Fundraising

About us

As a charity, we provide free, specialist care for adults in Luton and south Bedfordshire and children from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes, who have a life-limiting and terminal illnesses.

We rely on our supporters for around 70% of our funding. This means we need to raise over £6 million each year (over £17,000 a day) to continue our specialist care for adults and children - and their families - and continue making the difference when it matters the most.

Supporting Keech Hospice Care in memory of your loved one today is a wonderful way to remember them, as well as helping us to continue to be able to care for more patients and their families tomorrow.

Over the next couple of pages, you can find out about the different ways you can help make a difference while remembering a loved one at the same time. Whatever and whenever you decide, we’ll be here to help you.

Funeral donations

Holding a collection at a funeral, or asking for donations in lieu of flowers is a simple and thoughtful way of supporting our care. Your funeral director will be happy to arrange this for you.

We can provide you with special donation envelopes or a collection box for use at the service. Or you can ask people to make a donation online at www.keech.org.uk/donate and select ‘In memory of someone’ as the reason for the donation.

Forever Remembered Fund

A Forever Remembered Fund is a forever way to remember and celebrate the life of a loved one. It’s somewhere for you, family and friends to visit and share the story of the person you love, be that a thought, a funny anecdote, a treasured photo or a favourite piece of music.

After the fund has been set up, every donation made in memory of your loved one will be added to it.

You, family and friends might like to make a donation to remember a particular occasion, an anniversary or birthday perhaps, or do something to raise money through the year. Again, these will be added to the Fund.

Light Up A Life

On the first Sunday in December, this special non-faith service held at the hospice, or virtually online, brings together those who have experienced the death of a loved one to remember and celebrate their life.

The simple service contains music, readings and reflections, building towards the switching on of the lights of remembrance on the hospice’s Christmas tree. Each light shines out in celebration of a life lived and burns brightly until twelfth night.

As well as attending the service, there’s also the opportunity to dedicate a light in memory of your loved one.

Walk of Life

Nestled in the grounds of the hospice, meandering through its tranquil gardens is the Walk of Life. The Walk of Life provides the opportunity to personalise a stone with your own special message in memory of a loved one as well as create a lasting and special tribute to them.

Once your stone is in place, the Walk of Life is open to visit whenever you wish and spend some reflective time.

Gifts in Wills

In 1990, it was a gift in a Will which provided some of the first funding to establish Keech Hospice Care. Today, gifts in Wills help make the difference for 1 in 7 of our patients.

Making a Will or updating your existing one is easier than you might think. After remembering family and friends, leaving a share of your estate or an amount of money to Keech Hospice Care means your lasting legacy will help future patients and their families at a time when they need our care the most. Visit www.keech.org.uk/giftsinwills to find out more.

Other ways to fundraise

Whether it’s running, walking, skydiving, abseiling, cycling or trekking, we have an event for you where you can challenge yourself while helping to raise funds in memory of a loved one. Visit www.keech.org.uk/whatson to find out more. Perhaps you’d like to fundraise for us by holding an event of your own? From hosting a coffee morning, afternoon tea, quiz night or joining in at a car boot sale or a stall at a market, almost any activity can be turned into a fundraising event.

For more information, please contact the fundraising team: Tel: 01582 707940 email: letmehelp@keech.org.uk Website: www.keech.org.uk/get-involved Or ask to speak to a Fundraiser if you’re visiting the hospice.

The Hospice would like to thank RNS Publications for publishing this information and the following pages contain some features from local services o ering their help at this time.

Whilst the Hospice is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide.

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stopping mail

STOPPING JUNK MAIL

It is distressing to deal with a bereavement and unsolicited mail can be insensitive and destructive during a grieving process.

By scanning the below QR code on your phone or visiting www.stopmail.co.uk, we are able to securely share this information with mailing organisations and under the Data Protection Act the information will not be used for any other purpose.

Other benefits reduce the possibility of identity fraud, such as assumed identity and you will only have to supply the information once.

www.stopmail.co.uk 0808 168 9607 from a landline 0333 006 8114 from a mobile

If you would like this information in other languages, please visit www.keech.org.uk/translate.

Where we provide care

Children’s service

Adult and children’s service

BEDFORD Bedford

Milton MILTON Keynes KEYNES

Dunstable

LUTON Luton Hitchin

STEVENAGEStevenage

ST ALBANS St Albans

Watford

WATFORD

Welwyn Garden City

Version 1 - July 2022

As a charity, around 70% of our funding for our care services comes from our local community and supporters. This means we need to raise around £6 million every year to provide our specialist care for children and adults with life-limiting and terminal illnesses, and their families.

To help us continue making the difference when it matters the most for patients and their families, please donate at

www.keech.org.uk/donate.

Tel: 01582 492339 info@keech.org.uk www.keech.org.uk