Everything shipshape and Bristol fashion. Salute to Julia, our fundraising manager!

With twenty-three years at Wirral Hospice under her belt you know Julia Evans, one of our hospice’s fundraising managers, has a ton of experience to bring to her job.

Nowadays, ably supported by fundraising data and communications officer, Jacinta, Julia’s role involves planning for and overseeing the areas of fundraising that involve individuals or charitable trusts, and gifts in Wills.

– Things like:

– Regular giving as a monthly amount, directly or through our Sponsor a Nurse initiative

– Applying to charitable trusts for money to invest in capital items (like new beds and other hospice equipment)

– Working with local solicitors to organise our annual Make a Will month, and Will clinics periodically

– Tribute funds and in memory donations

– Organising the hospice’s annual commemoration of loved ones no longer with us, Light up a Life

You can visit our How you can help page to find out more about all of these ways of giving, and other ways of becoming involved in supporting Wirral Hospice’s work.

Julia is a well known face around the hospice, not only because she’s been here a ‘little while’ but also that she meets with all of the people, that’s everyone actually, who pull together for the flagship campaign that Light up a Life has become over the years.

So, besides her experience here, where did Julia learn the disciplined skills to make sure it all runs smoothly? Ahoy! She joined the Royal Navy in 1992!

Julia left six years later having been trained as a radar operator, both onshore and onboard ship. Oh, she also left with a husband, Gareth, too!

Her first post navy job was at Vauxhall Motors, Ellesmere Port where she worked in fleet management.

A restructure at Vauxhall Motors gave Julia the opportunity to make her next move and it was to be the one that brought her to Wirral Hospice St John’s. Hurrah!

Starting as a fundraising assistant and a spell in the finance department, Julia gained insight into how all of the kind donations are processed and reconciled with our bank.

Then in 2015 Julia, fully equipped with the knowledge of how everything works, moved back into fundraising as a manager.

The countdown to Light up a Life, the campaign and lights switch-on service, probably begins as soon as April’s Make a Will month is completed. At first it’s a check list of what will be needed and then, as we get closer to the time it becomes a structured but naturally demanding time

• Are the lights working?
• Will they come on at the right time?
• Have we asked a family to do the switch on?
• Is mid-September’s mailing ready?
• Have we sourced our tree decoration?
• Are the brass band, choir and singers available?
• Who will speak?
• What about refreshments for the attendees?
• The fundraising tent?
• The weather (nearly lost the marquee to the previous night’s gale, last year!)
• The Christmas gift shop? Have we got enough volunteers?
• Is the media release ready?
• What about car parking and signage?
• Is there a safe space for patients to view proceedings?
• Are the Books of Honour completed ready for viewing?

It is always the most memorable time of the year for everyone associated with the hospice, so all these things and more, Julia, supported by Jacinta and the whole hospice team, has to make sure it’s all in place, shipshape and Bristol fashion!

Of the hospice, Julia tells us,“I love working here. It feels like a family, and it always has. In twenty three years I’ve seen many changes and I learn something new every day, but our core purpose, to put our patients and their families at the heart of all we do, remains constant.

I have worked with the kindest people you could meet. Naturally people have left from time to time, but the hospice stays with them forever. It’s great when old colleagues and friends come to see us, as they often do.

There are so many inspiring people, not least our brilliant volunteers and supporters. It’s simply the best place to work. A complete privilege.”

THANK YOU, Julia. A massive AHOY from so many people, for all you do for Wirral Hospice St John’s!

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To sponsor lights in memory of loved ones, please visit our Light up a Life web page or call our fundraising office on 0151 343 0778 (Mon to Fri 9am-5pm).

To read this and other articles featured in our From the Heart newsletters, please visit our From the Heart web page.