Texting ‘WHSJ88’ £5 to 70070 can make a huge difference to our patients and their loved ones #familiesmatter #hospicecare

“Looking after our patients and their families is central to everything we do at Wirral Hospice St John’s. It’s the reason we are here and the reason we have grown and evolved our care so much over the last 30 years. Support from the Wirral community has helped us to do that. YOU have helped us to do that. Thank you!”

Teresa Nightingale, the Hospice’s Head of Fundraising knows it’s not as simple as just asking people for money. “Everyone has personal pressures on what they can spend their money on: mortgage or rent, bills, food, clothing, family trips, school trips, presents. We understand that, which is why we offer people options on how they might wish to support us.

Anything from taking part in a running event, where they are asking lots of people to sponsor smaller amounts towards a bigger pot, or organising their own event such as a coffee morning or afternoon tea, where again other people can contribute smaller amounts to raise a larger amount of money.

Even texting ‘WHSJ88’ £5 to 70070 can make a huge difference to our patients and their loved ones. Or you can donate online via our JustGiving Appeal page.

We are also asking local companies to get involved, they can pick us as a Charity of the Year or organise a one-off employee event to support us. People can join our weekly lottery or buy something from one of our charity shops or gift shop. Or have a collection box in their home to catch loose change – and this is only a few suggestions of how people can help!

We also appreciate that other charities ask and need support, so we are one of several deserving organisations that people may be approached by.”

Teresa joined the Hospice two years ago and oversees the Hospice’s Fundraising Team, who are responsible for raising money in lots of different ways to help pay for the running costs of the Hospice’s specialist patient care, which is free for patients to receive but comes in at more than £3.1 million each year.

“This year is a special one for Wirral Hospice; it has recently completed an extension which will make a huge difference to its care and support of patients and their families. Although the building work is finished, it is far from paid for, which is why the Hospice’s Families Matter Appeal is in place.

Over the last 10 weeks, in our advertising campaign in the Wirral Globe and the Wirral News, we have been trying to give a flavour of the work carried out by Wirral Hospice St John’s on site at the Hospice, out in the community and in people’s own homes. We’ve talked about how the new space at the Hospice will further improve what we can do to support patients and their loved ones, and we’ve heard directly from patients what we mean to them.

The extension has come at a significant cost, despite receiving a huge grant of £550,000 from the Dept of Health towards the project; the total bill will come in at more than £1million. The Hospice is paying for the extra cost out of reserves but is appealing to the Wirral community to help raise £250,000 to help pay to equip and furnish the space, to make it a warm and appealing place to be.

Wirral residents have always been generous in their support, both with donations and of time. We have 500 volunteers helping the Hospice to run smoothly; our running costs would be so much higher without the support of our Hospice Heroes, thank you to each and every one of you!

If you are in a position to do so, please consider supporting the Hospice’s Families Matter Appeal this year – we really need your help. If you aren’t able to make a financial gift towards it, could you perhaps organise a small fundraising event or have one of our collection boxes? Every penny really can help us to continue to make a difference to lives of our patients and their families.”

To arrange a visit to the Hospice or to discuss fundraising ideas, please contact Teresa on 0151 343 0778 or at teresan@wirralhospice.org.

“Thank you for any help you are able to give, we really appreciate it and so do our patients and their families!”