said: “It was a difficult decision to consider going back.  During the first lockdown, I only thought I’d be home for two or three months and that was my mind set.

“I was still in the zone then but being stuck at home has been tough mentally and it’s been hard getting my head back into gear thinking about resuming.

“However, I’d kick myself if I didn’t try to finish it. It’s not in my nature not to complete something.”

Heather is meeting other crew members in London this month before attending a refresher course. Her team yacht GoToBermuda has been stuck in Asia since she left.

Heather said: “The plan was to circumnavigate the globe in one go and the long break in the middle is a huge disappointment. I’m nervous I’ve forgotten what to do.”

Heather has already raised more than £29,000 for the Hospice’s Hospice @Home service. “I’ve been stuck around that mark for a while but I’m determined to meet my target.”

* To sponsor Heather visit justgiving.com/fundraising/dreamitnowdoit.

Heather Broadbent on her voyage.

 

Local Hens Eggschange their Produce for Donations

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

It’s no yoke – eggs are a cracking way to raise money for East Cheshire Hospice.

Schoolgirl Freya Eeles (11) discovered that by selling them outside her step mum’s home in Hallefield Crescent, Macclesfield.

A dozen hens kept on land behind the house work overtime and with a suggested donation of 10p an egg which goes into an honesty box almost £200 has been raised for the Hospice.

A WhatsApp group alerts neighbours when fresh supplies are ready for collection.

Step mum April Smith said: “Freya loves the hens and our two pygmy goats and helps clean them out and feed them.

“My partner Mark gets up at 5 am every day to let the hens out and waters and feeds them.

“The neighbours love the eggs for breakfast and we want to thank the whole neighbourhood for supporting us.

“The Hallefield area is a brilliant community and everyone who lives here says the same thing. We wouldn’t want to live anywhere else and we’re all there for each other.

“We’re friends as well as neighbours.”

Freya with one of her hens called Gladys.

What Women Want Return

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

Five friends who call themselves What Women Want are back in business planning events after Covid curtailed their fundraising.

A glitzy ball at Cranage Hall on Friday, November 12, is already sold out assuming restrictions have ended fully by then.

The group has still managed to carry on fundraising for East Cheshire Hospice during the pandemic, although on a much smaller scale because of government limitations.

One of the group Jo Millward raised £1,300 after running a half marathon last month after injury forced her to delay her challenge.

 

Jo Millward completing her half marathon in aid of East Cheshire Hospice.

 

Meanwhile, fellow member Jill Harding is undertaking a wing walk on Monday, June 21, in aid of the Hospice where she is a health care assistant.

Jill fell in love with the Hospice after her late mum Mary was a patient there 18 years ago.

Group chair Jayne Carter said: “All the tickets have gone for the Ball if it’s allowed to go ahead.  We’re just waiting on Boris Johnson’s announcement on June 21 and are thinking of calling it the Masked Ball since we’ve all been wearing masks.

“Our disco bingo nights at Tytherington School usually attract 200 people but we’re not sure whether they can go ahead yet.

“It’s been hugely frustrating and we all feel really sorry that we haven’t been able to raise much-needed funds.

“We’ve organised online raffles and had a couple of meetings, but have missed doing big events which is hard when the Hospice needs the money.

“It’s been a difficult time for them and we’re a bit detached from it all as we’ve been unable to go in to the Hospice.

“We may not make as much money from the Ball, especially as we were lucky enough to get a massive £1m donation from sponsors Proseal a couple of years ago, but this time it’ll be much more about raising the profile of the Hospice and having fun again.”

Elaine Burgess and Julie Barnes make up the Macclesfield quintet who have been fundraising for the Hospice for 13 years.

Jill has already raised £1,590 for her wing walk at an airfield in Gloucestershire. To sponsor her visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jill-Harding2.

What Women Want made a £25,000 donation to help launch the Hospice @Home service in 2017 and later bought a car for staff to visit patients at home.

The group has also bought equipment and many other practical items for the Hospice.

 

What Women Want fundraisers (from left) – Jo Millward, Julie Barnes, Jill Harding, Jayne Carter and Elaine Burgess

Vaccine Workers Donate to Hospice

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

Several workers helping with the mass vaccine roll-out at Andrews Pharmacy are donating their wages to charity.

They include two couples with strong links to nearby East Cheshire Hospice which is benefitting from their generosity.

Teacher Angela Raval is a Hospice ambassador, while Margaret Black is a part-time health care assistant, having rejoined the nursing register to take on a vaccinator role.

Both have worked many hours at the pharmacy, as have husbands Neil Raval and Sandy Black whose roles include helping the operation run smoothly.

Neil, a management consultant, said: “Angela’s role at the Hospice means we’re acutely aware of the difficulty charities are facing.

“We’ve been at the pharmacy in rain, hail, snow and occasional sunshine and the feedback is it’s a friendly, efficient service.”

The Ravals split their donation between several charities, including sponsoring Hospice health care assistant Jill Harding, a friend and fellow dog walker, for her wing walk last month.

 

Angela and Neil Raval.

 

Neil is scout network commissioner for Macclesfield and Congleton district and proud of the organisation’s support role at the pharmacy.

Sandy is a retired health and safety manager at AstraZeneca, while Margaret was a Hospice nurse.

Sandy said: “We’ve enjoyed helping at the clinic supporting people through the vaccination process. The elderly were thankful to receive the vaccine and it’s been rewarding from that aspect.

“Donating our wages to the Hospice was the obvious thing for us to do. We’ve done various things to support the charity and know friends who’ve needed its support.”

 

Margaret and Sandy Black.

Hide a Smile’s Fundraising Face Coverings

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

Voluntary group Hide a Smile could not stop grinning after raising £6,188 making face coverings.

The donations to East Cheshire Hospice are being collected at Prestbury Village Pharmacy where masks are still available to buy.

Some 19 sewing enthusiasts joined a WhatsApp group after founder Sheila MacLaren spread the word on social media over a year ago that virus protection was needed.

 

Hide a Smile members (from left) Sue Matykiewicz, Sheila MacLaren and Caroline Harrison-Croft with pharmacist David Wood.

 

Sheila, a semi-retired structural engineer, said: “I blew the dust off my sewing machine and we started off making scrubs for clinical staff before concentrating on face coverings.

“Fabric was donated and Covid restrictions meant we had pick-up and drop-off points to keep the production line in full swing.”

Pharmacist David Wood and his staff gave out 1,200 coverings in return for an average donation of £5 to a collection box.

He said: “It’s a great community story borne out of necessity at a time when there were no masks or even hand gel.

“As a community pharmacy, it was a natural place to distribute masks, especially as there weren’t many other shops open.”

Volunteer Caroline Harrison-Croft, who owned a garment design company, said:  “I’ve always sewn and it was pretty boring at first during lockdown so I was delighted to help. The masks are washable and environmentally friendly.”

Another volunteer Sue Matykiewicz said: “Our group still haven’t met up yet. We’d like to thank everyone for their efforts and those who donated to support the Hospice.”

Hide a Smile also made coverings for pupils at Fallibroome Academy.

 

Hide a Smile volunteer  Judy Biggin wearing one of the coverings she made.

2021 Christmas Tree Collection Total

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

The Christmas tree collection in aid of East Cheshire Hospice raised a record £150,000 this year.

Delighted co-founder of the scheme Richard Raymond said: “It’s our 21st year, so we’ve come of age with a bang.”

Around 1,000 trees were collected over three days last month once lockdown restrictions were eased – a sixth of the trees that would have been recycled had the collection not been postponed from January.

Most donors got rid of trees themselves and some who had not even registered also made donations.

The funds are enough to provide palliative care for three weeks at the Hospice which needs £7,500 a day to keep its doors open.

 

Tree collection co-founders Richard Raymond (left) and Pete Chapman.

 

Richard said: “We did get some bemused looks as we carried dead old brown Christmas trees at the end of April, but it gave us the opportunity to tell people about the collection and the Hospice.

“People knew about the plight of charities and the Hospice, in particular, because of Covid-19 and they were even more generous with their donations this year with the average amount donated per tree going up.

“It’s a wonderful indication of the community in which we serve that people put their hands so deep into their pockets. Their generosity is quite overwhelming and we thank them sincerely.”

Richard and fellow co-founder Pete Chapman will now get a break of a couple of months before they start planning the next collection in January 2022.

 

Volunteer Mel Curwen helps out during the Christmas tree collection.

Neptune Shop Donates Flower Display

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

Patients at East Cheshire Hospice are the latest to enjoy a beautiful floral display which helped bring a splash of colour to Knutsford town centre.

The arrangement now has pride of place in the lush Hospice gardens which provide a relaxing haven for patients and visitors.

The flowers were donated by new furniture, kitchen and home interiors store Neptune Knutsford which created a week-long display on Princess Street, by St John’s Parish Church, to spread a touch of happiness amid the Covid gloom.

Each of the company’s 27 stores nationwide took part in a campaign called #lovelytoseeyouagain  with the flowers, placed in barrels, then donated to a local good cause.

Neptune, which recently opened its newest store on Chelford Road, Ollerton, chose the Hospice in Macclesfield as the flowers’ final destination.

Neptune Knutsford Store Leader Joanna Makant said: “Neptune placed the displays close to each of our stores with the aim of bringing a little cheer and joy after what everyone’s gone through.

“The flowers were something for passers-by to enjoy and we’re delighted they’re now being appreciated by patients at East Cheshire Hospice.

“It’s a lovely charity and covers the area of many of our customers.  The garden there is so pretty  and is overlooked by rooms on the ward, allowing patients and visitors to sit outside and enjoy the scenery. The flowers are artificial so will have a much longer life.”

Neptune Knutsford opened in November 2020 and sells beautiful furniture for the kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom and bathroom as well as home accessories.

The Hospice is the second-lowest funded in the country, receiving only 17 per cent of income from government. The charity, which costs £7,500 a day to run, provides care for patients with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carers, free of charge.

Neptune Knutsford Store Leader Joanna Makant (left) and East Cheshire Hospice Chief Executive Karyn Johnston with the floral display at the Hospice.

Anna Rains Stresses the Importance of Legacies

Posted on by Luke Brightmore

A long-standing East Cheshire Hospice supporter has made an emotional plea for the public to help with legacies.

Grandmother Anna Rains said gifts from wills are a vital source of revenue for the Hospice.

In her new role as ambassador, Anna is offering to give talks to community groups, stressing the importance of legacies and sharing Hospice anecdotes.

She said: “I’m trying to appeal to people’s sympathies and make them realise how important it is and what it’d be like if we didn’t have a hospice in this area.

“People would either die at home without a lot of help, or in hospital. However, the Hospice is there for us and Hospice @Home is marvellous.

“We need more money coming in and only get a small portion of our income from the government. We’re the second lowest funded Hospice in the country.

“We’re just asking people when making, or updating, a will to please think about the Hospice.

“We’re not a national charity and can’t put big advertisements on television, saying ‘please leave something in your will.’ We must do it on a much smaller scale.”

Anna has made a legacy to the Hospice in her will, like husband Michael who died almost two years ago, aged 96.

The couple were married for 37 years and got involved in fundraising for the charity soon after it opened in 1988.

Anna set up Art Fair Cheshire and was chair of the Hospice 10th Anniversary Fundraising Appeal to build the Sunflower Centre.

Family and friends have also been Hospice patients.

She said: “Michael’s first wife died there, as did his brother and my sister. It’s a most extraordinary and happy place.

“Someone who didn’t know what to expect when walking through the front door said it felt like being given a big hug and knowing you weren’t on your own.

“There are more young people coming into the Hospice with life-limiting illnesses than I thought. We take patients from 18 yet most people consider the Hospice as a place where older people go to die with a serious illness.

“I’ve done a lot of public speaking over the years and jumped at the chance to become an ambassador in this way. I’m 78 now and felt it was time to do a bit more for the Hospice.”

Anna Rains at the Art Fair she set up.

Sign up to news and event updates
Follow us on