Health & Beauty

Daffodil Appeal Rainbow Campaign reaches local towns and villages

End of life charity Marie Curie is calling on residents of Dorset to support its flagship fundraising campaign, the Great Daffodil Appeal— which is reaching its 35th anniversary next month—and has, for the first time, had to cancel all of their iconic public collections for the campaign. After an extremely difficult 12 months, the charity is facing a potential loss of Alison Steadman over £3 million due to the cancelled public collections but has a variety of creative ways that people in Dorset can support the campaign this year including donning their trainers and ‘stepping up for Marie Curie’ by walking 10,000 steps every day throughout March.

All donations from the Great Daffodil Appeal will ensure that Marie Curie Nurses can continue working on the frontline, providing end of life care in people’s homes throughout Dorset and the South West. Stephanie Sterndale-Bennett, Marie Curie Community Fundraiser for Dorset, said: “The Great Daffodil Appeal is vitally important to Asmall initiative started by a group of friends determined to show appreciation for NHS staff working on the frontline in local hospitals has taken us. Having been held every March for over three decades, this is the off across Dorset and South Somerset. first time we’ve had to cancel all of our public collections. This is a After careful research and in consultation with Dorchester huge blow as each volunteer would usually raise an average £80 from Community Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital, the a collection shift: enough to pay for the equivalent of four hours of Nurturing Hospital Staff (NHS Rainbow) campaign has taken nursing care. off across more than 50 local villages and towns. Weekly

“In these unprecedented times we need peoples’ support now collections of specific items, designed to give staff a treat more than ever. From simply making a donation and wearing a and a bit of a pamper, have soared. The campaign has so far daffodil pin to hosting a virtual ‘Wear Yellow Day’—we’ve created a collected nearly 1,000 individual donations of hand cream, lip wide range of fundraising ideas in the hope that we have something balm, shower & bath gels/soaks, scented candles, eye masks, to suit everyone.” moisturisers, relaxation and sleep treats and will run into

Alison Steadman, actor and Marie Curie Ambassador, said: “I have March 2021. seen first-hand the incredible difference Marie Curie makes and just The feedback from both hospitals has been tremendous: how important their work is in caring for people with a terminal ‘Thank you for all of this hard work, it really is appreciated. illness and their families. The loving care they gave my mum when As you can imagine the stress levels are quite high at the she was dying is something that I’ll never forget and will always moment, so being able to support our staff with these items remember. I don’t know how we would have managed as a family will bring a much needed morale boost’ said a spokesperson without the Marie Curie Nurses and doctors and dread to think from Yeovil District Hospital about what it would mean if they weren’t there for all the families ‘As you can see the staff were absolutely delighted to receive that need them. these gifts and were really overwhelmed with our ongoing

“The work Marie Curie do is needed now more than ever as the support and generosity. It certainly brought a lot of cheer and Covid pandemic has had a big impact on their ability to fundraise. smiles and perked everyone up.’ That is why I’m encouraging people across the whole of the UK to The campaign would like to thank all the village shops, show their support in any way they can in March for this year’s Great garden centres and service stations who have agreed to take a Daffodil Appeal. Every donation means that when the time comes, box. Marie Curie can be there for people and their loved ones when they If you would like to give your donation, please check need it most.” the live map for your nearest collection box: https://www.

During the Great Daffodil Appeal the first annual National Day google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=17GLpxNMNFoOCb of Reflection will take place. Since the first lockdown began in 2020, WBSOx3kxdAm0G2rlUhg&ll=50.86998905878451%2Cmillions of people have been bereaved. Join Marie Curie on 23 2.6558713025390657&z=11 March, the first anniversary of the first UK lockdown, for a day to reflect and commemorate this tragic loss of life.

For more information please email Steph.Sterndale-Bennett@ mariecurie.org.uk or visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil Local support is much appreciated by NHS staff

If you’d like to set up a box in your local shop, garden centre or garage, please contact: mjattwood1@hotmail.co.uk.