HOSPICECARE COLUMN: Philanthropy at its best

Philanthropy – a word often used in the charity sector, particularly within hospice care – is an idea, event or action that involves some sacrifice, rather than being done purely for profit.
Volunteers at the Wear & Care shop in Wooler.Volunteers at the Wear & Care shop in Wooler.
Volunteers at the Wear & Care shop in Wooler.

Acts of philanthropy include donating money, volunteering or raising funds.

Every day at HospiceCare we meet people who want to support us in some way without thanks or reward. This includes volunteering, fund-raising and donations of expertise.

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Giving of this type is as important as financial donations, although we need a lot of those too. This year we need to raise over £750,000 (about five per cent comes from the NHS) so there’s a busy year of fund-raising ahead to take us closer to £1million of income generation.

We are so lucky to live in a responsive community. Only last week, after a call-out on our Facebook page, we had an army of people offering to tidy the patio garden at our new building in Alnwick.

Following the donation of 12 computers by Berwick business JH Greenwood & Company Chartered Accountants, another Facebook call generated 12 monitors donated by an Alnwick businesses – philanthropy at its very best.

Donations to our charity shops, Wear & Care, are another form of philanthropy. When people donate their pre-loved items, the income from sales supports our Hospice at Home end-of-life care.

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Thanks to our loyal, dedicated volunteers, we keep our shop overheads to a minimum so more of the income generated benefits our nursing care.

The generosity was so great last year that sales from our shops at Amble, Berwick and Wooler generated 30 per cent of the total income we needed to meet the growing demand for clinical services. This year we would love to smash through that 30 per cent and, with your help, that’s possible.

You can find out more at www.hospicecare-nn.org.uk

By the time you read this, staff at HospiceCare Alnwick will be unpacking boxes in our new building at Greensfield House.

The North Northumberland Wellbeing Centre will be officially open from Monday and will supplement our Wellbeing Centre at Berwick, Hospice at Home services, specialist bereavement support and Advanced Dementia care support services.

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Do drop in for a coffee and a guided tour on Wednesday, May 15, between 10am and 2pm. You will find us at Greensfield House, Greensfield Business Park, Willowburn Avenue, Alnwick, opposite Willowburn Sports and Leisure Centre.

Until next time, be kind to yourself.