Category: Third party supporters

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Dukinfield cyclist’s birthday bike ride for Willow Wood

A father-of-two from Dukinfield has cycled 60 miles for his 60th birthday to raise money for Willow Wood Hospice.

Ian Saxon, who retired in 2023 after 40 years working in environmental services at Tameside Council, peddled around the Greater Manchester area in support of his local hospice.

Ian, accompanied by his friends and family, started their ride at the iTrain gym in Dukinfield before traversing throughout Manchester, passing down the Fallowfield Loop, around Manchester Airport, and making their way past Jodrell Bank, Poynton and Romiley.

Instead of receiving gifts for his birthday, Ian asked people to donate to the Hospice. After his fantastic efforts on 9th March, over £1,200 has been raised so far!

Ian, who also has a granddaughter, said: “I always had a bike as a child. I’ve got very fond memories of cycling as a kid, and then I probably lost a little bit of interest whilst I was at university, but I soon got back into it and probably since then I’ve cycled continuously.”

Ian with his family and friends before they set off on their bike ride. Photo credit: Steve Giblin.

Experienced cyclist Ian has always felt a connection to the Hospice and has supported Willow Wood in the past, by previously peddling 50 miles for his 50th birthday and 40 miles for his 40th birthday.

Ian elaborated on his cycling adventures: “We’ve done some quite long trips. We’ve done Land’s End to John O’Groats twice. When I retired, me and my friend did a ride which we called from Home to Rome.”

As for Ian’s reasons for supporting the Hospice, he explained: “Someone described it to me, which really resonated with me, as Willow Wood for local people is something like a life insurance policy that you hope you never need to claim on.

“But if you need it, you need it local and we all need it to be there. We just hope we never need to use it. So that’s kind of stuck with me, and I know the value of it locally.”

Ian pictured in our beautiful Hospice gardens.

Ian didn’t do his fundraiser alone and he is grateful for the support he received.

“I want to thank my wife Mandy and our friend Bev for making coffee and sandwiches for everyone, as well as my friend and former colleague Steve Giblin for coming to take some photos.”

Lucy Ta’ati, Community Fundraiser at Willow Wood Hospice, commented: “We are incredibly grateful to Ian for his support to Willow Wood Hospice with his fantastic fundraiser. Donations are a valuable part of supporting the work the Hospice does, and support in any way is greatly appreciated. Well done, Ian!”

If you want more information about Ian’s fundraiser and you wish to donate, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/ian-saxon-3.

If you want to support the Hospice with a fundraiser of your own, please contact our Fundraising team by emailing fundraising@willowwood.org.uk or by calling 0161 330 7788.

By Ciaran Greenwood

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Willow Wood Day at Ashton United

Ashton United Football Club has organised a dedicated ‘Willow Wood Day’ to support the Hospice.

Their matchday on Saturday 29th March against Hebburn Town will be turned into a fun day at Hurst Cross with raffles, auctions and activities to enjoy – all while raising vital funds for Willow Wood Hospice.

Volunteers from Willow Wood will also be there with collection buckets and to provide more information about the Hospice to spectators.

Ahead of kick-off at 3pm, the club will open at midday on the day. There will be a darts competition event in the clubhouse and a raffle which will be drawn at half-time – with prizes including a signed Ashton United FC shirt.

There are also three hospitality packages still available for four people at a cost of £120 plus VAT – these include matchday tickets and pie and peas.

The club will be donating all profits from the match to the Hospice based in Ashton-under-Lyne, which provides specialist, compassionate and palliative care to patients from Tameside and Glossop with any life-limiting illness.

The co-chairmen of Ashton United have had a personal connection to the Hospice and wanted to support Willow Wood as part of the club’s ongoing work to support good causes in the community.

A spokesperson for the club said: “Ashton United FC, in conjunction with our charity arm Ashton United in the Community, work with many partners in the Tameside area to support good causes and promote health and wellbeing in our local community.

“Willow Wood Hospice are dependent on fundraising events and donations to survive and therefore we decided we would like to do something special to help.

“We have all been affected by family members requiring care and in fact Johnny Burke, the father/grandfather of our Co-Chairmen David and Jonathan Burke, who incidentally holds the record for the most appearances for Ashton United was recently cared for in Willow Wood before he unfortunately passed away and so this became even more personal for them and the club.

“We hope that by donating all profits from our game against Hebburn Town on Saturday 29th March we can make a real difference.

“We now need the support of local people, whether they support Ashton United or not, to come along to the game, get involved in the things that are going on and make the day a massive success.”

The Hospice says it is grateful for the support of the club, which will help make a difference.

“We would like to thank our friends at Ashton United for dedicating this special matchday to support us,” said Joanne Lees, Willow Wood’s Partnership Development Lead.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for us to help spread the word about what we do and raise awareness about the essential services we provide. We hope as many people as possible can attend and raise vital funds to support hospice care.”

Tickets for the match are £12 for adults, £8 for over-65s, students and concessions, and £1 for under-12s. They can be bought on the gate on the day or online in advance at ashtonunited.co.uk

Anyone interested in the remaining hospitality packages can contact andyc@ashtonunited.co.uk

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College students get creative to support hospice care

We’re thrilled that the Aspirations group at Tameside College has chosen Willow Wood Hospice as their charity for an exciting enterprise competition.

Using offcuts from the college woodshop, they have made stamps from scratch and used them to print unique designs on tote bags, pencil cases and badges.

Their goal is to raise at least £200 for our Hospice while showcasing their creativity and business skills – as part of their entry into a Manchester wide business challenge.

They kicked off their fundraising with a fantastic hands-on workshop at the Beaufort Road Food Hub, where people could buy pre-made items or print their own designs—it was so much fun!

We also hosted a pop-up shop in our reception, selling their amazing creations, with all proceeds going directly to Willow Wood.

The competition runs until Friday 28th February. They will present their idea to the judging panel and the winner will be announced on 11th March.

A huge thank you to Becky Holmes, the teacher leading this project, and to the students for their incredible effort.

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Braving the shave on Christmas Eve for Willow Wood

We are deeply moved by the story of Liz Cummins, who is honouring her dad’s memory and raising funds for Willow Wood Hospice by braving the shave.

On Christmas Eve, Liz will be having her head shaved on what would have been her dad Bernard’s 82nd birthday.

This act of bravery fulfils one of her dad’s final wishes: to raise money for the Hospice that cared for him so lovingly in the final weeks of his life.

Liz shared: “On 5th September this year, I sadly lost my dad after a 20-year-long fight against cancer.

“My dad was amazingly cared for by Willow Wood Hospice during the last three weeks of his battle and they were amazing in not only looking after my dad, but also supporting us all as a family.

“My dad had two final wishes – one being raising money for Willow Wood. When I asked him how he wanted me to do this, his reply was by shaving my head.

“So, on 24th December, which would have been his 82nd birthday, I am braving the shave in honour of my dad’s wishes and raising money for an amazing cause.”

This fundraiser holds even greater significance now for Liz, whose mum has recently received her own diagnosis and has expressed her wish to spend her final days at the Hospice.

Anyone can make a donation to Liz’s fundraising efforts via her JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/liz-cummins-1732629619287

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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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Enchanted Evening success boosts hospice funds

A popular musical concert has once again hit the right notes to provide a symphony of support for local hospice care.  

It’s the 21st successive year that a group of local amateur operatic societies have put on a varied programme of live music featuring ‘Songs from the Shows’.  

The ‘Enchanted Evening’ concert features top-class soloists singing a selection of the best-loved tunes from musical theatre.  

It was organised by Mike Styan, Phil Steels and Steve Pearson – whose car firm on Acres Lane in Stalybridge sponsored the event once again.  

The evening at Dukinfield Methodist Church recently has raised £1,386.50 for Willow Wood Hospice.  

The hospice, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, provides specialist and compassionate care to patients from across Tameside and Glossop with any life-limiting illness.  

Samantha Kitch, Fundraising Manager at Willow Wood Hospice, said: “Mike and his musical friends have raised £21,000 for the hospice over the years through holding this wonderful and nostalgic occasion.  

“We cannot thank them enough for their continued support, which really makes a difference to patients from our local community who need our care.”  

The ‘Enchanted Evening’ team is already putting plans in place for next year’s concert – so stay ‘tuned’.  

More information about events supporting the hospice can be found at https://willowwood.org.uk/events/  

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Customer’s praise for ‘community asset’ Hospice shop

Jackie Price, from Dane Bank in Denton, is a regular and loyal customer of our Reddish Lane shop – where you’ll find her at least twice a week!

She believes the shop is a real asset to the community and could not speak highly enough of our hard-working staff and volunteers.

“I love everything about the shop,” said Jackie. “Louise [the shop manager] and all of the volunteers are amazing.

“I almost forget that I am in a charity shop – there’s a boutique feel about it and a strong sense of community.

“Louise takes great pride in the shop and works hard on her window displays. I have made friends from visiting the shop – from the volunteers to fellow customers too.

“The staff go out of their way to help you – especially if you are looking for a particular thing like a bag or a pair of shoes. I always leave the shop feeling so lifted.”

Shop manager Louise (second from left) and some of her dedicated volunteers

Jackie doesn’t have any personal connections to the Hospice but likes to support Willow Wood by shopping for pre-loved items.

“The shop is so welcoming, everything is colour co-ordinated and it’s just a real joy to visit,” she explained.

“I keep spreading the word to everyone I know about it. You feel like you are supporting a good cause as well as the environment which is important.

“I wanted to give the team at the Reddish Lane shop some well-deserved recognition.”

We need at least £3.3 million every year to continue providing our vital services and we rely on the generosity of our community to raise around 80 per cent of that total – including through supporting our charity shops.

To find your nearest Willow Wood Hospice shop in Tameside and Glossop, visit https://willowwood.org.uk/shop-locations/

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Football Night scores big for hospice care

A Lionesses star was part of the line-up at a Big Football Night Fundraiser, which has scored over £5,200 for hospice funds.

Manchester United Women forward Ella Toone told fascinating stories about the world of football, alongside her partner and fellow footballer Joe Bunney, ex-Manchester City goalkeeper Alex Williams MBE and former City kitman Les Chapman.

The fifth annual event was held recently at Dukinfield Masonic Hall, where almost 200 guests were treated to a fun night along with a pie and pea supper.

This year, a record amount was raised for Willow Wood Hospice – which provides specialist, dignified and compassionate care to patients with a life-limiting illness from Tameside and Glossop.

Councillor Denise Ward – who once again provided the pie and peas, paid for herself and made in her own kitchen – was also presented with a certificate by the Hospice for being an unsung hero for supporting fundraising efforts.

The popular event is organised by Brian Wild and Chris Smith, who are long-time supporters of Willow Wood.

Over the years, football favourites such as Martin Buchan, Peter Barnes, Eamon O’Keefe, Trevor Ross and Tommy Booth have appeared to help raise money for the hospice.

Lucy Ta’ati, Community and Events Fundraiser at Willow Wood, said: “Only 21.5 per cent of our annual running costs come through government funding – the rest must be raised through the generosity of our local community.

“Without the unbelievable efforts of people giving up their time to raise money through events such as the Football Night, the hospice would not be able to continue to provide vital services for those who need our care.

“We want to say a big thank you to Chris and Brian, the footballers past and present for giving their time, and everyone who contributed to a wonderful and successful evening.”