Keech Matters Your award-winning hospice •
Keech reaches out to Herts •
This summer’s hottest events
Spring 2018
The magazine of Keech Hospice Care
“The nurses don’t treat me like a patient - I can be myself.”
Orla and her family get on with living, thanks to Keech Hospice Care
How we gave Hazel a voice when MND robbed her of speech
TV celeb Adam Frost
returns to look after his garden legacy
FREE
Events Guide 2018! Get involved: if not now, then when?
Registered Charity No. 1035089
Do you like hearing from us? As a charity, around 70% of our funding for our
We would very much like to stay in touch with
care services comes from our local community
you so - if you’re happy for us to contact you by
and supporters. Without your wonderful support,
phone and email - please take a moment to let us
we couldn’t continue caring for and supporting
know by completing the form which comes with
seriously ill adults and children, and their families.
this issue of Keech Matters.
Keech Matters is one way we let you know the
You can be sure we will treat your data with respect
difference your support is making to patients like
and we promise never to sell or swap your details
Hazel and Orla, whose stories are featured in this
with any third parties.
issue. Occasionally, we also like to let you know about our fundraising appeals and events, shop
You can also change your mind
activities, and volunteering opportunities so you
about how you hear from us
can get involved.
at any time. Simply write to us at Keech Hospice Care, Great
However, from May this year, new legislation around
Bramingham Lane, Luton, LU3
data protection (called the General Data Protection
3NT, phone 01582 707940
Regulations) means we can’t phone or email you
or drop us an email at
unless we have your specific permission to do so.
letmehelp@keech.org.uk.
NEW
N!
FU MILY A F K 5
Sign up at:
Registered Charity No. 1035089
h.org.uk/bubblerus c e e k . w w w h or call: 01582 707940
CONTENTS
Letter from Liz
3 News in brief
S
a busy time at pring is always t into action Care, as we pu Keech Hospice is to make e year. One aim our plans for th not somewhere es know we’re iti un m m co r sure ou lp patients and e to die – we he people just com to the full. families live life t PCC) is all abou e Care Centre (K tiv llia Pa h and stay ec Our Ke ses to live well e-limiting illnes lif ith w ts ul tured below) ad supporting lped Hazel (pic he e w w ho er r story n page 5, discov chard told us he independent. O Her husband Ri e. as se di e on worst things otor neur live well with m mits one of the ad he k ea sp to lost the ability an I love”. because Hazel ice of the wom vo e th g in ar he n ai ag was “never d their families, s like Hazel, an nt tie pa r fo re able to ca s give us We wouldn’t be e way you alway it’s fantastic th d an re rs te or pp 2017, our My Ca without our su n’s Best Awards to Lu e th in e, ar r exampl Choice aw d. your backing. Fo g the People’s in ud cl in , ds ar , thanks am won two aw arity of the Year Coordination Te Supporters Ch ’s ub Cl ll ba ot n Town Fo We’re also Luto voted for us. of people who r be m nu g in lm to the overwhe es and Milton Keyn , Hertfordshire re hi ds ’d or df Be ss ing Orla, 3, who Supporters acro as Appeal featur tm ris Ch r s, ou to nerously d so many first contributed ge r family have ha he d an rla O e. ristmas at hom ory on page 9. never had a Ch am. Read her st te re ca s n’ re h’s child thanks to Keec Bubble our brand-new our events (like of e on in ed lv get invo with this Keech If you’d like to 2018, enclosed r fo e id Gu ts your free Even Rush), dip into you! Matters. Thank
5 Finding the
right words
When MND left Hazel unable to speak, Keech Hospice Care helped her husband Richard hear her voice.
7 Adam Frost
remembers us
Our Courtyard Garden is the celebrity TV gardener’s precious legacy to us – what will yours be?
8 Reaching the
heart of Herts
How we’re bringing our care closer to home for children with life-limiting illnesses in Hertfordshire.
9 “We always
wanted a normal family life.” Orla, 3, has spent most of her life in hospital. Now Keech is helping the family get on with living.
11 Join Me
Discover a new you by volunteering at your local Keech charity shop.
12 Summer of fun
Best wishes,
Get the fundraising buzz with our hot line-up of summer events.
13 Putting families first
Stay in touch Like us on Facebook facebook.com/keechhospicecare Follow us on Twitter @KeechHospice Watch us on YouTube youtube.com/keechhospicecare
If you have any questions or would like to find out more about getting involved, email us at: letmehelp@keech.org.uk Visit our website www.keech.org.uk
Our charity partner Center Parcs Woburn Forest has fun fundraising for Keech Hospice Care.
14 Fall in love with fundraising
After beating cancer, Sarah ran the London Marathon to “give something back”. Now she works for Keech Hospice Care.
15 Play our lottery
News in brief
Did you know we’ve won three awards for our care and leadership?
O
ur CEO Liz Searle - a nurse who has worked her
“When I became CEO
way up the ranks to become the first woman to
in 2016, I had two main
take the helm of Keech Hospice Care – has won
aims. To ensure we meet
the prestigious Charity Comms Inspiring Communicator
the needs of patients and
award. The award recognises Liz’s work in publicising
families, and for our staff
the big issues for life-limited and terminally ill patients,
and volunteers to know
and their families, both locally and nationally.
they’re valued. I’m proud we’re achieving both.”
In other awards news, Keech Hospice Care’s My Care
Liz Searle, CEO
Coordination Team hit a double whammy by scooping Luton’s Best Care in the Community and People’s Choice Awards.
Donations help us help more patients
Our amazing, one-of-a-kind team goes the extra mile 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to make sure people in Luton and south Bedfordshire with a life-limiting or terminal illness get the highest standard of care in their own homes, free of charge, in the final weeks and months of their lives. Since the team’s beginnings three years ago, it’s already cared for more than 2,000 patients.
Last year, My Care Coordination Team supported around 700 new patients and stopped 224 unnecessary hospital admissions.
We’ve got two new wet rooms on our children’s unit, thanks to big grants from Morrison’s Foundation and the Screwfix Foundation. Wet rooms are easier than bathrooms for patients to use without assistance and they reduce the amount of lifting and moving involved – so good news for patients and staff alike! The Harpur Trust has also given us a generous grant to help us help more life-limited children in the Bedford area. Many thanks to all our wonderful supporters! In November, one of our treatment rooms finished having a full upgrade and reopened for patients at the Keech Palliative Care Centre. The renovation went ahead when the Varney family (award nominees for their fundraising – see left) pledged to raise the funds needed. What would we do without our fantastic community and supporters?
Smiles all round He was out and about for 22 nights, travelled over 1,300 miles and brought joy to children and families across Luton and surrounding areas. No, not just Santa – Luton’s much-loved train, Smiley Sam! With our Sleigh taking care of the Bedford area, they raised an incredible £49,000. Also, a hugely deserved well done to the Varney family,
Thank you to all the amazing volunteers who gave their
runners-up in Luton’s Best Fundraisers Award, and
time, to Friends of Bedford for organising the Sleigh, and
Lottie Ward, a patient of children’s day support, who
to Volkswagen Financial Services for loaning us the car to
won Luton’s Best Child of Courage Award. The Varneys
tow Smiley Sam and Santa.
have raised around £35,000 for Keech Hospice Care, in
Our Luton and Bedford Santa Runs raised over £20,000
memory of Aimee Varney, 21, who was a nurse at Keech
and our first-ever Keech Christmas Market was a huge
until her sudden death four years ago.
success, raising over £13,000 over the weekend.
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Keech scores a HATTER TRICK Keech Hospice Care is Luton Town Football Club’s Supporters Charity of the Year 2017-18. With the backing of the family of Keech Hospice Care patient and lifelong Luton Town fan Rob Figgins, we kicked the online public vote into the goal with 1,700 votes! We’re now into a fantastic year of fundraising which has already seen LTFC supporters run for Keech in the Love Luton 10K, Smiley Sam winning fans over Christmas and a dedicated home match day. There’s still a lot to play for! In the meantime, watch out for the up-coming fundraising event on 29 March - the Kenny Seat Challenge, when Luton Town supporter Madison, 12, and her dad Derek are being sponsored to sit on every seat in the stadium (10,200 seats). You can sponsor Madison at www.justgiving.com/madisonborino. We wish her good luck!
Read all about us "The only thing I want for Christmas is money for Keech Hospice Care and sick children..." Did you see the wonderful letter Luke, 8, from Knebworth, Hertfordshire, wrote to Santa? This little boy wanted the money to come to us to help us care for his best friend’s cousin, Orla, 6, from Stevenage, who has a brain tumour. Luke’s letter was picked up by national media including Good Morning Britain and ITV News. Coincidentally, another Orla, 3, from Luton, was the cheeky face of our Christmas Appeal - her mum and dad were celebrating their first Christmas at home with her. As well as being front-page news locally, Orla was
Did you Clear for New Year?
star of The Mail on Sunday’s health pages. Together, both stories helped 25 million people
Thank you if you’ve been having a good clearout
learn about the excellent specialist support
of your wardrobe, attic and kitchen cupboards.
Keech Hospice Care gives to children from
We still need more of your great clutter so we can
Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. You can
continue to turn it into our great care.
read Luke’s story at keech.org.uk/lukesletter and turn
You can drop off your great clutter at your nearest
to page 9 to discover how Keech is supporting Orla.
Keech Hospice Care shop or at the hospice itself at Great Bramingham Lane, Luton. To find your nearest shop and for more information, visit keech.org.uk/declutter; to arrange for furniture to be collected, call 0800 032 3440.
www.keech.org.uk
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01582 707940
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4
Finding the right
WORDS
They say the human voice is the most powerful instrument of all. When motor neurone disease (MND) robbed Hazel, 67, of hers, husband Richard was devastated that he’d never hear his wife again. Keech Hospice Care helped them make a lasting memory and find order in their chaos. ou can’t imagine what it’s like
“Y
chaos - we had appointments here,
something someone says and think,
not being able to speak,” said
there and everywhere. Hazel’s speech
‘That’s exactly how I feel.’
Richard. “For Hazel, it means always
began to rapidly deteriorate, and, by
having to communicate by writing
May, she’d lost her voice completely.
Hearing Hazel’s voice again
her thoughts down, banging on the
Hazel also had difficulty eating and
Doctors outside of Keech often
wall downstairs if I’m upstairs and she
drinking so she had a feeding
just talk to me and I say: ‘Don’t ask
wants me, always having to choose
tube fitted.
me, ask Hazel - she’s sitting right
the exact words to get across what
there.’ Liz, the neurological lead at
you want to say, never saying enough
Frightening times
Keech Hospice Care, doesn’t do that.
because it just takes too long.
After Hazel stopped being able to talk
She helps with the slightest worry,
and eat, we didn’t know what would
suggesting we try new things. It
The day Hazel was diagnosed was
happen next. We were frightened. It
means so much to have someone
one of the hardest we’ve ever had.
was at this time of uncertainty Keech
who totally understands MND.
She said, at first, the news didn’t
Hospice Care came into our lives.
Keech Hospice Care isn’t just for
seem real. She felt like a normal
people who have cancer, you know!
person except her speech was
Hazel was referred to the Keech
slurred, she couldn’t move her tongue
Palliative Care Centre (KPCC) for
We didn’t realise how quickly Hazel
as easily and her smile was slightly
one day a week for support. Now
would lose her voice, so we only had
lopsided.
she’s also part of the charity’s
one recording of her - a clip of her
Independence and Wellbeing Service
being interviewed by Stephen Rhodes
For the first few months after the
and benefits from its weekly Walking
on BBC Three Counties Radio in the
diagnosis in February 2017, it was
and Move, Music and Mind groups.
1980s. She was talking about being a traffic warden. Unfortunately, the tape
Thanks to Keech Hospice Care, I’ve
had oxidised from being sat in the loft
also got the support I need, too, and
for years.
get so much out of attending the charity’s weekly carers’ group. I like
Then Liz at Keech did something
having somewhere to go where I can
wonderful: she had the tape restored.
talk to people who are in a similar
When I heard it, I was so emotional
situation to me. It’s fantastic to have
- I was hearing Hazel’s voice again.
people who will listen. I’ll pick up on
I never thought that telephone call, that piece of radio, would become so precious and mean the world to me.”
Sadly, Hazel died just before we went to press with her story. She was looked after by Keech Hospice Care at the end. Richard continues to be supported by us. Hazel’s husband, Richard
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“
All that silly chatter we all take for granted is gone. For me, it means never again hearing the voice of the woman I love.
”
Richard
I
t costs around £900,000 each year to run our Keech Palliative Care
What does Keech Palliative Care Centre do?
Centre, and a large majority of the care and support given is funded by our local community. With your help, we can make sure we continue to
support more people like Hazel and Richard.
Did you know, last year, 202 patients attended the KPCC? We held 838
Please help us make the difference when it matters the most by
complementary-therapy sessions and 466
donating at www.keech.org.uk/donate, call us on 01582 707940 or
sessions of music and art therapy. Not only
email letmehelp@keech.org.uk.
that, but 198 patients got the support they needed from our dedicated social workers who help with practical matters as well as
“I love going to Keech Hospice Care. They all understand I have to write
running the drop-in carers’ group which
everything down - it takes me much longer now to say what I want to
Richard attended.
but I can have proper conversations and a bit of a laugh. The nurses don’t treat me like a patient, they treat me like Hazel - I can be myself.
Our care and support are offered to
At Keech Palliative Care Centre, I have reiki, which I love because it’s so
both the patient and their family.
relaxing. And I’ve spoken to Nathan, the music therapist, about having music therapy as well. Keech Hospice Care is amazing!”
• We help patients manage their pain and
How Hazel felt about Keech Hospice Care, written in her own words.
symptoms • We offer transfusions and infusions in a homely environment, surrounded by nurses the patients get to know well • We help patients’ mobility through gentle exercise classes, occupational therapy and physiotherapy • Our excellent care extends to a patient’s family and friends, offering emotional, spiritual and practical support • Patients and their families benefit from support therapies like reflexology, massage, reiki and aromatherapy.
Hazel with music therapist Nathan www.keech.org.uk
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6
Adam Frost
remembers us Our favourite TV gardener came back to the Courtyard Garden he created for us, to pass on his legacy to our dedicated volunteer gardeners.
£15,000 What it costs a day to provide our care services.
2,139
The total number of adult and child patients, and their families, we supported last year.
1 in 7
How many people we can care for thanks to gifts left in Wills.
B
BC Gardeners’ World expert, Adam Frost, has returned to the
M
hospice to give our team of volunteer gardeners some timely tips
ake a Will Fortnight,
on caring for his legacy, our lovely Courtyard Garden. Adam has left
11-22 June 2018
Keech Hospice Care something our seriously ill adult and child patients will benefit from now and into the future.
Many of us find it hard to think about or
You, too, can pass on something precious to our patients, by leaving us a gift in your Will.
talk about making a Will but here’s a date for your diary to consider - and you’d be helping patients of Keech Hospice
These special gifts make sure we can continue to provide our excellent
Care, too. During this year’s Make a Will
care and support to adults and children living with life-limiting and
Fortnight (11-22 June), local solicitors will
terminal illnesses, and their families. We can help them to live pain and
generously give their time and expertise
symptom free, to spend untroubled time with their family and friends,
to help make (or update) people’s
and to make the most of the time they have.
Wills in return for a donation to Keech Hospice Care.
We understand that your family and loved ones must always come first. All we ask is - once you have looked after those closest to you - you
Participating solicitors and further
consider remembering Keech Hospice Care in your Will.
information on this year’s Make a Will Fortnight will be available in June at www.keech.org.uk/makeawill.
Adam Frost’s beautiful gift will inspire our patients for many years to come. What will your legacy be? A gift to us in your Will would help us continue supporting our patients, and their families, at a time in their
A huge thank you to the solicitors across
lives when it seems like nothing will ever be the same again.
Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes who participated in our Make a Will Fortnight in October 2017.
If you would like a free guide to leaving a gift in your Will to Keech Hospice Care, please call 01582 707940, email letmehelp@keech.org.uk or write to us at Great Bramingham Lane, Luton, LU3 3NT.
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Reaching the heart of Herts Thanks to funds raised through The BraveHerts Appeal, a new nurse is making the difference to community care for families in Hertfordshire.
“S
igning up Louise McLaughlin,
to get the team in place first, so we can
our first clinical nurse specialist
provide this support in the community
focused on Hertfordshire, is a big step towards realising a long-held plan,”
while waiting for the physical buildings.”
beams Elaine Tolliday, Keech Hospice
Helping families
Care’s clinical director. “As the children’s
“The best part of my new job is caring
hospice for Hertfordshire, it means more
for so many young patients. There’s one
families in the county will benefit from
family I care for whose daughter has a
our specialist care.”
brain tumour. She’s losing her ability to walk and talk but she’s not giving up. She
The long-term plan is for The
comes out with remarks, small things to
BraveHerts Appeal to raise funds to
show she’s still there. It certainly puts
support all the children who need us,
things into perspective.”
and their families, in Hertfordshire. We would like to place a full-service team
With Keech Hospice Care and its
in community ‘hubs’ across the county,
BraveHerts Appeal coming to the heart
reaching every child with a life-limiting
of Hertfordshire, Louise and the team will
illness. “The hubs are still some way off,
be able to help even more families, really
though,” said Louise. “We’re working
making the difference when it matters the most.
W
ill you support us? We want to provide full care to all the children in Hertfordshire who
need our support. BraveHerts has already given us the funding to employ Louise. Now we hope it will help us expand our service further to provide:
•
a team offering all the services of the hospice in the community
•
a children’s palliative-care services register to help families find their way through the maze of the services system
•
community hubs where families can go for clinics, doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions as well as allowing families to meet up, and children to play and build skills in a secure environment.
To find out how you can make this a wonderful reality, call 01582 707940, email letmehelp@keech.org.uk or visit www.keech.org.uk/braveherts.
250 www.keech.org.uk
The number of Hertfordshire families left caring alone for a seriously ill child.
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The BraveHerts Appeal
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letmehelp@keech.org.uk
8
“
We’ve always wanted a normal family life.
”
In her first years of life, Orla had cardiac arrests at home with her terrified parents forced to give CPR on their living-room floor. Now the family are getting on with life, thanks to the support of Keech Hospice Care.
“O
rla’s three and a lovely, cheeky
Because of her illness, Orla has to
little girl - we’re so proud of her.
have a carer go to nursery with her
Wonderful first moments Out of hospital, Orla now loves going
But it’s devastating to see other children
every day and a nurse watches over
to Keech’s Tots ‘n’ Toys activity
her age and know she’ll never be able
her every night. As a family, we’re
sessions on Thursday mornings
to do all the things they can,” said Orla’s
rarely alone. There’s someone with
and spending time with the other
dad, John, 34, from Luton.
us most hours of the day and night.
children there. It’s a great support for
It’s hard constantly having healthcare
me and my wife, too.
“Our daughter’s spent most of her life
professionals in your home. We get so
in hospital – for a year and a half we
little time just to be a family and do
Keech just gives us so much that
couldn’t be at home for more than a few
the normal things that other families
otherwise we wouldn’t have. Orla‘s
days at a time. She’s had open-heart
do without a second thought.
had amazing days out at weekends
surgery seven times, the first time when
with Keech Hospice Care’s play
she was just three weeks old. It was
Keech never forgot us
terrifying for my wife, Tina, and me. In
We first visited Keech Hospice
all honesty, there were times when the
Care when Orla was very young
doctors didn’t think Orla would make it.
and we used the charity’s amazing
specialist, Jennie, and Sara, one of the fantastic nurses. On these day
hydrotherapy pool – Orla always had Orla was born with DiGeorge syndrome.
a great time splashing about in the
We’d never heard of it, but we now know
water. However, not long after she
it’s a rare genetic illness caused by a
started going to Keech, Orla had a
missing chromosome. It means she has
cardiac arrest at home and we spent
severe heart problems and, in 2016, she
almost a year in hospital, so we
had to have a breathing tube fitted into
couldn’t continue our weekly visits to
her throat which she relies on 24 hours
the hospice.
trips, Orla’s experienced many of her first moments, thanks to Keech, including sitting on a pony, going on a fairy hunt and having a picnic in the park. As a family, we’re given the best care and support.”
a day to keep her alive. The tube makes it almost impossible for Orla to speak,
It was amazing, though, because the
which is hard, but we’re helping her learn
whole time Orla was in there, Keech
sign language, so she can talk to us.
stayed in touch and even came to see us at the hospital. We just felt so
Always a risk
supported knowing Keech was there
Having her tube fitted has helped us
and would continue to be so once we
cope better at home. But there’s always
were ready to return.
Jennie, play specialist,
a risk that even something as simple as a
with Orla
cold will make Orla seriously ill and we’ll end up back in hospital again. 9
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“
Talking to Steve, Keech Hospice Care’s family-support worker, we finally feel someone understands exactly how we’re feeling. For that, I’m so grateful.
Keech understands It might sound odd but right now it’s like we’re going through a grieving process. Not because Orla has died,
”
K
eech Hospice Care is the children’s hospice for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. Every day, our community nurses visit streets near you, supporting
seriously ill children and their families in hospitals, in schools or in their own homes.
but because she’s not the same little girl we had before. She’s so much more unwell than we expected her to be. Orla is wonderful and we’re so grateful she’s with us, but it’s hard knowing she’ll never do everything other children can do. The support Keech Hospice Care gives families like mine is so important just for us to be able to
At the children’s unit itself we offer: • day support with trips out and activity groups such as Tots ‘n’ Toys • care from our team of doctors, nurses and therapists • support services including a play specialist, art and music therapy, complementary therapies, social worker, and pre- and post-bereavement support • in-patient stays • end-of-life care.
live our day-to-day lives – there’s nothing else like it for Orla. It’s easy
How your donations made the difference for children in 2016/2017.
to forget it’s a charity. Everyone at
We supported:
Keech is so friendly, and they always see Orla as a person, helping her
• 317 children and 188 relatives
fulfil her potential. We’ve always
• 302 families in their own home
wanted as normal a life as possible
• 99 children with stays at the unit
for Orla - Keech Hospice Care
• 160 children with day support
is helping us have that sense of
• 19 children with end-of-life care, at the hospice and at home.
normality.”
Sara, day-support team leader, with Orla
Please help us to make the difference when it matters the most to more families like Orla’s by donating at www.keech.org.uk/donate or call 01582 707940.
www.keech.org.uk
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01582 707940
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Open your
Can you spare a few hours a week to help in your local Keech Hospice Care shop?
to
volunteering
If you’re retired, looking for a way to use your skills or just
and Milton Keynes. e r i h volunteer at your local Keech charity shop. Bring your friends ds rtfor e H , along, too – everybody’s welcome! ire rdsh o f d Be cross a s r e very year it costs around £5.7 million to lunte We need more shop vo provide our specialist care services. The want to make new friends and socialise, sign up to be a
E
money raised from our 32 charity shops is crucial. “My wife and I wanted to do something worthwhile with our
So, by volunteering for just a couple of
spare time, something that would
hours a week, you’re helping us continue to
help our community, and we found it
care for seriously ill adults and children, and
in our local Keech shop. Not only do
their families, at a time in their lives when
we get a real sense of achievement,
they need us the most.
we also meet lots of great people.” You don’t need qualifications or experience
Peter, Leagrave shop, Luton
– just a few spare hours, enthusiasm and a friendly smile! “When I retired, I needed something that would give structure to my week. Volunteering at the shop is a way to give something back but also a reason to get up in the morning.
In return, volunteering in a Keech Hospice Care shop will give you: • retail training and experience
What I love most is meeting people
• a sense of purpose
and finding bargains. There’s always
• a way to put existing skills to good use
something interesting on the rails!”
• new friends
Christine, Katherine Drive shop,
• the satisfaction of ‘giving something back’.
Dunstable
“I have a paid job but volunteer at
To find out more, locate your
my local Keech Hospice Care shop, too. It’s not like work – it’s a little
nearest shop or sign up, visit
family and I’ve made great friends.
www.keech.org.uk/joinme,
I get a real sense of achieving
email letmehelp@keech.org.uk
something by helping people in my
or call 01582 707955.
spare time.” Kitty, Hoddeston shop
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ush
PromF e Keech st and Fest
le R Bubb
C
Summer of FUN
heck out the hot-ticket summer fundraising highlights we’ve picked out for you. For a full 2018 rundown, dip into Your Events Guide 2018, free with this issue of Keech Matters. Prepare to be inspired!
PromFest and KeechFest Weekend
All-new Bubble Rush
9 and 10 June, Keech Hospice Care
15 July, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Who says you can’t party at a hospice? Join us for a whole weekend of live music.
Join hundreds of other Bubblers for an incredibubble summer of multicoloured, frothy fun!
Saturday: New! PromFest, an elegant afternoon of
Walk, run or dance your way through eight
classical favourites. Listen while you picnic on the lawns.
scented Bubble Stations along the 5km route as
Sunday: the return of our ever-popular KeechFest,
bubble cannons create a 4ft-deep bubble bath
a day of family fun with live music, retail therapy,
around you. Then continue the fun at the Bubble
refreshments, bar and children’s entertainment.
After-Party with great music, food and drink.
It’s going to be a sell-out so book your tickets early at
“My friend told me about Bubble Rush. I couldn’t
www.keech.org.uk/promfest and www.keech.org.uk/
wait to sign up when I saw Keech is hosting
keechfest or call us on 01582 707940.
one. Bubbly fun and raising money for a great charity!”
More great summ
er events
Leanne, Keech Bubble Rush participant
Skydive 24 June
Sign up now at
The ultimate adrenalin rush!
www.keech.org.uk/bubblerush
“The thought of doing a skydive scared and excited me at the
or call 01582 707940.
g
for by Keech Hospice Care.
g amazin in h t e m o s o dd ing buzz, an is a r d n u f e h up today! n Get t ig s re a C ospice for Keech H
Prudential Ride London 29 July
Once you’ve dipped into Your Events Guide 2018, we’re sure you’ll want to take part
same time. It’s an amazing feeling and gave me a huge sense of achievement.” Lesley, skydiver, whose dad was cared
Unbelievable value with the lowest sponsorship rate around! Enjoy a fantastic 100-mile cycle through the capital and into the Surrey hills, before heading back for a triumphant finish on The Mall. www.keech.org.uk
in our exciting events and challenges. You can even organise your own event, if you’d prefer. Check out our online fundraising guide at www.keech.org.uk/fundraising. Whatever you do, we have a team of fundraising experts on standby to support you. Call 01582 707940 Email letmehelp@keech.org.uk Visit www.keech.org.uk/whats-on
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01582 707940
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letmehelp@keech.org.uk
12
Putting families first A chat with Lee Carpenter, deputy general manager of Center Parcs Woburn Forest, about how the Bedfordshire holiday village is supporting Keech Hospice Care.
What have been your best fundraising events so far?
W
hat is it about Keech that motivates your staff?
We’ve had a wishing well installed which has been extremely popular with guests. We’ve also had duck
Family togetherness is at the heart of
races, where we sent hundreds of guest-sponsored
everything we do. We’re all about helping families spend
rubber ducks down the Wild Water Rapids. The team all
precious, quality time together. So we can really relate to
dressed as full-sized ducks! We’ve held our own tasty
what Keech Hospice Care gives families and that’s why
take on The Great British Bake Off, brave team members
we love fundraising for the hospice, as part of Center
took on skydives and the runners among us got their ho,
Parcs’ charity partnership with Together for Short Lives.
ho, ho on at Keech Hospice Care’s Bedford Santa Run. So far, we’ve raised over £15,700.
What’s your role? fundraising activities as possible – and
What other exciting fundraisers do you have planned?
make sure staff and visitors know
We have some brilliant events lined up: a staff
what we’re doing to raise awareness
dinner, bumper Christmas raffle, more duck races
and money! The Woburn Forest
plus plenty of other activities in the pipeline.
To get us involved in as many
team is constantly coming up with new ways to fundraise and everyone
Why not sign up your company to be a Keech
supports the activities – we’re never
Hospice Care corporate partner? To find out more,
short of participants and volunteers!
call 01582 707940, email letmehelp@keech.org.uk or go to www.keech.org.uk/corporate.
Raffle
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www.keech.org.uk
To buy your raffle tickets, call 01582 707940 before Friday 23 March 2018.
“Keech Hospice Care does wonderful work, not just for patients but their families and friends, too. I could hardly believe my luck when I got the call to say I’d won its raffle - it’s the icing on the cake.”
£50 -
Mrs MacDonald, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
01582 707940
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letmehelp@keech.org.uk
Fall in LOVE WITH fundraising After beating cancer eight years ago, Sarah Phillips got into volunteer fundraising to “give something back”. Now she’s the regional fundraiser for North Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes at Keech Hospice Care.
E
xactly one year after
something to focus on
the final operation in
completely – “for a year, I
a gruelling treatment
lived to the training plan,” she
regime to beat breast cancer,
admitted, “and, of course, I had
Sarah, 46, signed up for the
to raise a lot of money. The
London Marathon. “Running
only way I could do that was
the Marathon was very
by encouraging my community
emotional,” she remembered.
to support me - with afternoon
“On the start line, I was
tea parties, cake bakes, golf
standing behind two girls
days, raffles, parties at the
racing in memory of their
local pub and more. I raised
mum. The first thing that
over £11,000 – I was thrilled!”
What’s a typical day, Sarah? “In my role as a regional fundraiser, I'm usually out and about, meeting our wonderful supporters. John Howlett (top left), the captain of Millbrook Golf Club, Bedford, came for a hospice tour and was so moved, he had no hesitation in selecting Keech Hospice Care as his chosen charity for 2018.
came into my mind was: ‘That could be my daughters.’ That
Sarah certainly knows the ups
moment completely threw
and downs of fundraising. “At
me off track. But, to raise
the outset, the thought of
the money supporters had
raising so much money can be
pledged, I had to do it.”
daunting,” she said. “You may
At an MK Dons family fun day in Milton Keynes, I met Radar and Bootsie, who’re undertaking a mammoth 130mile kayaking expedition from
not know where to start but, Two years before, Sarah had
as you get into it, your fears
developed a particularly
dissolve. You realise how many
aggressive form of breast
people want to help you.”
The Wash to the stadium, all to raise funds for Keech. Sometimes, the simplest ideas
cancer. “I was married, with two children, aged seven and
Before breast cancer, Sarah
five. In the first moments after
worked in corporate travel.
diagnosis, I thought I wouldn’t
Now her illness has put her
make it. I was really scared and
on a different and, she feels,
uncertain. But my kids were at
happier path. “I’ve found
school and practicalities took
I love fundraising, getting
over – practicalities like picking
everyone together, organising
them up. So, I just got into
events, raising money and
my treatment and once it was
- most importantly – seeing
over, I was back on my feet.”
the results, seeing that you’re
are perfect. The Cakestand and Crumb in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, held a scrummy afternoon tea in aid of Keech Hospice Care, raising £762. The Friends of Keech Bedford is just one of the volunteer groups I’m lucky to be involved with. Here they’re planning their fundraising activities for
making the difference to Signing up for the London
people when it matters
Marathon gave Sarah
the most.”
www.keech.org.uk
-
01582 707940
the year.”
-
letmehelp@keech.org.uk
14
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Keech Hospice Care weekly
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Sign up today at www.keech.org.uk/lottery or call 01582 707940 to play.
KeechFest
Keech Hospice Care ’s S u m m e r F e s t iva l
10 June 2018
11am - 4pm, Keech Hospice Care For tickets, visit
www.keech.org.uk/keechfest or call 01582 707940
Tel: 01582 707940 letmehelp@keech.org.uk www.keech.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1035089
Keech Hospice Care, Great Bramingham Lane, Streatley, Luton LU3 3NT.