Tag: Campaigns

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Hospice needs Creme Eggs for cracking Easter fundraiser

Willow Wood Hospice is appealing for donations of Creme Eggs to reward local children taking part in its Bunny Hop Easter fundraiser.

Last year, a w-hopping 6,000 bunnies took a leap of love, raising a jaw-dropping £45,000 by donning bunny ears to hop, skip and jump around playgrounds, halls and parks across Tameside and Glossop.

In the year Willow Wood celebrates 25 years of patient care, the Hospice based in Ashton-under-Lyne wants Easter 2024 to be Top of the Hops.

It’s looking for individuals, groups and companies who can donate Creme Eggs which will be given to youngsters participating in the Bunny Hop.

Don’t worry if you cannot get hold of Creme Eggs, as donations of other small wrapped Easter treats would be gratefully received too.

Some of the small wrapped Easter treats we would gratefully receive for our Bunny Hop

People can drop off treats at the Hospice reception on Willow Wood Close, off Mellor Road in Ashton-under-Lyne (postcode OL6 6SL) or at any of the Hospice’s charity shops. A full list of locations can be found at https://willowwood.org.uk/shop-locations/

There is also the option of purchasing Creme Eggs online, such as via Amazon, and having them delivered directly to the Hospice, via the address above, for the attention of Tracey Schofield.

To ensure they reach the children once they have completed the challenge, the Hospice ideally needs the eggs by 5th April.

Anyone who is unable to physically donate items but still wants to get involved can make a cash donation, which will sponsor the children taking part in the Bunny Hop, through a simple online form at https://willowwood.org.uk/events/bunny-hop/

The Hospice’s very own Easter Bunny, Tracey Schofield, said: “It’s an egg-citing year at Willow Wood as we recognise 25 years of delivering patient care and the Bunny Hop showcases the incredible power of our community coming together for a cause that truly hops straight to your heart.

“Every child taking part will receive an Easter activity pack, a cute snap wristband, a sweet treat and, of course, the all-important bunny ears which they can take home and use throughout Easter.

“We need as many Creme Eggs as possible and every contribution, however small, will make a difference to children who are raising funds to support patients from the local community with a life-limiting illness. We appreciate your generosity.”

Any school, nursery or children’s group that wishes to take part in the Willow Wood Bunny Hop can still sign up, by emailing tracey.schofield@willowwood.org.uk or calling 0161 330 7788.

By Adam Higgins

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Use your free Will to give to Willow Wood

A number of local solicitors will be waiving their fees in return for a donation to Willow Wood Hospice during Will Month this March.

Nobody knows what is around the corner but, by creating a Will, people can have the reassurance of knowing that their wishes are in black and white, and that those they care about are provided for.

This legal document not only provides for people’s loved ones but also ensures that their wishes are respected and upheld.

Now thanks to partnering solicitors, people can make a Will which also makes a difference to patients with a life-limiting illness in the care of Willow Wood Hospice in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.

In return for their valued services, the solicitors ask that people make a donation to the Hospice. They suggest £100 for a simple single Will, £150 for a simple mirror Will and £50 for changes to an existing Will – these amounts are well below the solicitors’ usual Will writing fees.

Sam Duncan, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Willow Wood Hospice, is getting involved in Will Month by making her own Will – something she has been meaning to do for some time.

“It’s something I’ve been talking about doing for years but, for me, it’s been a case of getting round to doing it,” Sam explained.

“I’ve ran out of excuses now! My personal circumstances have changed recently and it has made me think about planning for the future. I want to make sure all my ducks are in a row for when I’m no longer here.

“I have children who are adults and I’m giving them advice about planning for their future in investments etc so they are thinking about these sorts of things. Making a Will is long overdue and it’s great that I can take this much-needed step in conjunction with raising funds for Willow Wood.”

Sam with one of her children, Georgie

Sam, 55, from Bury in Greater Manchester, wants to encourage others to support the Hospice and believes the Will Month campaign is a great way to do so.

“I think it’s brilliant that local solicitors are partnering with us and waiving their fee to offer their services,” she said.

“It’s great that they have chosen to support Willow Wood in this campaign and we are grateful to them.

“I want to encourage other people to support Willow Wood Hospice. I also have personal experience of my dad being cared for by our local hospice. I’m forever indebted for the care my dad received so I will always want to support any local hospice, especially Willow Wood.”

William Waddock (pictured below), more commonly known as Bill, will also be making a Will during the Hospice’s Will Month as the retired former plant fitter from Audenshaw wants his wishes to be in writing to support his family when he is no longer here.

Although Bill is in relatively good health, he is active and spends a lot of time abroad. He will soon be 79 years old and believes now is the time to think about his future.

Supporting Willow Wood Hospice whose team cared for his wife before she died in 2010 is also important to Bill, who has four children, 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

He has since volunteered for the Hospice, doing odd jobs around the charity shops, and donates whenever he can.

“I don’t want my family to have any problems when I die and I want to make the financial side as easy as possible for them,” Bill said.

“When I heard about Will Month, I thought it was a great opportunity to support Willow Wood Hospice and put my future plans into place.”

Find out more about how you can use your free Will to give at https://willowwood.org.uk/events/will-month/

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Christmas tree recycling raises tree-rific hospice funds

Willow Wood’s Christmas tree recycling service has raised a tree-mendous amount towards supporting patient care at the Hospice.

The convenient recycling initiative allowed residents across Tameside and Glossop to register their festive firs online to be collected and responsibly disposed of in the new year, whilst making a donation of their choice to the Hospice.

In total, 498 real trees were collected and £7,175 has been raised, which will make a difference to patients with a life-limiting illness from our local communities.

In Tameside, trees were collected between 8th and 12th January and then chipped by Tameside Council’s Greenspace team, who will re-use them in local parks.

In Glossop, the trees were collected by Amazon and A&D Distribution Services between 10th and 15th January and taken to Hartleys Garden Centre to be stored. They will be chipped by Bankswood Treecare and used by the Pony Patch to lay a new path for the ponies.

Samantha Kitch, Fundraising Manager at Willow Wood Hospice, said: “On behalf of us all at the Hospice, a sincere thank you to all of our brilliant partners for facilitating the collection and recycling of the trees, and to everyone who registered their trees and donated to Willow Wood.

“We would also like to thank all those who helped to spread the word and raise awareness of the tree recycling service.

“With only 20 per cent of our funding coming from central government, the support we receive from our local communities is absolutely vital.”

Tameside Council Executive Member responsible for environmental services, Cllr Denise Ward, said: “This is a fantastic result and has been a great opportunity for people to so something positive for the environment while also supporting a charity that is important to so many local people and that does a lot of positive, valued work in our community.

“Thank you to everyone who supported the scheme, you have really helped to make a difference.”

The collection and recycling service was also supported by national charity Just Helping, which assists charities, volunteers and businesses to contribute to their community and the environment.

After costs, Willow Wood Hospice will receive 85 per cent of donations and up to 15 per cent will be distributed by Just Helping to other local charities.

By Adam Higgins

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Ethan’s sunflower garden blossoms into funds for hospice care

A five-year-old boy from Hyde has been making a difference to those in the local community who need our care – one sunflower at a time. 

Ethan Howarth loves gardening and he was just four years old when he started using his pocket money to grow sunflowers at his home in Newton.

Ross, Ethan’s dad, lost his mum to cancer 10 years ago and has previously worked in hospice care, so they decided to name the plants and sell the small shoots to raise funds for Willow Wood Hospice.

The family set up a Facebook page – Ethan’s Charity Sunflowers – to share pictures of Ethan planting the flowers and also naming them, to watch their journey growing.

Along with dad Ross and mum Rachel, Ethan also brought some into the Hospice, before they were sold for a donation.

Ethan has raised almost £200 for the Hospice and we cannot thank him enough.

By Adam Higgins

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Willow Wood to celebrate Hospice Care Week

Willow Wood Hospice will be celebrating Hospice Care Week next week.

The occasion is a chance to celebrate hospice care nationwide, and the incredible work being done to ensure everyone can benefit from the very best end-of-life care.

This year, it will focus on workforce under the theme ‘We are hospice care’.

During the week, Willow Wood will be acknowledging the different departments which make the hospice a special place to work – everyone from the inpatient and catering teams to the dedicated volunteers and finance staff.

The hospice’s retail shops in Glossop, Hyde, Stalybridge, Denton, Mossley and Ashton-under-Lyne will also be decorated with yellow-themed windows – the colour associated with Hospice Care Week.

Karen Houlston first joined Willow Wood as a part-time bookkeeper and has been at the hospice, based in Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, since January 2000. She progressed to the role of CEO but will retire at the end of May next year.

Karen has spoken fondly about her varied journey at the hospice and is a shining example of the possibilities that a career at a hospice can bring.

Karen Houlston, CEO of Willow Wood Hospice

She said: “You meet so many incredible people in hospices. I’ve found working at Willow Wood so rewarding – from the patients, staff, families and volunteers.

“There can be a lot of myths around what hospices are like. Sometimes people can feel very anxious before coming in but they’re often pleasantly surprised. Willow Wood is a really friendly, calm and welcoming place.

“There’s never been a day where I have not wanted to come into work. I would recommend working at Willow Wood to anyone.

“The main qualities I have learned in my job is good listening and communication skills, and the ability to empathise.

“The hospice is deeply rooted in the communities of Tameside and Glossop and serves an essential human need in caring for people with a life-limiting illness and those that love them. For me, there remains something special about doing that.”

Julie Hafford, part of the Willow Wood Hospice housekeeping team
Julie Hafford, part of the Willow Wood Hospice housekeeping team

Toby Porter, CEO at Hospice UK, said: “From clinical staff to bereavement counsellors, kitchen staff to volunteer gardeners, the staff and volunteers who support over 300,000 people every year are what makes hospice care so special. This Hospice Care Week, we want to celebrate them.

“Hospices are exciting, rewarding places to work, and with the need for hospice care growing, we need more people to take up the opportunity to work in this incredible profession. If you’re interested, reach out to your local hospice.”

Look out for content throughout Hospice Care Week on the Willow Wood Hospice social media channels. You can also follow the hashtags #HospiceCareWeek and #WeAreHospiceCare

Working for a hospice can be very beneficial and Willow Wood Hospice has a number of voluntary and paid roles available throughout the year. Keep an eye on the hospice website https://willowwood.org.uk/vacancies for more details.

By Adam Higgins