Summer Newsletter

Our summer edition newsletter has now been published and out to all our supporters at the end of June. This edition is packed full of stories about the hospice, our staff and of course all our wonderful supporters and what they have been up to in the past 6 months for the hospice.

The welcome from our CEO Kate Lennon is a very powerful statement about how the services of the hospice are constantly evolving in new directions and how she hopes to see this continue in to the area of caring for patients with illnesses such as dementia. The hospice has come a long way in 25 years since its beginnings in North Road in Johnstone and we are hoping to go a long way still in the next 25.

Featured in this edition is a look behind the scenes at the hospice and our wonderful housekeeping team, how important their role at the hospice is and their typical day. We also highlight volunteering and hear from a couple of our volunteers about why they help the hospice, encouraging more people to get involved.

An insight into the Patient & Family Support Team and the care and support they provide is given by team leader Elaine Rae, she also gives an outline of the Butterfly project which is aimed at helping children and teenagers come to terms with dying and loss of a loved one.

And of course it would not be a newsletter without a section on fundraising and community support we have received. From our very own Strictly Come Prancing event and Anniversary Gala Ball to our brand new 'Who Wants To Make A Million For St Vincent's' Dinner & Quiz, you can find out how our events have gone and how to be involved in future events. Our community support includes the Bowfield 5k Road Race, Life Technologies staff volunteer days, our very own nurses' Ladies Night and the Renfrewshire Referees Association sports dinner.

This edition also feature our elite Executive Club 25 members and all our Corporate partners for our 25th anniversary year. These local businesses have all given their support to St Vincent's Hospice in various ways for our special year. So a big thank you to all of them for their generous and continued support.

If you haven't received a copy of our newsletter but would like one, please email info@svh.co.uk or call the fundraising team on 01505 705635.

Workout At Work Day 2013

The staff at St Vincent's Hospice took part in their second Workout At Work Day on Tuesday 11th June.

Our Physiotherapist Sarah Mitchell organised the day as part of a nationwide initiative. Lots of the staff and volunteers came along to have a look at all the materials and have a chat with Sarah, Personal Trainer Andrea Dowds and Herbalife distributor Eleanor Pratt, about fitness and healthy living.

Some lucky staff members also got the chance to enjoy an aromatherapy massage with Laura Lawson, something they all wish they could have built into their working days. There was also the chance to try out some exercise sessions with personal trainer Andrea. She showed everyone some exercises you can do even at home with the use of a pilates ball and a kettlebell.

Sarah said, "Workout at work day is an empowering initiative set up but the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists which recognises that employees who are fitter and healthier are less likely to be off sick. This can lead to huge benefits for both employers and their staff.

"At St Vincent's Hospice we're encouraging our staff and volunteers to be more active and build healthy habits into their day. This event has given them the opportunity to try different activities, get personal advice on exercise and even a short aromatherapy massage."

Thank you to everyone for their support of the day and special thanks to Andrea, Eleanor and Laura for volunteering their time.

Grand Central Glamour & Adventures on Arran

Glitz and glamour prevailed at the Grand Central Hotel on Friday 10^th May, with over 200 guests arriving in all their finery to help celebrate our 25^th Anniversary at our Gala Ball.
 

The evening was hosted by our Ambassador Shereen Nanjiani, who guided our guests through the evening’s activities including the raffle and our game of heads & tails to win a 50” widescreen TV. We were delighted to welcome Natasha Rankin from McTears Auctioneers to host our grand auction, which was a highlight of the night.

 

Our entertainment for the evening came from the wonderful Brass Impact big band, who got everyone onto the dance floor with their eclectic range of music from all eras. Guests were also able enjoyed bidding in our silent auction throughout the night and had a go at our tombola to try their luck at winning some wonderful prizes.

 

Thanks to the generosity of all our guests, and supporters who kindly donated items for our auction, silent auction and raffle; the fantastic amount of £27,000 was raised for local patient care. 

 

As part of our ongoing 25^th Anniversary celebrations our “Challenge 25” Arran cycle and trek was a fundraising event for outdoor enthusiasts.
 

With 6 participants taking part in the weekend-long challenge on Saturday 8^th and Sunday 9^th June, this was not a trip for the faint hearted. Cycling a total of 56 miles from Brodick to Lochranza on the Saturday plus a further 14 miles to the foot of Goatfell on Sunday, before trekking to the summit at 847m.

 

Everyone that took part had a fantastic experience and successfully completed the challenge; the weather was even in their favour as it was a glorious weekend of sunshine for the entire event.

 

A huge congratulation goes to all the participants for their great efforts over the weekend and helping to raised awareness and vital funds for the hospice.