News

 

The Hummingbird cycles to victory

 

Staff and customers from the Hummingbird Pub in Harlow tackled their yearly challenge and cycled from London to Brighton in aid of St Clare Hospice.  Vicky Parker, Community fundraiser for Harlow and Epping Forest went along to the pub to meet the staff and  regulars who presented her with a cheque for £530.00.

 

The pub and customers have been great supporters of St Clare for many years and have raised a fantastic £3,094.00 for their local Hospice since 2004.

 

There was dancing in the street!

On the 12th of August staff and volunteers from

St Clare Hospice stopped traffic when they donned their glad rags and danced in Queens Road in order to promote their forth coming September Sunflower Ball.

 

“Last year the Sunflower Ball was hugely successful raising £6,500.

We’re hoping that this year will be just as successful; today’s photo stunt certainly got the attention of passersby! We like to do something different and fun, and dancing in Queens Road certainly was different! It was great fun.” said Giles Wright, communications manager at St Clare Hospice.

 

 The Sunflower Ball will take place on the 25th of September at Metropolitan Police Sports and Social Club in Chigwell to help raise funds for the Hospice.

 

Tickets are available for just £45. This includes welcoming drinks which will be served at 7pm, followed by a sit-down three course meal at 7.30 pm. Live music which will begin to serenade, then party music will entice guests to strut the dance-floor later. A licensed bar will also be available on the night.

 

Scarlet is St Clare’s charity boutique selling only donated designer labels and high street fashions, as well as a selection of beautiful gifts. “Many of the items being worn in today’s photo were purchased from Scarlet and there are plenty more items inside for anyone who is attending this years ball!” said Giles.

 

To purchase a ticket please contact the fundraising team on 01279 773 750 or visit stclarehospice.org.uk for more information.

 

We need more Len’s says Hospice

St Clare Hospice is holding a volunteer recruitment event in Loughton on 19th August from 10am – 12.30pm at the Methodist Church Hall and is urging anyone with a small amount of free time to go along and find out more.

 

Recently appointed community and corporate fundraiser for Epping Forest Dave Bishop said: “I’m delighted to have Len Clarke on board as my volunteer collection coordinator for the area. Len himself a volunteer; needs the support of others to take part in street collections and small events happening in Epping Forest. Volunteering is a great chance to give something back to the community, helping others and working as part of a passionate and fun team.

 

The drop-in session is really informal, providing an opportunity for anyone interested in finding out a little bit more, to pop in for a chat and meet some of the team.

 

There are over 400 volunteers working throughout St Clare Hospice. Nationally if hospice volunteers didn’t exist each hospice would have to find an additional £1 in every £4 it costs to run.

 

“Our volunteers are the life blood of the charity, put simply they keep us running and are the faces of the organisation in many places throughout our area. Please do consider joining them and being part of something special.” said Dave.

 

 

Little Parndon School Supports Hospice

Pupils and Staff at Little Parndon Primary School in Harlow have been hard at work raising valuable funds to support their local Hospice. Different Fundraising activities took place including a Non-School Uniform day and one pupil even grew and sold his very own sunflowers to his neighbour’s and friends to raise extra funds.

The school decided to raise money as one of the pupils recently lost her Mother who had been cared for at St Clare to cancer. Community Fundraiser Vicky Parker was invited along to the school to give a presentation to the pupils about the work we do and then received a cheque for £435.00 from the Head teacher and the pupil who nominated us. A huge to thank you to everybody at Little Parndon school for all of their hard work in raising such a fantastic sum.

 

G Festival rocks at raising funds
G.Festival took place on the very warm night of Saturday 10th July in the garden of Hospice Supporters Anita and John Gray. Anita was a volunteer with us for many years and still keeps the charity close to her heart. The event “Rocked “Harlow Common with bands including Freebird and nooasis to name just a few.

 

The event provided a great night’s entertainment with a hog roast, champagne tent, bbq and seafood bar to ensure all tastes were catered for. The Funds from the event are still being counted so please check back here for a grand total soon. Thank you to Anita and John for such a fabulous evening and supporting us with the event.

First Starlight Walk in aid of St Clare Hospice launched in Loughton

 

On Friday 23rd July staff and volunteers from St Clare Hospice launched their latest fundraising event in Trap’s Hill, Loughton, outside the Leisure Centre. The event which is a 6 mile walk around Loughton and Buckhurst Hill will take place on 18th September but registration is open now! Click here to sign up today.

 

The Starlight Walk, the first of its kind for St Clare in the Epping Forest area is being supported by the Epping Forest Guardian newspaper which had photographers and reporters present on Friday. The Hospice is looking for 1,000 walkers with a fundraising target of £50,000 to support the initial care of patients and families living with life limiting illnesses such as cancer.

 

“It’s fantastic fun launching a new event, especially one as bright and bold as the Starlight Walk. We were catching the attention of passer by’s this morning (Friday) as we posed with our banners and wearing our t-shirts!” said Giles Wright, Communications Manager.

 

It’s a Knock Out comes to Harlow!

Do you remember the fun of the popular ‘It’s a Knock Out’ game show? Well now you and your colleagues have the chance to take part! St Clare Hospice for the second year is running the themed event which will have you running through foam covered obstacles, jumping over inflatable barrels and having a brilliant team building time, in the name of fundraising for the local Hospice charity.

 

Last year the event was held near Saffron Walden but for 2010 the fun comes to Harlow.

 

One local business which took part last year comments: "All the staff that took part last year had such a fantastic evening and enjoyed it so much that two teams are being entered this year!  It's a great way of raising much needed money for St Clare Hospice" - Yule Catto & Co plc

 

So why not join the Yule Catto team this year? Contact the fundraising team on 01279 773 750 or email clive.gillam@stclarehospice.org.uk for more information and to register your place. 10 places have already gone so sign up fast!

Drags Aloud come to town!

There will be more lip synching than a Britney concert and more blue eye shadow than Avatar on the 1st August at the Park Inn Hotel. Drags Aloud are sure to entertain with their take on popular movies, during this special show in aid of St Clare Hospice. If you are 18 or over come for a night of laughs as Drags Aloud arrive direct from Australia for one night only, before heading off to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

 

Tickets are £10 each and can either be purchased from www.stclare-hospice.co.uk/dragsaloud or by calling the fundraising team on 01279 773750

 

CEO to present on the impact of the economic climate.

At the forthcoming Stansted Business Lunch Club, St Clare Hospice Chief Executive Richard Cowie will present on the impact the struggling economic climate has had on local fundraising and on the development plans for hospice care in West Essex and the East Herts border.

 

“Whilst our loyal corporate supporters have remained incredibly generous they are themselves under immense financial pressure. The impact that a corporate supporter can make on a charity like St Clare is huge. Weston Homes who has generously sponsored this event has been fantastically supportive of the Hospice over many years and this year has already raised over £30k for us. However the reality is that many others have had to remove their support and equally others that are keen to get involved with a local care charity just aren’t able to.” said Richard Cowie.

 

“Whilst we need to raise a substantial sum each year to enable us to provide specialist care to hundreds of people, we know that for the business community this isn’t a realistic option at present. However I would like to take the opportunity to invite companies to consider volunteering or perhaps getting involved in other ways. Anyone who would like to support St Clare Hospice in some capacity please do get in touch. There are lots of ways we can work together which ultimately can assist us with fundraising.” said Clive Gillam, corporate fundraiser.

 

The Stansted Business Lunch Club meets regularly to enable local businesses to network and discuss hot topics which affect their business and community.

 

High Ongar 10k run supports St Clare

Sunday 4th July saw 165 runners take part in the annual High Ongar 10k run. For the first time in the nine year history of the run, St Clare Hospice was picked as one of the beneficiary charities. So far £1,500 has been raised, which will go towards St Clare Hospice and local High Ongar charities. Thank you very much to the High Ongar Race Committee for all their help and support.

 

Photos from the event are hosted here.

 

You can view the results from the day here

 

Harlow is painted pink!

Over 1,400 people registered for this year’s Midnight Walk, the third that St Clare Hospice has organised. Over £96,000 was pledged in sponsorship from this pink-tastic 10k walk along the streets and cycle tracks of Harlow and Old Harlow. The first two walkers completed the course in an amazing time of 1 hour and 20 minutes. The Fundraising Team at the Hospice would like to thank everyone who took part in the walk, but also everyone else that helped support the event, including all the volunteers who registered the walkers and marshaled the route, the Water Gardens, Asda, Harlow Police, Kier, Raynet, Old Harlow Fire Station, Blue Printing Company, News International, Geoffrey Matthews Estate Agents, Harlow Star, Ten17, Bookers and Harlow Sports Centre.

 

Saffron Walden Golf Club lends its support to golf day

Saffron Walden Golf Club recently hosted the annual Epping Rotary Golf Day in aid of St Clare Hospice raising a huge £13,000!

 

The event now in its 6th year has raised enough to fund the Hospice’s Day Therapy unit for over two weeks.

 

Last year 10% of all the patients and their families cared for at the hospice were from the Uttlesford area. “With St Clare’s being only around 30 minutes from the centre of Saffron Walden patients and their families are choosing to receive hospice care from us, whether it’s through our Day Therapy, Outpatient or Inpatient services. We are a care charity committed to supporting local people from across Uttlesford; working with community health professionals to provide the very best in specialist palliative care to.” said Giles Wright, communications manager.

 

“We are extremely grateful for the generosity of everyone who comes along to our fundraising events and especially for the use of the facilities at the Saffron Walden Golf Club and for their huge support; making this event and income possible. We had 34 teams taking part this year and even the weather held up!” said Vicky Parker, community fundraiser.

 

 

First visit to hospice as newly elected MP

On Friday 18th June Robert Halfon MP visited to St Clare Hospice, local charity which last year provide free of charge to over 600 families from Harlow alone.

Robert said: “I was particularly pleased to visit St Clare Hospice and meet the staff and patients. It was good to go to the day-centre in particular, especially as some of the patients were enjoying a good pint of Guinness! The picture shows me with Marcus, who is savouring a good pint. Every time I go the hospice, it improves in some way or another and it remains a very special place of tranquillity and sanctuary for those suffering from terminal illness.”

Chief Executive, Richard Cowie commented: “We’ve always had strong relationships with our local Member of Parliament and it was a pleasure to welcome Robert to the hospice once more, this time in his new capacity. We had the opportunity to talk about our recent developments, demands on the service and voluntary income. Our patients love meeting visitors and having the chance to share how St Clare is making a difference to them.”

 

Epping Forest Rotary Club tee up £13k for hospice

On Thursday 28th May Saffron Walden Golf Club kindly hosted the annual Epping Forest Rotary Golf Day in aid of St Clare Hospice raising a huge £13,000!
The event now in its 6th year has raised enough to fund the Hospice’s Day Therapy unit for over two weeks.

 

“We are extremely grateful for the generosity of everyone who comes along and takes part and also for the use of all the facilities at Saffron Walden for the whole day. We had 34 teams taking part this year and even the weather held up!

The golf event was followed by a spectacular meal and auction with some fantastic prizes. Our special thanks to the team from the Epping Rotary Club and indeed Saffron Walden golf club for there huge support and for making us all feel so welcome again this year.” said Vicky Parker, Community Fundraiser.