Tag: Christmas

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Support local hospice care this Christmas at our festive events

Willow Wood Hospice is kicking off its Christmas fundraising fun with a return to Hyde Town Hall for its popular Christmas Fair on Saturday 15th November.

From 11am to 3pm, step straight into the festive spirit by meeting Santa; picking up unique gifts, crafts and decorations; and treating yourself to tasty festive goodies, candles, cards and more.

There will also be the opportunity to enjoy some delicious festive refreshments and soak up the seasonal cheer.

Entry will be £1.50 per person and Under-12s are free.

Another must-see Christmas event for the community is the Garden of Lights celebrations evenings at the Hospice, where the gardens are transformed into a winter wonderland of over 11,000 lights.

Kindly sponsored by Brother International, each of the seven nights in December will feature a different local choir bringing seasonal cheer, along with refreshments and festive stalls to explore.

Doors are open from 5pm to 8pm on Tuesday 2nd, Thursday 4th, Tuesday 9th, Thursday 11th, Saturday 13th, Tuesday 16th and Thursday 18th.

Entry is free and you can just turn up with no need to book, for what promises to be a magical evening for all.

On Thursday 4th, there’s the added bonus of a Festive Wreath-making Workshop, where you can unleash your creativity by creating a stunning wreath from scratch to take home and enjoy.

It will be a relaxed, creative evening in a cosy atmosphere in the Hospice’s dining room, guided by floral expert Zoe Smith, from The Flower House in Marple.

Tickets are £35 per person, which includes all materials for your wreath and a festive drink and nibbles.

Spaces are limited and can be booked online at https://willowwood.org.uk/wreath-making/

As this time of year often brings memories of those we love, the Hospice’s Light up a Life appeal is a beautiful way to remember someone special, while also helping to care for local patients and families.

By making a donation in their memory, your loved one’s name will be included in a Book of Remembrance, you can hang a personalised ornament on a Tree of Dedication in the reception area at the Hospice, and you will be invited to one of two dedication events in December.

Generously sponsored by Anthony Barton Independent Family Funeral Services in Mossley, the events include moments of reflection and music, followed by the symbolic lighting of the Light up a Life tree.

They are taking place on Saturday 6th December at 2pm at Old Glossop Parish Church and Sunday 14th December at 2pm at Albion Church in Ashton-under-Lyne.

To make a dedication and find out more about the appeal, visit www.willowwood.org.uk/lual.

The Hospice is also supported by the generosity of the communities of Tameside and Glossop, who organise their own events to raise vital funds for patient care.

These include the Festival of Christmas Music at Albion Church on 30th November and the Willow Wood Hospice Choir Christmas Concert at Holy Trinity Church in Stalybridge on 13th December.

More information can be found at www.willowwood.org.uk

Sam Duncan, Director of Fundraising and Communications, said: “Christmas is such a special time for our community, and we’re very excited to welcome you to our festive events this year.

“Throughout the season, there are so many wonderful ways for people to come together, make memories and support local hospice care.

“Last year’s Christmas Fair raised £8,000 and this year we’re hoping for an even bigger success. It costs around £10,000 to run the Hospice for a day, so every pound raised really helps us to continue providing specialist, compassionate and dignified care for patients and those closest to them.”

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Christmas tree recycling success

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, while making a donation of their choice to the Hospice.

In total, over 460 real trees were collected and nearly £9,000 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 17th 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 8th and 13th January and taken to Hartleys Garden Centre to be stored. They have been 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 around 21 per cent of our funding coming from central government, the support we receive from our local communities is absolutely vital.”

Tameside Council Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods, Councillor Laura Boyle, said: “We’ve been really pleased to work with Willow Wood Hospice on this scheme once again and it’s fantastic to see it going from strength to strength.

“It has been a brilliant opportunity for people to do something positive for the environment while also supporting a charity that does such important and valued work in our community and is close to so many people’s hearts. 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.

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Hospice volunteers enjoy ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience

Two of our dedicated volunteers experienced a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity at Westminster Abbey this Christmas.

Eileen Smith was nominated by Mark Llewellin DL, Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, to be part of the congregation at this year’s ‘Royal Carols: Together at Christmas’ service.

Eileen was accompanied by fellow Flower Festival committee member Christine Lucas at the service – which shone a light on around 1,600 individuals across the UK who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities.

It’s the fourth successive year that the Princess of Wales has hosted the heart-warming seasonal event – one of the biggest appearances of the year so far for Kate after she confirmed in September she had completed her cancer treatment and would be easing back into royal duties.

Eileen – from Stalybridge – said it was “an absolute privilege” to be part of the occasion and she was “very humbled and very grateful” to have been invited.

“Mark rang me up and asked if he could nominate me to go to the Princess of Wales’ Carol Concert in London,” she explained. “He said I might not get a ticket but he chose to nominate me because of all the work I have done for the Hospice, including the Flower Festival.

“So I said yes, of course! I got an email about 10 days later from Mark’s office to tell me I’d actually got an invitation. Christine is also very active on the Flower Festival committee, so she was an obvious person to come with me.”

Eileen (right) and Christine outside Westminster Abbey

For Eileen and Christine, the experience of their day in the capital was truly magical.

“We went down on the train and we had to be at Westminster Abbey for 3.30pm so we booked a hotel near the Abbey, had some lunch and got ready,” said Eileen. “People were queuing up and you couldn’t get anywhere near the Abbey unless you had a golden ticket.

“There was a steel band there playing carols and they were giving out mince pies. When we went inside, it was just so beautiful and it’s a huge building. It was the first time I had been and it was just so wonderfully decorated, with lights everywhere and a stunning Christmas tree. You could write a message and put it on the tree.

“There were a lot of famous faces you see on TV there, so we were star spotting! We were in the knave near the door so we could actually see the Prince and Princess of Wales come in with their little ones. We recognised Zara Tindall and all of the Royal Family, who came in first.

“We all had a candle which they lit for us. Greg Porter started off by singing a carol and Prince William gave a speech. We sang carols and there was a lovely service. We waited for the Royal Family to disperse and then we went outside into the darkness, where all the lights were on and it was just so lovely.

“I’ll remember it for a long time. I’m framed my invitation and I’ve got a programme from the service. The Princess of Wales also wrote a letter to everyone who attended thanking us for coming and for everything we do.”

The service took place at the world-renowned Westminster Abbey

It’s an experience Eileen will relive when the service airs as part of a special hour-long programme on Christmas Eve (24th December) on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm.

She first started volunteering for Willow Wood on the Reception desk when the Hospice opened in 1999 and, after taking a gap when she opened a nursery, continued her support through fundraising.

“I was really interested in fundraising for the Hospice and when it opened was a time in my life when I needed to volunteer so I wanted to give something back to a charity. Since it’s opened, I’ve known lots of people who have needed the services here. It’s a lovely place and it feels like the right place for me to be.

“Dot [Birchfield] asked me first if I could help out and then John [Fellowes] approached me one day to see if I knew anyone who could take over the running of the annual Flower Festival. I used to do some arrangements for it so I took it on. We started it in 2015 and we have raised around £66,000 so far.”

Eileen also helps to keep the shop in the Hospice Reception stocked up and recently took part in Willow Wood does Strictly as a dancer.

She also decorates a Christmas tree on behalf of Willow Wood at the Albion Church in Ashton-under-Lyne every year.

“I enjoy supporting the Hospice and I’ve done a bit of everything which all helps in some way,” she added. “I’ve been to Ascot Ladies Day fundraisers and the Grand Balls down the years. When I had the nursery, we used to sponsor a table at the Ball.”

The cover of the service programme (left) and Eileen’s official invite
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Strictly star enjoys festive floristry with patients

A Strictly Come Dancing champion brought some sparkle to a festive wreath-making session at Willow Wood Hospice.

Ellie Leach, who is a patron of the Hospice, joined Wellbeing patients for an afternoon of craft and creativity last Thursday (12th December).

The workshop in The Hive – the Hospice’s Wellbeing activity space – was led by volunteer Brenda Wardle and her granddaughter Sarah.

Brenda sourced some of the materials to make the wreaths and some came from generous donations from the local community through our charity shops.

Julie Moran, Wellbeing Team Leader at Willow Wood, said: “Our patients had a wonderful time creating their festive wreaths alongside Ellie.

“Her kindness, enthusiasm and down-to-earth nature brought so much joy to the session. We thank Ellie so much for making the day extra special.

“Creativity and crafts help to enhance mental health and wellbeing by reducing stress, boosting mood and enabling self-expression and mindfulness.”

Willow Wood – based in Ashton-under-Lyne – provides specialist, compassionate and dignified care to patients from Tameside and Glossop with any life-limiting illness, empowering them to live as well as possible for as long as possible.

The Hospice’s patrons believe in the aims of Willow Wood, help raise valuable funds for its work and generate awareness of achievements and campaigns.

In October 2023, Ellie became the youngest-ever patron of the Hospice – where her grandad died.

The 23-year-old – who was last year’s winner of the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing – is best known for playing Faye Windass in ITV’s Coronation Street for 12 years before leaving the cobbles last year.

Ellie, who lives in Audenshaw, says she enjoyed the experience of meeting patients and encourages the local community to continuing supporting the Hospice.

“I had such a lovely time talking to the patients, seeing their creativity shine and getting into the festive spirit with them – the final creations looked superb,” said Ellie.

“The environment at the Hospice is so warm and welcoming. I feel very proud to be able to support such a fantastic place, which really needs all of our support.

“If you can make a donation however small, volunteer your time or buy from Willow Wood’s charity shops, you really will be making a difference.”

The Wellbeing team provides personalised, emotional and psychological support through one-to-one and group sessions, focused on being active and promoting mindfulness, relaxation and self-care and complementary therapies.

If you or someone you know is living with a life-limiting illness in Tameside and Glossop, you can find out what support could be available to you by calling 0161 330 1100.

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Recycle your real Christmas tree for Willow Wood

Local residents are being encouraged to recycle their real Christmas trees with Willow Wood Hospice while supporting patient care in the community this festive season.

The Hospice is once again collaborating with partners including Tameside Council and Hartley’s Garden Centre to provide a convenient collection and recycling service.

It will be available throughout Tameside between Monday 6th and Friday 10th January 2025, and in Glossop from Wednesday 8th to Monday 13th January 2025.

Your tree will be taken away with no hassle, no waste and no needles in your car!

Register your real Christmas tree to be collected today by visiting www.just-helping.org.uk/register-tree. Simply enter your postcode and submit your details via the online form.

Registration closes at midnight on 2nd January 2025.

When your registration is complete, stay on the website to make a donation to Willow Wood Hospice, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, which provides specialist care for patients from Tameside and Glossop diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses.

Tracy Dewhurst, a Support Worker at the Hospice, and Councillor Laura Boyle

Samantha Kitch, Fundraising Manager at Willow Wood Hospice, said: “By using our collection and recycling service, you will be disposing of your real Christmas tree responsibly and by donating, you’ll be helping us to continue providing compassionate care to those who need it most in our community.

“With only 21.5 per cent of our annual funding coming from central government, the support we receive from our community is absolutely vital. With your help, we can improve the quality of life for our patients and those closest to them, helping them to live as well as possible for as long as possible.

“We would like to thank Tameside Council and Hartley’s Garden Centre for their invaluable support in facilitating our Christmas tree collections this year.”

In Tameside, the trees will be collected by Tameside Council’s refuse collection team and then mulched to be used in parks across the borough.

Councillor Laura Boyle, Tameside Council’s executive member for environmental services and neighbourhoods, added: “I would like to thank everyone involved in organising this eco-friendly service, which has the twin objectives of protecting not only the environment, but also vulnerable people within our community.

“I’m delighted to give my full support to this innovative scheme which enables Tameside residents to demonstrate sustainability while giving to a charity that has helped so many people in the borough with the vast amount of positive, valued work that it does. I know all donations will be gratefully received and put to very good use.”

The collection and recycling service is 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.

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How our Garden of Lights became a festive fixture

Our Garden of Lights celebration evenings are enjoyed by people throughout the local community and beyond every year, but very few know how they first came about. 

It all began in 2017, when the Hospice’s Maintenance Manager Dave Egerton (pictured) approached our then CEO Karen Houlston.

“I asked Karen if there was any way we could put some lights on for the Inpatient Unit,” explained Dave.

“I said it would be of no cost to the Hospice and I would do it all in my own time, so I put a few lights up and everyone liked them.

“The following year, the Fundraising team asked me if they got hold of some lights, would I put them up and I did. From there, it just took off.”

At the beginning, there were around 800 to 1,000 lights – now there are in excess of 11,000 lights which illuminate our stunning gardens in the dark and make them a picturesque scene for patients, staff and visitors to enjoy.

For Dave, a lot of hard work goes in behind the scenes to ensure it looks spectacular.

“I start looking at the lights in October and there’s lots of testing to do,” he said. “There’s around 35 hours of work involved in putting them up.

“We buy some lights and we get some donated, so we mix and match and try to make it look different every year. I have to wire them in such a way based on where the electric points are and I draw a map so I know where to put the lights every year.

“I leave the lights on every night over Christmas, even after we’ve had the Garden of Lights events, for our patients and then start to take them down in the new year. That involves around 25 hours of work in total and then the lights are taken to our Clearance Outlet and Donation Centre to be stored.”

What makes it all worthwhile for Dave is hearing about the positive impact the lights have on our patients.

“On the very first night, I was testing the lights for a couple of hours and a young man came in with his dad, whose eyes lit up when he saw the lights. I had to nip out but I said I would leave the lights on a bit longer for them. When I returned, staff had turned his bed round so he had a better view of the lights. The young man said ‘thank you Dave from me and my dad’. His dad sadly died two days later.

“Two years ago, an elderly lady who has been in and out of the Hospice was here at Christmas. She asked me when the lights would be on as her family were coming in, so we put the lights on for them and they all sat watching them together which was lovely.

“It makes all the hard work worthwhile knowing that seeing the lights could be the last memory for a patient when they come out of the Inpatient Unit into the gardens or sit watching them through their window.”

What started as a way of decorating our Hospice gardens for patients quickly became a fixture in the festive calendar and a popular event which raises vital funds to support the care of patients with life-limiting illnesses from Tameside and Glossop.

“It’s nice to have seen it grow from being just a few lights where a handful of staff were here to open the doors for the public to have a look around,” added Dave.

“In 2021, we introduced the memory stars in the top section of the garden and now it has graduated into a fundraising event which is well supported and raises a substantial amount for the Hospice.”

This year, there are 11 free-to-attend celebration evenings – with a different choir from the local community performing at each one, as well as seasonal refreshments available and a range of festive stalls to browse.

For more details about the event, click here.

By Adam Higgins 

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Ashton girl’s festive fundraising in memory of her nan

An enthusiastic girl made Christmas tree decorations to raise a fantastic amount for Willow Wood Hospice, which supported her nan.

Ava Knott crafted her own Gonks, which she sold at the Christmas Market and one of the Garden of Lights celebration evenings at the Hospice with her mum Cheryl.

The 10-year-old from Ashton-under-Lyne made around 85 in total – some of them even travelled as far as France!

The Holden Clough Community Primary School pupil raised £201.60, which will make a difference to patients with any life-limiting illness from Tameside and Glossop in Willow Wood’s care.

Ava’s mum Cheryl said: “We also sold them to family and friends, and even friends of friends as other people heard about what she was doing and wanted to support her. We’ve done so many orders!

“We suggested a donation of £2 for one, but some people donated as much as £6.”

Helping the Hospice based in Ashton-under-Lyne is important to Ava’s family, and making the Gonks was a creative way for Ava to show her own support.

Cheryl explained: “We lost my mum, Ava’s nan Lynn Elizabeth Knott, in October 2022 so Ava knows how much this has meant to us as a family. The Hospice supported us when we needed it.

“It started off when my sister, Ava’s auntie Michaela, came around one day and, as the weather was bad outside, she suggested making some Gonks.

“We got some wool out and then she said all we needed was a toilet roll holder. That’s how they started to make them.

“Ava then carried on making them and then she asked me if we could sell them as we had been saying how good they were. She then came up with the idea of giving the money she raised to Willow Wood.

“I put a Facebook post on with a picture of three of the Gonks, saying that Ava was thinking about selling these to raise money for Willow Wood in memory of her nan and before we knew it, orders were coming in. Every day, people were messaging asking for a particular colour.

“She made a variety of colours and I helped her out with the gluing part but she’s done it mainly on her own, in her own time after school and at weekends. She’s been very enthusiastic about it.”

Selling the festive-themed Gonks has encouraged Ava to think about more fundraising ideas for the Hospice.

Cheryl said: “We’ve got Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day coming up and she’s been thinking about what she can do for those, so she’ll be busy over the next few weeks!”

Ava is grateful for all of the support she has received so far.

The youngster told us: “I want to thank my mum and my auntie Michaela for helping me and giving me the idea. My grandad Allan has also been very supportive.”

If you would like to join Ava in helping to raise funds for Willow Wood Hospice in any way, you can contact our Fundraising Team by emailing fundraising@willowwood.org.uk or call 0161 330 7788.

By Adam Higgins

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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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Bag a festive bargain at our charity shops

With the countdown to Christmas well and truly under way, Willow Wood Hospice is encouraging the local community to call in to its charity shops and pick up some festive bargains. 

If you’re looking for gift ideas or stocking fillers, the shops in Tameside and Glossop offer good value across a wide variety of stock.

They have cards and decorations still available, as well as food, sweets and biscuits if you’re looking to stock up for festive gatherings or treat yourself.

You will also find a range of pre-loved items including books, toys and games – so there is something for everyone.

But if you’re not sure what to buy, you can pick up a charity shop gift card – available from the tills – which can be used in most charity shops, as well as Willow Wood’s charity shops.

To get yourself ready for the festive season, there are Christmas jumpers to choose from and the Stalybridge shop has a selection of party dresses upstairs.

On Saturday 9th December, the shop on Grosvenor Street is holding a ‘Taster Day’ where you can sample a mouth-watering selection of our Hospice jams and chutneys, as well as purchase a bottle of our exclusive vodka or gin.

In the Reddish Lane (Denton) shop, there is a Christmas raffle where you could win some fabulous prizes.

As well as helping to save you money, every item bought in the shops makes a difference to patients from Tameside and Glossop in the care of the Hospice.

Willow Wood needs at least £3.3 million every year to continue operating and, with only 20 per cent of that funding coming by way of central government, the Hospice relies on the generosity of the community it serves.

Pauline Lunt, Head of Retail at Willow Wood Hospice, said: “Our staff and volunteers have worked hard to get our shops ready for the festive period and you will be spoilt for choice with ideas for Christmas gifts for your loved ones.

“Shopping in our Hospice shops is a great way to recycle and at the same time find a bargain. Every purchase could add joy to your festivities and also supports compassionate care for those in need.”

All Willow Wood shops will be open from Wednesday 27th to Saturday 30th December, but closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The shops will gratefully receive any donations of items during opening hours to keep our shelves stocked – with the exception of duvets, car seats and crash helmets. Furniture will be accepted at the Purchase and Donate (PAD) shop on Shepley Street in Stalybridge.

See where your nearest Willow Wood Hospice shop is at www.willowwood.org.uk/shop-locations

By Adam Higgins