news For supporters and friends of North Devon Hospice
Spring/Summer 2012
Issue 37
look inside for
Nightwalk 2012
Floating Bye
‘In the Making’
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Joan, supporting children
Find a bargain
being there for all the family
am now strong “Ienough to support
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others through their difficult times Doreen
Doreen is currently running monthly creative workshops for patients and their families (with another volunteer). “During Jack’s time in the Bedded Unit, we received unconditional love and support. But it was something as simple as a china cup and a doily that made me realise that, eventually, I would want to give something back.” Doreen Woodrow has been a volunteer on North Devon Hospice’s Bedded Unit for over a year, and it was her own personal experience that opened her eyes to the value of hospice care, and the important role that volunteers have to play. “My husband, Jack, was diagnosed with cancer in 2005, and we both received support at home from the hospice’s nurses, which was wonderful. When Jack became particularly poorly in 2009, he needed to be admitted in to the Bedded Unit where he sadly died some three weeks later. Despite this sadness, I was touched by the incredible compassion shown to us both and it was something as innocuous as tea and cake that stuck with me most. When people came to visit Jack and myself at home, I could make a fuss by bringing out the nice china, baking a cake and making them feel welcome.
When he had to leave home and go to the on with. What they have produced is simply hospice I was afraid we would lose that sense beautiful, and very meaningful to them and of control but the incredible atmosphere on their families.” the Bedded Unit actually gave me back my dignity. Doreen said that a letter ..it is such a joy Nothing was too much trouble, she wrote to the hospice and when our tea and cake to see the patients staff shortly after Jack had arrived on a beautiful tray, still summed up her creating their own died with doilies, china cups and feelings. The last sentence flowers it made the world read, “Thanks to this works of difference to me. Now, as unconditional support a volunteer, I do the same thing for patients given by North Devon Hospice, my life is now and their visitors, and every time I bring in a bright and manageable. Without it, it would be meal or afternoon tea, I know exactly how unthinkable.” the families are feeling about it. With the considerable emotional support I have received from the hospice, I am now strong enough to support others through their difficult times, which is so rewarding.”
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Doreen has also lent her craft skills to help patients make meaningful mementos at recent workshops. “Along with another volunteer, I run craft classes at the hospice, and it is such a joy to see patients creating their own works. It is a great release for them, and something that many have carried www.northdevonhospice.org.uk
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being there for all the family
Bereaved children share their feelings When someone chooses to support North Devon Hospice, they know they are helping local people with life-limiting illnesses. What they might not know is that there are many children who also benefit from the hospice’s care and support. The death of someone close has a profound effect on a child, and Joan Dixon is part of a supportive network that makes sure they are coping with what is happening around them.
bereavement support for many years, both locally and to orphans of the HIV epidemic in Kenya, where she recently spent 3 months supporting children. Joan brings this wealth of experience to her role as a bereavement volunteer for North Devon Hospice, where she has been helping local children for the last three years.
“The wonderful thing about the hospice is that the support is all-encompassing. The “I become a child’s ‘special whole family is looked person,’ someone who after,” said Joan. “My role It’s a privilege to they can talk to, for as within this is to help become friends with long as it takes,” said children through a very Joan. “It is a privilege to the children I see and difficult time. I can give become friends with the them the time and space help them on their children I see and help they need to talk through journey them on their journey.” their feelings, fears and emotions. We will draw In Joan’s varied life, she has been a nurse, pictures, read stories or make worry dolls, health visitor, social worker and teacher. She but everything we do helps them to cope has also trained as a counsellor and provided with what is happening.
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There are lots of resources at hand to help with this process. When possible I like to work with children in school, this enables me to reach out to teaching staff to share knowledge of childhood bereavement and the care of the children. I feel like a small cog in a big wheel, but I do get a great amount of satisfaction from volunteering my skills for the hospice. The lovely cards and letters I get from children, sometimes long after I have finished seeing them, are very touching and remind me how important the whole hospice team is to local people.�
Joan Dixon, supporting bereaved children and young people.
....on water woven willow holds a whisper of goodbyes
floating bye {17th june} Floating Bye is a moving and supportive evening in remembrance of our loved ones. An orange gerbera flower carries your message in memory, with each flower being placed on a specially made wicker and bamboo raft.
us this year at Instow beach on Sunday 17th June at 4.30pm.
If you are not able to join us, but would like to add your gerbera and message to the raft, please contact Rebecca on 01271 347204 or email rebeccaworth@ northdevonhospice.org.uk
We would like to invite you, with your family and friends to join a memory, a summer evening, an outgoing tide ...and to remember someone you love
Nightime Care
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You talked us through so many things, made us laugh sometimes and also were there when we cried…
To support patients who choose to be at home for the last stages of their illness, the hospice’s Community Palliative Care team provide care and support mainly during the night time, for patients and their carers.
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esley Calcutt, who manages the service said; “Caring for a loved one at that point of their illness can be difficult, and families and carers often tell us how they feel much safer and more relaxed when we are there. We are there to provide care when people’s symptoms are often more pronounced. It’s a time
With a small team of five support workers covering North Devon, Lesley said “We work to ensure that people can continue receiving their care in the place of their choice, and in most cases, this is at home with their loved ones. Our team continue to support families to ensure that their time together is as meaningful as possible.”
…When she died, you showed such tenderness and sensitivity, for which we will never forget you for.
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for loved ones to be together and is a time when our type of care and support is needed the most, for both our patients and their loved ones.”
kindly sponsored by:
nightwalk WOMEN’S MOONLIT WALK
2012
S a t u r d a y 19th May - 7p m t i l l a t e
register today! at www.nightwalk.co.uk or call 01271 347224 or 01271 347204
www.northdevonhospice.org.uk
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being there for all the family
Ilfracombe 41 High Street Mon-Sat 9.00-4.00 Combe Martin
Ilfracombe
Lynton
Woolacombe
Holsworthy Furniture Centre & Shop
Heanton
Braunton
21a/b The Square Mon-Fri 10.00-4.00 & Sat 9.00-1.00
Instow Northam Abbotsham
Chelfham
Barnstaple Landkey Swimbridge
Bideford Alverdiscott
South Molton
Hartland Great Torrington
High Bickington
Bradworthy Chulmleigh Shebbear
Great Torrington 5 Well Street Mon-Sat 9.30-4.00
Holsworthy
Beaworthy
Bideford 14 Chingswell Street Mon-Fri 9.30-4.30 & Sat 9.30-4.00
Barnstaple Furniture Centre
Joy St, Barnstaple
21 St George’s Road Mon-Sat 9.00-4.30
10 Joy Street Mon-Sat 9.30-4.30
Queen St, Barnstaple
High St, Barnstaple
10/11 Queen Street Mon-Sat 9.00-4.30
Temporary Shop at the top of Holland Walk Mon-Sat 10.00-4.00
Find your closest hospice shops and bargains! Donations
Lynton 1a Queen Street Opening hours variable
Our shops help the hospice to continue providing care across North Devon thanks to the generous donation of goods that we receive from local people. Your quality donations are very welcome and can be dropped into any of the shops. We are now also able to claim Gift Aid on donated goods, so they could be worth up to 25% more to us, at no cost to you or the person who buys them. Please join our Gift Aid movement and ask us about Gift Aiding your quality donated goods. If you have clothing that you feel is not good enough for us to sell, please don’t bin it! Put it in a bag marked ‘rags’ as we receive money for recycling our clothes.
Collections South Molton 6 East Street 9.30-4.00 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 9.30-1.00 Weds, Sat
We are able to collect your donations from your home or place of work, please call us to organise a convenient time. For furniture collections call 01271 327827 For bric a brac & clothing collections call 01271 342792
Volunteers
Braunton 3 Heanton Street Mon-Sat 9.30-4.00
Lending your time in one of our 13 shops is an incredibly rewarding experience, and our volunteers help out for a number of reasons. Some have spare time to give, some have had a personal experience of the hospice and want to help support the charity in a practical way, while others use the opportunity to learn new skills and experiences that will help them succeed in their careers. Either way, volunteering in our shops is a fun, sociable and satisfying way to support the hospice. The money raised in this way helps us to care for those affected by cancer and other life-limiting illnesses; both the patient and their loved ones. Please call Bridget for an informal chat about volunteering at your nearest hospice shop on 01271 342792. Thank you.
www.northdevonhospice.org.uk
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being there for all the family
Did you know… the majority of our care is provided in people’s own homes?
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we have got such support available gives us real peace of mind. It is often overlooked, but how you are feeling in your head is just as important as how your body feels.
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Thanks to the generosity of our supporters throughout North Devon, people like Nobby Stoneham can benefit from the expertise of our specialist community nursing team. Nobby, who lives in Combe Martin with his wife Jan, was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. He has been visited at home by our nurses Keely and Tracey, and Nobby says that this support has been life-changing for him.
So both Jan “I have had back pain ...knowing that we have got and I have for the last 20 years, such support available gives us benefitted from and have never managed having someone to get on top of it. But real peace of mind. to talk to. That’s since Keely and Tracey the thing with the hospice, they look after the have been sorting out my medication, they’ve whole family because something like cancer found a combination that has allowed me to touches everybody. We are extremely be pain free for the first time in a long while” grateful to all those local people whose said Nobby. “It’s ironic that being diagnosed generosity helps keep the hospice going. It’s with cancer has actually led me to getting only when you have first-hand experience of relief from my back pain, but the hospice their care that you realise just how nurses have been able to look at things with a important they are to our community.” fresh eye, which has been just wonderful.” Alongside the specialist nursing care provided, the nursing team are also there for emotional support too with Nobby adding, “It isn’t just the physical support that they give, but they also make sure that me and Jan are coping with the emotional side of my illness. It is easy to get overwhelmed, but knowing that
Every donation that the hospice receives, whether large or small, help s us to care for people like Nobby and Jan, as well as countless other families in every town and village in North Dev on. T hank you.
Thank you
& Congratulations!! Riverside Support Group u The Riverside Support Group
continues to organise excellent fundraisers and we’d like to thank you for everything you do. u Congratulations and thank you to
Ilfracombe Rotary and the Star Trek volunteers for another fantastic year star trekking across Exmoor! u For a number of years, Margaret
Hunt has raised money in memory of her daughter Amy Elizabeth. Of recent months Margaret has organised another well received coffee morning, raising over £300.
Amazing! Thanks to the support of over 2,000 North Devonians, we won a national competition run by Energyshare to win free solar panels for the hospice. Over 2,000 of you cast your online vote and your support means we’ll save nearly £4,000 every year on electricity!
Happy 40th Birthday Lisa Boustead! And thank you so much for raising over £500 from your birthday celebrations; we all hope you had a fantastic evening.
Devon Coast to Coast
This Community supported event has won the Highly Commended Award at the North Devon Journal Sports Awards. This is definitely well deserved recognition for a team of cycling enthusiasts who, year on year bring a fantastic event to the community and raise valued money in support of the hospice. Congratulations to Simon Paddon, Ian Moon, Mark Henderson, Andy Unstead, Sean Ross and Emma Lowe! www.coast-coast.co.uk
www.northdevonhospice.org.uk
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being there for all the family
North Devon Hospice in the last 6 months
North Devon AONB Marathon launched
Free Solar Panels installed
Pilton Art Group donate their art
Knit-in supported by Banburys
Devon Dangle 2011
Ali Hunt’s Birthday
The Husband family - Santa Fun Run
Tarka Springs supporting the hospice
‘In the making’ craft sessions for patients
Riverside Support Group at work
Christmas Carol Singing
Hospice Big Breakfast event
Contact us being there for all the family Registered Charity No. 286554
North Devon Hospice Deer Park, Barnstaple North Devon, EX32 0HU Tel: 01271 344248 info@northdevonhospice.org.uk www.northdevonhospice.org.uk