Making donations simpler

and their family through a difficult time. It’s such a privilege to do this last thing for someone.

“Sometimes a smile and holding someone’s hand is enough. Hopefully the patients know they are not alone, and we can offer relatives a break so that they can get a drink or meal knowing their relative has someone with them. They can also share their feelings if needed, and we can signpost them to further information that may help.”

Debbie Farthing, Butterfly Volunteer coordinator with ESNEFT, said, “Our Butterfly Volunteers play a crucial role at what can be a very difficult time by offering support and reassurance. Some will sing quietly to patients, others may read to them and some will simply sit and hold their hand, all of which shows our patients that they are not alone. “Our amazing team also get a lot from volunteering, and feel privileged when families entrust their loved one with them so that they can take a break.

“We would encourage anyone who is calm and compassionate and can spare some time to get in touch and find out more about this very special role. You don’t need a clinical background or any hospital experience, but do need to be a really good listener.” www.hunnaball.co.uk

ESNEFT’s Butterfly Volunteers are funded by Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity. Anyone interested in finding out more about the role at Colchester Hospital can call 07342 074790 or email butterfly.volunteers@esneft.nhs.uk. Ipswich Hospital will be recruiting more volunteers later in the spring.

ESNEFT has recently launched a telephone support line which offers emotional support, advice and signposting for all non-clinical concerns to patients in the last year of their life, together with their families and carers. To contact the Colchester helpline, call 07342 074790. Support for people based in the Ipswich area is available on 07342 074834.

At a funeral, donations to a good cause are a really important way to honour someone’s memory.

A donation to a charity, no matter how small, can make a real difference. As a funeral director, we want to make it as easy as possible for our clients to invite donations and for people to give.

Prior to the pandemic, funeral donation boxes for cash after the service were the norm, but Covid changed people’s cash habits, so far fewer actually carry cash. It has also become possible for people to attend funerals virtually through webcasts; but, of course, those who do so can’t leave cash. Post pandemic, even though we still use collection boxes at funerals, we now make greater use of the newer ways to help people give online.

The Hunnaball Family Funeral Group use MuchLoved, a memorial tribute charity which hosts a dedicated donation website. Every one of our clients can have a personalised webpage for their loved one so family and friends can give to the chosen good cause securely and directly, online, using a credit card, debit card, or other web-based payment method. They can also share the link to their MuchLoved page on social media or in emails.

Online donations have the added advantage of allowing a personal message of condolence from each donor, so that their giving is even more personal. Then, after the funeral, the family can read what’s been said and have the words as a comforting keepsake.

At a time when cheques and cash are largely disappearing, online donations through charities like MuchLoved work very well. They’re secure, simple and, most importantly, allow people to keep giving to good causes which need support more than ever.