Category: Corporate Support

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Curzon Ashton teams up with Willow Wood Hospice for season of support

Curzon Ashton and Willow Wood Hospice staff and mascots

A new partnership between Curzon Ashton FC and Willow Wood Hospice is set to make a big impact both on and off the pitch.

The Tameside football club has chosen the hospice as its Charity of Choice for the 2026/27 season.

The partnership will see The Nash support Willow Wood through a series of fundraising events and awareness campaigns across the season to bring fans, players, staff and the wider community together for a cause close to home.

Both organisations are based in Ashton-under-Lyne and play an important role in the local community.

Curzon Ashton is preparing for life in the Northern Premier League Premier Division next term, while the hospice continues to provide specialist palliative and end-of-life care for patients with any life-limiting illness across Tameside and Glossop.

Supporters can expect plenty of activity both on and off the pitch throughout the season.

Plans already include a 10k sponsored walk in July involving club directors, players, staff and fans, as well as a dedicated charity matchday where players will wear Willow Wood Hospice t-shirts during the warm-up. The fixture will also feature a hospice information stall and a signed shirt raffle.

Other fundraising ideas include a Charity Quiz Night at the stadium and a sponsored ‘Stop Out to Help Out’, where participants will camp overnight on the pitch to raise money for the hospice.

Mike Smith, the Foundation Manager at Curzon Ashton FC, said the club hopes to make a real difference through the partnership.

“We’re pleased to partner with the hospice to help raise awareness and valuable funds. We hope that we can enhance the great work already being done by everyone at Willow Wood and look forward to working with them,” he said.

For Willow Wood Hospice, the partnership is another example of how local organisations can support the charity.

Joanne Lees, Partnership Development Lead, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Curzon Ashton FC has chosen us as its Charity of Choice for the 2026/27 season. As two organisations rooted in Tameside and committed to supporting our local community, this partnership feels like a perfect match.

“The support from Curzon Ashton will not only help raise vital funds but also increase awareness of the care and support we provide to patients and families across Tameside and Glossop. Partnerships like this truly make a huge difference.”

It currently costs around £11,200 a day to run Willow Wood, with only 22 per cent of the hospice’s annual funding coming from the government. The remaining income must be raised through donations, fundraising and community support.

With football fans known for backing their teams through thick and thin, both the club and the hospice hope the local community can get firmly behind the partnership in the months ahead.

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Hannah’s joy in making a difference at Willow Wood

Hannah Eves, from Ashton-under-Lyne, knows all about the Hospice’s vital work in the communities we serve.

Willow Wood has been there for members of her family during some of their most testing times.

“As a local resident, I have been aware of the Hospice for a number of years,” she said.

“Personally they have supported members of my family through their final journeys and also provided broader support to our family after they have passed, which has been a great resource for us to access.”

In September 2023, Hannah (pictured, second from left) got involved in volunteering at the Hospice through her company Bank of New York (BNY).

Over 30 people from the global financial services firm’s Manchester office have since supported Willow Wood in many different projects.

“I have completed some maintenance at the Hospice as we painted The Sanctuary room in line with the vision from the Family Support team and helped to update the space to meet the needs of the community,” Hannah explained.

“I have also completed a few days at the Clearance Outlet and Donations Centre, helping to sort donations for the Fashion Show, and I have attended many fundraising events to participate in the activities.”

Hannah has found her experience of volunteering at the Hospice “very rewarding” and recommends it to other people.

“You’re supporting a community and you see the difference that you’re making in real time,” she told us.

“It’s a great activity to complete as a team where you can share your skills and expertise and, of course, your time to support an organisation which really needs public support.

“Everyone at the Hospice is so appreciative of the assistance we provide and I know that all the volunteers from BNY love attending events due to the welcoming environment.”

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Businesses help transform Hospice’s Inpatient Lounge

The Inpatient Lounge at Willow Wood Hospice has been transformed thanks to the generous support of local and national businesses.

The room is a dedicated and comforting space for those who are visiting patients on the Inpatient Unit at the Hospice, based in Ashton-under-Lyne.

It has received a welcome uplift through a project led by Joanne Lees, the Hospice’s Partnership Development Lead, at no cost to Willow Wood.

Sofa supplier Sofology provided sofas and chairs, and their team cleared, cleaned, designed and painted the room on Monday 18th November.

Oak Furnitureland gifted new accompanying furniture – including a coffee table, dresser, lamp tables and a book case – which was delivered by Stephen and Balazs.

Kath and Sarah from Notcutts Garden Centre in Ashton-under-Lyne, who are long-time supporters of the Hospice, made sure the room was complete by donating relaxing house plants.

VIDEO: Take a quick look around our Inpatient Lounge, without setting foot inside…

Joanne said: “We are incredibly grateful to Sofology, Oak Furniture Land and Notcutts, whose generosity has made the transformation of our Inpatient Lounge possible.

“Every well-used room needs a little TLC after a while and the support of our corporate partners really does make a huge difference especially when the Hospice is faced with a challenging financial situation.”

Gemma Hannan, manager of the Sofology store in Stockport, wanted to give something back to the Hospice, whose team provided compassionate care to three of her family members when they needed it most.

“Just after our daughter was born, my partner Warren’s mum Pauline found out she had throat cancer and was told she had three months to live,” Gemma explained.

“Her health really deteriorated and Willow Wood became the point of contact to look after her. I’ll never forget my first visit to the Hospice, which was very emotional, and the nurses made Pauline feel very comfortable.

“When we got the call to say she was near the end of her life, the nurses were fantastic – they made it so comfortable for Pauline and for us as a family. We couldn’t have asked for more. They made us laugh when we needed to laugh, they cried with us when we cried. It just felt like a community.

“My nanna Frances also had to come to the Hospice when she had cancer. The Hannan family is huge and it was the first time they visited Willow Wood. Under the circumstances, they felt so at home and the Willow Wood team were brilliant again. You couldn’t wish for a better place to look after your family member.

“My uncle Darren also passed away at the Hospice – I was there literally by his side which was really emotional. I cannot thank everyone at the Hospice enough for what they have done for my family.”

GALLERY: Check out some images before, during and after the refurb…

Sofology allow their staff two days a year to volunteer for a good cause and Gemma used one of hers to help out in our shop in Hyde, where she lives.

“I was a fashion retailer for 20 years before joining Sofology so I wanted to get stuck in and it really opened my eyes,” she said.

“The team were so welcoming and it’s really amazing what they do. I helped unpack clothes, label and rack them.”

Gemma has always wanted to help out at the Hospice too so, when the opportunity to give the Inpatient Lounge a glow-up arose, she jumped at the chance to join her Sofology colleagues.

“I know what it’s like to need to use the room so we wanted it to be warm and cosy so people can get respite from difficult moments.

“I was joined by our Warrington store manager Laura, James from our Maintenance team and Craig who is one of our Style Partners.

“We wanted to make it very comfortable and reflect the beauty of the Hospice gardens. When you’re going through a difficult day and you just want a breath of fresh air or a walk, the gardens are just beautiful.”

Willow Wood’s Clinical Director feels the newly-refurbished room can make a real difference to those closest to patients at the Hospice.

“Having a peaceful and welcoming space on our Inpatient Unit for those closest to our patients is invaluable,” said Nicola Cheetham.

“During undoubtedly difficult times in their lives, we hope they can find solace and share precious moments by using the facilities in our refreshed lounge.

“When our teams first saw the new-look lounge, they were blown away – it looks fantastic. We really appreciate the support of our corporate partners for making it happen and working so diligently whilst respecting the privacy of our patients.”

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Travel agency’s garden gift helps hospice grow

We are truly grateful to Clarity Travel Management for donating £1,000 worth of gardening equipment to the Hospice.

Staff from the global business travel agency – which has a head office in Manchester – recently volunteered their time with us and were blown away by our stunning gardens.

Steve Riley, Executive Director of Operations, lives in Stalybridge and has family members who have needed the Hospice’s vital services.

After receiving a positive impression and a warm welcome when he visited Willow Wood, Steve and his colleagues wanted to do something to help make a difference.

As well as gifting us brooms, shears, watering cans and an array of other tools for our gardeners to use, the firm has also pledged to donate scaffolding planks and wooden pallets, and support the Hospice in the future.

Our Head Gardener, Sophie Cordingley, said: “We really appreciate the fantastic donation and the generosity of Clarity Travel Management – we cannot thank them enough.

“This high-quality equipment will make such a difference and we will start putting it to good use immediately. It will make everything so much easier for us as a garden team.”

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Meet our new Partnership Development Lead

We’re excited to introduce you to Joanne Lees, who is our new Partnership Development Lead at Willow Wood Hospice.

Born and bred in Ashton-under-Lyne, mum-of-three Joanne feels like she has “come home” and is fulfilling a long-standing ambition to make a difference working for a charity.

Her family have always supported charities since her eldest son Andrew, 38, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at 22 months old.

As well as working for public services such as Tameside Council and Derby NHS Primary Care Team, Joanne has a vast array of experience working for corporate businesses – from Russell Hobbs to JD Sports and Sofology, part of the DFS Group.

As she begins a new chapter at the Hospice, Joanne is keen for every business in Tameside and Glossop to know all about Willow Wood, the extent of the services we provide, and our need to raise at least £3.3 million every year to continue operating.

She’s formulating exciting opportunities for businesses of all sizes to partner with the Hospice, for the benefit of both organisations.

“We’re developing packages for businesses which I think will be amazing,” she explained. “When you’re a busy business and you want to help a charity, you haven’t always got time to fundraise so our flexible packages will be ideal. No matter what size a business is, they will be able to participate.

“Away from the corporate model, if businesses just want to turn up to our network meetings and participate in that or pick the Hospice as their Charity of Choice, that’s fine as our packages are tailored towards what they want to do.

“We’re looking to introduce packages for our corporate volunteering offer too, so that we can maximise the benefits for both the Hospice and businesses.

“Each business tends to have at least one person who is the driving force behind supporting charities and I want Willow Wood to be at the forefront of their minds.”

If your business would like to partner with the Hospice, Joanne will be happy to provide you with more information – just drop her a line at joanne.lees@willowwood.org.uk or call 0161 330 7788.

We’re excited to see the connections she will develop.

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Donate school uniform and support Willow Wood

Our supporters Ladysmith Shopping Centre are holding a ‘School Uniform Exchange’ to offer families free school uniform, with the option of donating to the Hospice as their charity partner this year.

The local community is encouraged to drop off any used or new school uniform items at the Hospice’s shop, based at the centre in Ashton-under-Lyne, during its opening hours of Mondays to Saturdays 9am to 4pm as soon as possible.

The ‘Uniform Exchange’ shop will be open at the former Simply Clothing store at the Ladysmith Shopping Centre on Friday 30th August and Saturday 31st August from 10am to 3pm on both days – before the new school year begins in September and staff will be on hand to assist.

Uniforms will be free to claim but people are encouraged to make a donation, however small, in support of the Hospice – which provides compassionate care to patients from the local community with any life-limiting illness.

Ladysmith says the initiative aims to ease the financial burden on families amid the cost-of-living crisis, promote sustainability and reduce textile waste.

It follows a Censuswide poll conducted for the footwear brand Wynsors, which revealed that 73 per cent of parents feel that purchasing school uniforms strains their household budget, with 37 per cent of parents admitting they need financial support for these expenses but are unable to obtain it.

“We believe that every child deserves to start the school year with confidence, and a proper uniform is an important part of that,” said Ian Pratt, a spokesperson for Ladysmith Shopping Centre.

“Access to school uniforms is also about equality, dignity and inclusion, ensuring every child feels positive and part of the school community.”

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Law firm supports Willow Wood as charity of the year

Our sincere thanks to Bromleys Solicitors for raising a fantastic £862.50 for the Hospice, after choosing Willow Wood as their Charity Partner for 2023.

Throughout the year, staff at the Tameside law firm organised a number of lunches, dress down days and sweepstakes to raise funds. They also attended our Grand Ball in October.

Lauren Healy and Chris Eaton, from Bromleys’ Staff Committee, recently presented a cheque to Samantha Kitch, our Fundraising Manager.

Samantha said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Bromleys for choosing Willow Wood as their Charity of the Year last year and to everyone at the firm who helped to raise a fantastic amount for the Hospice.

“The money will make a difference to patients from Tameside and Glossop with a life-limiting illness in our care. With only 20 per cent of our annual funding coming through central government, the generous support of our community is vital so we can continue to provide a wide range of services to improve the quality of life for our patients and those closest to them.”

Chris and Lauren described the firm’s fundraising efforts as “incredible”.

Lauren added: “It is great to hear what a positive difference the money raised will have on the hospice and its patients and we hope to continue our support in the future.”