People Marie Curie
Marie Curie Cancer Care’s newspaper for staff and volunteers
DECEMBER 2013
My Marie Curie Helper Volunteer
ON TOP OF THE WORLD
Take on our new range of mountain challenge events
Our new team’s a success at fundraising on the streets
PAGE 7
PAGES 10-11
PAGES 15
How Hannah is making a difference in Cecilia’s life
Face-to-face with the public
roadmap to reach 400,000 people Charity strategy is to reach everyone in the UK with a terminal illness Marie Curie Cancer Care’s trustees have supported a new three-year strategic plan that commits the charity to increasing the number of people it reaches from 39,000 to 400,000. The charity’s ambition is now to help everyone in the UK who has a terminal illness. Other key elements of the plan include transformation of the charity’s brand and a programme, Better Connected, to improve the charity’s infrastructure and ability to communicate with patients and families, supporters, volunteers and staff. Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins said: “This is an ambitious plan that’s driven by the needs of patients and families and based on feedback from staff and volunteers. To succeed, all of us will need to play a part in making it a reality. The plan will be the roadmap for all the activities that the charity undertakes over the next three years, from setting up new services to improving our infrastructure and developing our fundraising. “While the plan is challenging, I absolutely believe that it is achievable. Marie Curie can meet the challenges of the future.” The plan was drawn up after consultation with staff, volunteers, patients and their relatives. It was agreed at a two-day trustees better connected: YEAR ONE • increased automation of fundraising campaigns, including the Great Daffodil Appeal, so that potential volunteers can sign up for particular collection times and places online • providing nurses in the community with up-to-date online information about the patients they are visiting • creating an online hub to provide patients and families with information, advice and support
meeting focusing on the charity’s future and how it can better meet the needs of patients and families. The strategic plan will run from April 2014 to March 2017, although preliminary work is already underway for many projects.
Care and research The strategic plan sets out a significant expansion in existing Marie Curie services to provide home nursing and hospice care to around 50,000 patients. The charity also aims to reach many more terminally ill people through new information, advice and support services, such as helplines and online services. The Marie Curie Helper service, through which volunteers support patients in their homes, is likely to be expanded to new areas, enabling the charity to offer support to more people earlier in their illnesses. Trustees plan a major expansion of the charity’s programme of research into better ways of caring for patients and families. There are also plans to increase the emphasis on training through the creation of a Marie Curie Academy.
TRANSFORMING THE Brand The project to transform the Marie Curie brand will align how the charity presents itself to the public with the work it carries out and its plans for the future. Director of Communications Chris Dainty said: “For a number of years, this charity has cared for patients with all terminal illnesses, but we are known as Marie Curie Cancer Care, and the public still sees us as a cancer charity. The brand needs to reflect the work we do now, and what we plan to do in the future. “While transforming the brand is a work in progress, two things that we fully intend to retain are the name Marie Curie – which is recognised and respected by the public – and the daffodil.”
THUMBS UP: Frank Sidebottom creator Chris Sievey’s sons and daughter with the statue
star’s tribute benefits charity A statue of musical comedy star Frank Sidebottom has been unveiled in the Cheshire village of Timperley, the culmination of years of fundraising by friends and family of Frank’s creator, Chris Sievey, who died of cancer in 2010. A cheque for £1,137 was donated on the day to Marie Curie, and a collection at the statue unveiling raised a further £1,215. Better connected Trustees agreed to invest an initial £4.7 million in the Better Connected programme of work, which will transform the way the charity communicates with its many audiences. Chief Information Officer Charles Hooper said: “In line with the emerging 2014-17 Strategy to increase our reach from 39,000 to 400,000 people with terminal illness, we aim to transform how we connect with everyone who is involved with Marie Curie – our staff, volunteers, supporters; patients and families. The Better Connected
programme will grow our digital capabilities, including recruiting a bigger digital team, using a range of new and innovative technologies and improving our quality data. “We intend to be working on three big projects in any year for the next three years. Each new project will build on the work of the projects before it.”
Next steps At their meeting in January 2014, trustees will consider detailed proposals about the funds required for the strategic plan, brand transformation and Better Connected.
2 People December 2013
News you can do this month 5 Things 1. join a values workshop As part of the ongoing work to transform the Marie Curie brand, new values statements have been drafted. It’s important that they reflect the organisation and mean something to all the charity’s staff and volunteers – and that’s where your help is needed. All Marie Curie staff and volunteers are welcome to give their thoughts and opinions on the new statements at a series of workshops across the UK. See page 14 to sign up to your nearest workshop.
Heather is our new Head of HR CV: Heather Bryson ● She spent seven years at
the House of Commons – responsible for HR for 1,800 people ● Before she worked at the House of Commons, Heather managed human resources and change management at Ofgem and the Office of National Statistics ● She is a qualified HR practitioner who has also worked in project and change management
2. SAVE £££s on your christmas gifts Marie Curie People readers can still save 10% on our fantastic range of Christmas goodies. We’ve got everything from cracking cards to fantastic food and super stocking fillers. So get shopping and make sure you bag a great bargain this Christmas. You can request our free Christmas catalogue by calling 0844 415 7845. Or log on to mariecurie.org.uk/shop to shop online or download the catalogue. To get your 10% discount, order your gifts using the code: PEOPLE13. You’ll not only get a great bargain – you’ll also be helping others at the festive season. All profits will help fund the vital work of Marie Curie Cancer Care. 3. win online at ticketyboo.com You can play bingo, take part in an instant win game or enter our lotteries at our pioneering new gaming site, TicketyBoo.com. If you enjoy an occasional flutter, why not check it out? It’s a lot of fun – and you could win a prize. For more details, see page 15. 4. sign up for our research conference The Marie Curie Research Conference is set to take place on Friday 28 March 2014. Marie Curie staff can register to attend the conference for free – email sarah.robertson@mariecurie.org.uk. The conference will focus on palliative care in the community, and feature presentations from leading experts in the field, as well as the very latest palliative care research results. Organisers are still looking for research findings for presentation at the conference. The deadline to submit abstracts for consideration is 6 December – see page 6 for details. 5. visit our newcastle hospice online You can now tour the Marie Curie Hospice, Newcastle without leaving your PC or phone. Our new virtual tour features the key areas of the hospice, and offers a close-up view of the work of Marie Curie staff and volunteers. So go online at mariecurie.org.uk/newcastletour to see how our colleagues in the north-east are providing outstanding care to patients and families.
People Marie Curie
Marie Curie People is the charity’s official newspaper for staff and volunteers. It is published monthly.
Find out more about Heather in our 60-second interview on page 19. PART OF THE TEAM: New Head of Human Resources Heather Bryson
The former Director of HR Services at the House of Commons has joined Marie Curie as the charity’s new Head of HR. Heather Bryson worked in the House of Commons for seven years, taking responsibility for human resources for 1,800 people – all employees except MPs and MPs’ staff. She was also in charge
of health and safety for the 15,000 pass-holders at the site. “I love it at Marie Curie,” she said. “People here are really friendly and really dedicated to what we do. The charity makes such a difference to people at a time when it is really needed. “I want to continue the work that our human resources team is doing to support
people and make it easier for them to do their jobs. I need to listen and begin to understand the culture of the charity, its impact and its context before I can recommend what our priorities for HR need to be. “I’m definitely a statistics geek, and a management information geek,” she said.
Double your donations in December Marie Curie Cancer Care is hoping to double its online donations for 12 days in December, thanks to a matched giving challenge. Generous major donors have pledged to match gifts given online, up to a total of £60,000 – making a total of £120,000 – for the period 2-13 December. Major Gifts Manager Sarah Calver said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for supporters to double the value of their gift – and double the care it
Editor: Nick Moulton Writers: Angela Burton, Melanie Bond, Frank Harkin, May-Fern Lee, Ana Malinovic Designers: Artful Dog Publishing and Marie Curie Creative Services Repro by: Selsey Press
Printed by: Mortons Managed & distributed by: CDL Circulation: 6,500 Marie Curie People is now available online: issuu.com/mcccp/docs/marie_curie_dec
provides – in the run-up to Christmas. “This is the second year we have run this challenge and what made it a success last year was the number of donors giving, not the size of their donation. We therefore need as much help as possible to encourage people to visit the
Marie Curie website to make a donation from 2 December. “We are very keen to publicise this scheme to all of our supporters, especially those thinking of making a donation for Christmas, so please help by sharing the details of the challenge with your colleagues, contacts and friends.” FOR MORE INFORMATION Marie Curie has created a donation page especially for the 12 days in which the online matched giving initiative is running. Make your donation from 2 December at mariecurie.org.uk/12days
Marie Curie People needs your news. Send stories to Editor Nick Moulton, Creative Services, Marie Curie Cancer Care, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP. Email nick.moulton@mariecurie.org.uk or phone me on 020 7599 7706 and I’ll draft a story from your call.
December 2013 People 3 LIGHT FANTASTIC: Hospice Manager Liz Cottier (in black) is pictured with (centre front) Hospice Ward Nurse Andrea Salmon, (far right) HomeServe’s National Charity Manager Sarah Palmer and HomeServe staff fundraisers
HomeServe staff brighten up Christmas HomeServe employees have donated £1,500 for a 15ft tall Christmas tree to be planted in the grounds of the Marie Curie Hospice, West Midlands. The tree will form the centrepiece of the hospice’s Lights to Remember service for years to come. This is the first year the annual service was held at the new hospice. Each year, the service provides an opportunity for the local community to gather together and dedicate a light on the Christmas tree in memory of a loved one. This year, it was officiated by Hospice Chaplain Charlie Radburn,
and Solihull Mayor Councillor Joe Tildesley switched on the Christmas tree lights and called for a minute’s silence. The service was open to people of all faiths and none. It included carol singing, a brass band and mince pies. HomeServe Membership CEO Jonathan King said: “Many of us at HomeServe know how tough this time of year can be for Marie Curie patients and their families, from both a professional perspective – as we offer patients a free home emergency insurance policy – and, for too many of us, from a personal perspective.
“This is also the time of year that Marie Curie can make the biggest difference, and that is one reason we are proud to support their work in every way we can.” Hospice Manager Liz Cottier said: “Christmas can be a particularly difficult period for those who have lost loved ones. The service provides a unique opportunity for members of our community to come together and remember, in a beautiful Christmas setting. We are thankful to HomeServe staff whose support throughout the year has helped our activities immeasurably.”
A £1.35 million partnership Having pledged to donate £1 million over three years, HomeServe smashed the target last September and has now donated more than £1.35 million. That includes £540,000 in cash donations – enough to fund 28 Marie Curie Nurses for a year – and more than £818,000 via its Marie Curie Patient Policy, which gives Marie Curie patients and their families peace of mind with free help for home emergencies. The company has extended its partnership until March 2014.
4 People December 2013
Strategy ChiEf Executive’s view Our Council of Trustees held a two-day meeting in November to discuss how Marie Curie Cancer Care can help more people than the current 39,000 we currently care for. We all know there is unmet need. We presented the work we have been doing, with your help, over the last year. They are ready to take some far-reaching decisions on three major pieces of work that will enable Marie Curie to reach more people and better meet their needs: they supported the charity’s new Strategic Plan for 2014-17 and beyond; they approved proposals for realigning and transforming our brand: and they approved the business case for the Better Connected programme. This will ensure that we can communicate more effectively with our patients, families and supporters, providing more information and support. The new strategy sets us the challenge of increasing the number of people we help, directly or indirectly, more than tenfold – from 39,000 to 400,000. This means we will provide care or support for all people with a terminal illness. High quality and personalised care will continue to be core to what we do. But, of course, we cannot practically offer home nursing or hospice care to so many people. So we will be developing our ability to reach out to people with information, support and training, as well as working in partnership with other organisations that offer care.
RESEARCH We also plan a major expansion of our research to improve care for people with a terminal illness and their families. Research is a fantastic way of improving people’s lives. If we find better ways of managing pain and delivering care, we can improve care for not only our own patients, but everyone. While our name is Marie Curie Cancer Care, we have, for a number of years, cared for people with any terminal illness. Currently around 30 per cent of our patients have illnesses other than cancer, and that proportion will increase. Our brand does not reflect this, and we know that our name needs to be brought in line with what we do. While it will involve changes, two things will be sacrosanct – the name Marie Curie, which goes back to our foundation in 1948, and the daffodil, which is widely recognised and loved. Better Connected is absolutely essential to delivering our strategy. As we aim to deliver our ambitious strategy, we need to plan and invest more in our infrastructure – especially our IT infrastructure. Our trustees have agreed to invest nearly £5 million over three years, which will enable us to carry out a number of important projects. These include making it much easier to recruit volunteers for the Great Daffodil Appeal; enabling us to communicate more effectively with our nurses; and helping us provide information, advice and support to people with terminal illnesses and their families. We’ve got another Council meeting in January, when final decisions will be taken on the different parts of our strategy based on the detailed plans we are now pulling together that describe how and what we will need to achieve these developments. If you have thoughts, opinions or comments on our strategy that you would like to share, please do email me directly. It’s not a done deal – and your ideas will help us make our plans even better. Dr Jane Collins Chief Executive FOR MORE INFORMATION Get in touch with Jane at jane.collins@mariecurie.org.uk
We call on government to offer more support Marie Curie has welcomed findings in Public Health England’s What we know now report, which shows that the proportion of people dying at home (where most people want to be) has increased to 44 per cent in 2012. However, Director of Policy and Public Affairs Imelda Redmond has called on the government to do more. “We need to pick up the pace of change if we want to be able to respond to the huge increase in the care needs of terminally ill people,” she said. “We’re about to see the sharpest rise in the number of people dying, with annual deaths set to increase by 17 per cent by 2030 to almost 590,000 deaths per year. “Currently, our research shows that 63 per cent want to be cared for and die at home, yet only 44 per cent, including those in care homes, do. This is because not enough of the right type of health and social care is available. “We want the coalition government to deliver on its 2010 Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS white paper, in which it said the NHS would provide people with end of life care in the place of their choice by 2013/2014. “We also know from the What we know now report that where you live in the country and whether or not you live alone will have a disproportionate impact on your chances of receiving care at the end of your life, in the most
Action needed
CALLING FOR ACTION: Imelda Redmond
appropriate setting,” Imelda said. “It would seem that older people, many of whom will have a number of complex medical conditions, and people who live alone are less likely to achieve their wish to die at home. “We want everyone, wherever they live, to be able to have a ‘good death’, provided with the care they want and need, with support available for them and their families.”
Marie Curie is calling on the government to take the following actions urgently: • Put in place increased capacity for health and social care so that people can receive the right care in the right place when they are terminally ill. • Ensure everyone with a terminal illness has the option to have an Advanced Care Plan, in which they can outline their wishes and desires in terms of their end of life care. • Ensure everyone with a terminal diagnosis has timely access to free social care. • Ensure there is access to 24/7 palliative care. • Ensure there is good pain management at home. • Ensure quality advice and information is available for those needing care at the end of their lives. • Provide support for families and carers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Read the What we know now report at tinyurl.com/Whatweknownow and the government’s Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS white paper at tinyurl.com/liberatingNHSpaper
Windows 7 is coming to all our PCs The project to install the Windows 7 operating system on all Marie Curie Cancer Care personal computers is well underway. A total of 416 PCs and laptops out of 1,800 have been upgraded by a small team that is travelling to Marie Curie sites across the UK. IT Project Manager Janette Hellyer said: “We’ve finished Albert Embankment, we’ve done half of the West Midlands hospice and we’re 30 per cent of the SCREEN TEST: Every PC should be upgraded by early February
way through Pontypool. It’s going well, although it’s been technically challenging, especially at the West Midlands hospice.” Depending on the number of PCs at each site, Janette is working with a team of around five upgrade engineers and up to three floorwalk engineers, who are available to provide immediate support to staff. “When we have upgraded the PCs, we leave a welcome note on each keypad telling people how to get started, with
links to training websites,” she said. The upgrade is needed because Microsoft will end support for its Windows XP operating system in April 2014. “Windows 7 is also more secure, and offers better performance,” Janette said. The team will be heading to Northampton, Derby and Scotland in the near future. They hope to have upgraded every PC in the charity by early February 2014.
The upgrade in numbers
1,800
Machines to upgrade – of which more than 400 are now complete
140
Business applications tested for compatibility with Windows 7
354
Vital business websites tested for compatibility with Internet Explorer 10
December 2013 People 5
Care
Hospice benefits from 116-year-old fund packages and food hampers to local people in need. Chairman of the fund Joe Mather, 87, said: “The fund was set up to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, and it seemed fitting to wind the fund up after celebrating the same anniversary with Queen Elizabeth II last year. The year the fund “We chose to donate started providing care the remaining funds to and support to the the Marie Curie Hospice, local community Liverpool as many of us have had personal experience of the outstanding care and support the hospice gives to patients and families. They are also our neighbours here in Woolton, and the aim of the fund has always been to care for our neighbours, so this donation feels like a fitting tribute to both Marie Curie and to the fund. “We see this presentation as more of after providing care and support to the a dedication – a dedication to Queen local community since 1897. Victoria and to the people of Woolton, Originally, the fund paid for a district and we are very happy to know this nurse to care for people in the local donation will be used to support patients community until the NHS was established at our local hospice.” in 1948. Since then, it has provided care
1897
The Woolton & District Aid In Sickness Fund has presented the Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool with a cheque for £42,374.44. The fund, which is based in the same village as the hospice, has decided to close
Hospice Manager Diane Barker with fund Chairman Joe Mather
Workshops to support carers in Wales Marie Curie Cancer Care’s new project, Caring for Carers, is developing and delivering a series of free practical workshops and information sessions to help carers across Wales. The three-year project, which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund, is being led by Project Manager Susan Court. “Our workshops and information sessions are designed around the practical information and support needs of
SUPPORT TO CARERS: Susan Court
carers, giving them skills and confidence in their caring role,” she said. “The workshops will cover a range of topics relating to symptoms, practical care and emotional support. “We want to support carers who are looking after relatives or friends who are terminally ill. By helping carers in this way, it would be more likely that the people they are caring for will be able to remain in their preferred place of care – at home.” To deliver the project, Susan Number of people will be working in partnership in Wales who take with local health boards, local
345
on a new caring role every day
authorities and voluntary organisations across Wales. She will also be working with other carer support services to extend the reach of the project and meet the needs of more carers. In the first year of the project, Susan is aiming to deliver workshops in two locations, and this will expand to cover all seven health board areas over the duration of the project. FOR MORE INFORMATION Details on upcoming workshops and more information on the project are available at mariecurie.org.uk/caringforcarers
Carer numbers on the rise There are an estimated 370,000 carers in Wales, with around 345 people taking on a new caring role every day. Caring for someone who is terminally ill at home can place a huge amount of physical and emotional strain on the person who is caring. And with the population living longer, usually with more complex illnesses, the number of carers is likely to rise in the coming years.
COORDINATED OFFERING: Regional Nursing Manager for Scotland Val Maxwell
Pilot service to offer 24-hour care in Fife A new service model set to be piloted in Fife will see the integration of various Marie Curie services. This pioneering service model will provide a seven-day, 24-hour service that includes Marie Curie’s multi-visit day and overnight nursing services; the fast-track discharge service; and the Marie Curie Helper service. It is expected that services will be operational in Fife, which has an increasingly ageing population, in April 2014. Val Maxwell, Regional Nursing Manager for Scotland, said: “This new way of delivering our services will provide improved levels of care and support to patients who are cared for at home or those who wish to be discharged home from a hospital or hospice. “Our aim is to enable patients to have a well-coordinated range of Marie Curie services in the community so that they can remain at home.” The new service will be led by Marie Curie senior nurses, who will work closely with local community teams to assess patients who are referred to the service, before arranging Marie Curie services according to the needs of the patients and their families. This service model will provide short-visit and overnight nursing care; health and personal care support for up to seven days following a discharge; and companionship, emotional support and information from trained volunteers. Karen Sandeman, who is project managing the setting up of the services, said: “We want to provide a fully integrated service that’s flexible and seamless – so it would appear to patients and carers that they are not getting three different services, but one single service from Marie Curie.” This service model is funded by the Oak Foundation and will be piloted for two years. It will be evaluated by an independent provider, which will inform the future of the service.
6 People December 2013
Research
First ever study into patient experience of clinical trials Marie Curie has published findings from the first-ever study of patients’ experience of taking part in a clinical drugs trial. The research, published in the journal Trials, took an unconventional approach by being embedded into an already ongoing study – in this case a trial assessing two drugs for breast cancer patients with bone metastases. “We know that research is vital in improving treatment, care and support for patients at the end of their lives and their families, and we often hear patients and families say they want to take part in research,” said Dr Annmarie Nelson, research leader and Deputy Director of the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre in Cardiff. “Despite the fact that for many it can be a positive experience, very little research has actually explored the experiences of patients taking part in studies, especially clinical trials of drugs. So we published our paper looking at exactly this.”
TWO DIFFERENT DRUGS People taking part in the trial were randomly allocated to receive one of two different drugs – one given intravenously at a clinic, and one taken orally at home. “We interviewed people about their experiences and understanding of the treatment, the experience of being given
TRIALS: The research was embedded in an ongoing study assessing two drugs
difficulties because of needle phobia in the intravenous group, or difficulty with swallowing in the oral group. However, pain control was improved in both.
UNDERSTANDING
a drug intravenously or orally, side effects and benefits, and quality of life issues,” said Dr Nelson. The research revealed that most people were generally happy with the treatment they had been randomly assigned to, although most would initially have preferred to have the oral drug. Some people said that they’d had
Register for palliative care research event Next year’s Marie Curie Annual Palliative Care Research Conference, held jointly with the Palliative Care Section of the Royal Society of Medicine, will take place at the Royal Society of Medicine, London, on Friday 28 March 2014. The conference will focus on palliative care in the community – making a difference in practice. Marie Curie staff can register to attend the conference for free by emailing Sarah Robertson at sarah.robertson@mariecurie.org.uk. All other delegates can register to attend at rsm.ac.uk/palliative. All delegates must provide: full name and title; job title; institution (if different from Marie Curie); dietary requirements; and any special requirements. Registration closes 7 March 2014 at 5pm.
SUBMIT YOUR OWN RESEARCH ABSTRACT If you’ve carried out any research yourself, you can submit an abstract for consideration at the conference. It can be for a short presentation and/or poster on research in palliative and end of life care. For more information visit mariecurie.org.uk/researchconference or contact Katharine Peacock. The deadline for submissions is 6 December 2013 at 5pm. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Katharine Peacock on 020 7091 4153 or email katharine.peacock@mariecurie.org.uk.
For many, a trial can be a positive experience, but very little research has actually explored the experiences of patients taking part in clinical trials of drugs. DR ANNMARIE NELSON
The research also showed that the people involved understood the trial processes, for example the need for randomisation. But some showed little understanding of certain aspects of the trial, highlighting the importance of making sure that researchers explain everything properly to people taking part in clinical trials, and provide them with information when they need it, and in a way that they want. Some people said they would like things written down to refer to later, while others preferred to have things explained face to face. One finding was that it would be useful to check patients’ understanding as time goes on. “This is an important area to study,” said Dr Nelson. “If we’re able to further improve the experience of participating in research for patients, it may help encourage more people to take part and ultimately improve care for future patients. “The views and preferences of people taking part in clinical trials are useful and should be taken into account when prescribing in the real world.”
Survey launched to identify future research priorities A survey giving patients, carers and staff the chance to highlight areas they’d like to see addressed by Marie Curie Cancer Care’s future research has been launched. The survey offers a unique opportunity to directly influence the palliative and end of life care research agenda. In conjunction with the James Lind Alliance, Marie Curie’s Project Coordinator, Katharine Peacock, has developed the survey, which asks respondents to draw on their personal experience of palliative and end of life care to identify questions about the treatment, care and support for those at the end of life that they have been unable to answer. “Questions can also relate to the care, treatment and support of current or bereaved carers,” said Katharine.
The questions identified in the survey, if answered by research, could make a real difference to the care of someone at the end of life or to their carer. katharine peacock
EXCITING PROJECT: Katharine Peacock, Marie Curie Project Coordinator
“These are questions that, if answered by research, could make a real difference to the care of someone at the end of life, or those that care for them.”
MANAGING UNCERTAINTIES Questions submitted do not have to be perfectly formulated; this can be addressed later. They just need to relate to any uncertainties that patients, carers or health and social care professionals would have liked to have had answered at the time they were caring for the patient.
Putting the survey together has been an exciting process, says Katharine, with a lot of discussion between the partners in the Palliative and end of life care Priority Setting Partnership (PeolcPSP). “The most daunting part was sending the first draft out to a selection of intended end-users and asking for honest feedback – but their feedback was thoughtful and constructive and improved the survey no end. “The pilot process also confirmed how important this project is to endusers. All of our pilot group were very supportive of the aims of the project and said how important it was to ask patients, current and bereaved carers and family members, and healthcare professionals for their opinions on what needs to be researched.” FOR MORE INFORMATION The survey is available online at www.palliativecarepsp.org.uk (the PeolcPSP website). There are also hard copies and large print versions, and updates will be given via the research posts on Psst. You can request a copy by emailing peolcpsp@mariecurie.org.uk or calling Katharine on 020 7091 4153.
December 2013 People 7
My story NEWS IN BRIEF BARRY ENTERTAINS Broadcaster, comedian and writer Barry Cryer OBE entertained guests at Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Autumn Lunch event held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Park Lane. He finished his speech with an Ode to Marie Curie, specially written for the event. The lunch – which grossed £75,000 – was organised by the charity’s Grosvenor Committee.
MY STORY
“My quality of life is better since Hannah started visiting” Cecilia Hayes, 69, from East Ham in London, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She talks about the difference Hannah Davies, a Marie Curie Helper volunteer, has made to her life.
I’ve always had chronic asthma. When I was born, the doctors told my mum that my lungs weren’t strong enough to carry me through. I was in and out of hospital as a child and have always lived with the condition. Then two years ago, it became more severe. I was told I had COPD and emphysema. I was in quite a bad way. I can’t do the things I’d like to do, like housework or the Hoovering. I can stand up and wash the cups, but anything too physical, even sweeping the floor, can take my breath away. I’ve reached a stage now where I can’t really go out on my own. I have a mobility scooter, but sometimes working the handlebars can be a bit of strain. When I have an attack, it’s unbelievable. I can’t breathe in and I can’t breathe out. A bunch of flowers or someone’s perfume can cause my lungs to close up. Another time, when I put some cleaner down the toilet, a whiff of it filled my lungs and I ended up in hospital. I’ve had asthma for so long, I’ve been taught how to try and relax. But even after all these years, I still tend to panic.
When I woke up one time, Hannah had made me a hot drink. It sounds trivial, but it meant a lot to me. Nobody had done that for me before.
Good rapport
VALUED VISITS: Cecilia Hayes and Marie Curie Helper Volunteer Hannah Davies
I heard about the Marie Curie Helper service when I was in St Joseph’s Hospice in east London. They asked me if I would like someone to come and talk to me, as I’m a bit of a loner. My husband, John, died 11 years ago. I come from a very big family – I was the youngest of 22 children – and I didn’t really have friends outside this. I have three sons, but they have grown up now.
Marie Curie matched me with Hannah, my Helper volunteer. We were introduced first, not just chucked in at the deep end. They really went out of their way to make sure she was the right person and that we had a good rapport. Hannah’s whole persona is very caring and we hit it off straight away. I get uptight and nervous, and find it difficult to sleep. I think I get frightened to go to sleep, because I sometimes have episodes when I wake up very breathless. Hannah comes and reads to me. I love books, but I find reading difficult because my eyesight is going. Once, when I was very low and tired, she read me a story while I dropped off to sleep. When I woke up, she had made me a nice hot drink. It might sound trivial, but it meant a lot to me. Nobody had done that for me before.
Quality of life Sometimes we just sit and have a little chat. She is very easy to talk to and can’t do enough for me, really. She is going to help me make a collage out of some family photos and we enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles together. My quality of life has become so much better since Hannah started visiting me. I look forward to her visits and I’m so glad to see her when she is at the door. She always has a smile on her face and has never missed a meeting with me. I don’t know where I’d be without her now.”
sportive award The Giant’s Causeway Coast Sportive has been named Leisure Event of the Year by national governing body Cycling Ireland, as part of its annual awards. The event has raised more than £10,000 for Marie Curie, which is one of its two official charities. The winners were announced at a prestigious dinner in Dublin with special guests including cycling legends Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche. Plans are underway for next year’s event and the 2014 date and other details will be announced in the coming weeks via giantscausewaycoastsportive.com
TOP EVENT: Marian Lamb (left) from Cycling Ulster presents the award to event organiser Beverley Pierson
MITZVAH DAY For the fourth year running the Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead was one of the projects supported by the Mitzvah Day initiative. Mitzvah Day is the Jewish community’s annual day of social action and giving. Thousands of participants give their time, and not money, making a huge difference to a range of people, causes and charities. Activities carried out by volunteers in Hampstead included creating stars for the hospice’s Lights to Remember service; a garden tidy up; and sprucing up fundraising materials. POOCHES PARADE A group of dogs and their owners raised more than £245 for Marie Curie with a sponsored Sunday morning stroll from Kingswood to Pentewan and back. The dog walk was organised by Polgooth Fundraising Group, Cornwall. All dogs taking part received a goody bag from Fal Valley Pets. Country music Country and Western singer Bobby Jones, from Welshpool, performed a gig in aid of Marie Curie in Much Marcle, Herefordshire. The concert took place at the Cowshed, Rushall Club, and included a pig roast.
8 People December 2013
News
Alliance to join up care services in London Marie Curie Cancer Care is one of the founding members of the first ever London-wide alliance to tackle inequalities in end of life care across the capital An alliance co-founded by Marie Curie is set to improve care across London by supporting and promoting joined-up services for patients, families and carers. The End of Life Care Pan-London Alliance unites partners from clinical commissioning groups; providers; social care; the voluntary sector; and patient and carers’ groups, and means more services will be commissioned, planned and delivered together. Marie Curie’s Head of Programmes Meeta Kathoria said: “London accounts for 15.5 per cent of England’s population, and 10 per cent of deaths in England. But if you look at outcomes for terminally ill patients nationally, London has some of the worst results – especially for people dying in their usual place of residence. “There is significant variation in the quality of end of life care across the capital. Patient experience is quite poor in some areas, and there is potential to improve – especially in the area of joined-up care. That’s the aim of this alliance. We want to influence commissioning across health and social care and the design of services.”
Joined-up approach Although there are already good networks and collaborative efforts in London, Meeta says they are focused on particular groups of professionals – such as GPs, specialists or social care professionals – working together. “To date, they haven’t been joined up. This
POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE: Quality of end of life care varies across London
Death in London
• London accounts for around 10% of all deaths annually across England. • The national VOICES survey of bereaved relatives rated care quality less highly in London than in any other part of the country. • The number of people dying in hospital is 5% higher than the national average. • The proportion of people who died in hospital following an emergency admission varies across London. • London has the highest average length of hospital stay for people with a terminal illness.
we listen to what patients and carers want and create exceptional services and develop a workforce across London that can deliver the best possible end of life care.”
Inclusive membership new alliance will support conversations across these different boundaries. It’s the first time that health and social care professionals in England have been brought together in this way.” Priorities being considered by the End of Life Care Pan-London Alliance to focus on include: • developing a mechanism to get immediate feedback from patients and carers • introducing care plans that integrate both health and social care for patients approaching the end of their lives • improving training for health and social care professionals • enabling GPs to better identify patients who are predicted to have less than a year to live • ensuring patients’ end of life care
INFLUENCING A JOINED-UP APPROACH: Meeta Kathoria, Head of Programmes – Service Development
needs are identified as part of the continuum of care required by people with long-term conditions and higher risk of emergency admission • ensuring more people die in their preferred place of residence. London End of Life Clinical Network Co-Director Dr Catherine MillingtonSanders said: “When someone is ill and dying, they or their carer should not have to think about how to get the best care for them in the last few months and weeks of their lives. We want to ensure that, at this most difficult time for patients and their families, we give them seamless, high-quality care so they can concentrate on the precious time they have left together. It is crucial that as health and social care leaders,
The alliance is an inclusive membership group, supported by an executive steering group. The founding members are ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) London, Marie Curie and NHS England (London). It will also include representatives of clinical commissioning groups, local authorities, NHS providers, academic health science networks, local training educational boards, the voluntary sector, and individuals who can speak on behalf of families and others who have experience of services. Marie Curie Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins said: “While there are pockets of good practice, many Londoners are still not receiving the care they need or want. The End of Life Care Pan-London Alliance has the potential to be a real game-changer.”
Will-writing support pilot starts in 2014
Hospice hosts wedding anniversary tea
Patients and families will get free help to prepare a Will as part of a pilot Marie Curie will run between January and June 2014. The scheme will be trialled in the Marie Curie Nursing Service in Wales and Birmingham, and in the Marie Curie Hospices for Cardiff and the Vale, and West Midlands. It is free to patients and will help them and their families plan for the future. A solicitor will visit patients at home or in the hospice to discuss the Will, take the information away to write the Will, and visit again to finalise it. “This is about patient welfare and helping people get peace of mind at a very difficult time,” said John Carrion, Project Manager. “We want to make sure that we provide well-rounded care that really makes a difference to patients and families.” The pilot will be evaluated and a decision made on full roll-out by July 2014.
Love was in the air at the Marie Curie Hospice, Bradford when multiple sclerosis patient James Bannon and his wife, Pauline, celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary. Hospice staff decorated the canteen especially for the occasion in October and prepared a special tea, at which wine, jewellery and chocolates were presented to the couple. Community Fundraiser Lucy Burnett said: “The Bradford hospice is so much more than a medical facility. It really is a home
FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff requiring further information should visit mariecurie.org.uk/freewillsforpatients. A leaflet is available in the Cardiff and the Vale and West Midlands hospices, or from the Marie Curie Nursing Service in Wales and Birmingham.
Wills: a snapshot There are currently 29.3 million adults (58%) in the UK without a Will. Dying without one can cause great stress to loved ones left to sort out money, property and possessions, but writing one can ensure: • your loved ones are cared for • the right things go to the right people • you do not pay more inheritance tax than necessary • there are no long legal battles between family and friends after your death. It is strongly recommended that your Will is written by a solicitor, as there are various legal formalities that need to be followed to make sure it is valid. There may also be a need for legal advice for more complicated matters. A solicitor can also advise you about how inheritance tax affects you.
from home for patients and their families, and the staff will go above and beyond for special occasions. We were delighted to be able to help James and Pauline celebrate their wedding anniversary.”
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: Pauline and James Bannon
December 2013 People 9
Money FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHT: The latest Swimathon was the most successful yet
year, and closely in line with budget,” Andrew said. “And because many of our newer services, such as multi-visit and rapid response, involve our nurses caring for more than one patient in a shift, we are seeing 11 per cent more patients through the Marie Curie Nursing Service.”
FURTHER Expenditure
We’re beating budget – so we’re investing Marie Curie Cancer Care is well ahead of the deficit budget set at the beginning of the financial year – so the charity is planning to invest more in infrastructure and services Trustees of Marie Curie authorised a deficit (loss) of £6.6 million for the financial year 2013/14 – but halfway through the year, the charity is just £319,000 in the red, largely thanks to better-than-expected fundraising. “The deficit was approved in order to maintain growth in our caring services and expansion of our donor base by acquiring new regular supporters,” said Finance Director Andrew Whitehead. “It’s difficult to grow fundraising income rapidly – especially in the present climate – and we anticipated a tough start to the year.” But legacies have brought in £13.5 million so far – that’s £2.2 million ahead of budget.
fundraising boost Community fundraising is significantly ahead of budget, thanks to several very successful campaigns, including the charity’s best-ever Swimathon, which brought in over £1.8 million – £500,000 more than budgeted. Walk Ten has also beaten budget and raised over 20 per cent more than last year. In-aid-of events are another area of community fundraising that is proving more successful than anticipated. Marie Curie benefits from a huge range of events – from pub quizzes and coffee mornings to fashion shows – organised by supporters who give the charity the proceeds.
Record result for Walk Ten Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Walk Ten events have beaten their fundraising target and broken all records – and money is still coming in. More than 12,000 people took part in the 17 sponsored walks, held at twilight in attractive and historical settings across the UK. They brought in a gross total of over £756,000. Fundraising Product Manager Sophie Major said: “We’ve beaten the target by over £100,000, with nine of the 17 venues also beating their recruitment targets. That’s a fantastic achievement by our fundraising teams.
RetaiL Marie Curie Shops are slightly below budget, but £217,000 up on last year’s figures. “In retail, what counts is like-for-like sales, where we are achieving a nearly two per cent increase,” Andrew said. “The shortfall is because new openings are not happening as quickly as budgeted, and we are slightly behind the ambitious target for Gift Aid sign-ups.” Individual giving is slightly behind budget – but still 14 per cent up on last year’s figures. It’s an area where further investment is planned in the second half of the year, to build on fundraising growth. Marie Curie Cancer Care’s expenditure, including spending on the provision of services, is running close to plan, and the charity is reaching more patients and families. “The income we receive from the NHS to part-fund our services is 8% up on last
£756,000
“In 2013, we Funds raised to launched Walk Ten date in 2014 by earlier in the year. We 12,000 Walk Ten had really close working participants between our regional teams, and our fundraising groups got involved. “Next year, we’re aiming even higher – we have a target of £1 million. Most of the venues are already booked, and we’re keen to recruit potential walkers and volunteers.” FOR MORE INFORMATION To register your interest in Walk Ten events in 2014, visit mariecurie.org.uk/walkten
Following the successful first six months, Marie Curie trustees have decided to approve more expenditure, which should leave the charity with its original planned deficit at the end of the financial year – but having achieved a lot more. “We are investing in Better Connected, which will transform how we connect with donors, patients, families and volunteers,” Andrew said. “There’s an urgent need to upgrade our digital capability. Our analytics capability is being expanded. “We are investing in a project in which volunteers will support dying patients in an acute hospital. And we are making a further investment in recruiting new donors – enabling us to be more certain of our ability to fund our services in the future.” Overall, Andrew is pleased with the performance of the charity over the past six months. “We’ve done better than budget, and the additional spending will strengthen the charity for the future. That’s important, as the new strategic plan period starts next year, and it will help us to deliver the changes we need to make.” •F igures are from management accounts.
Can you spot a saving? Finance Director Andrew Whitehead wants to make savings in the charity’s spending – and he is appealing to Marie Curie People readers to help. “While it’s important that our fundraising and shops continue to grow, we are also looking to save money where we can,” he said. “I am especially interested in potential savings in areas such as travel, energy use, and postage (which has increased significantly). “If you spot somewhere we could reduce our costs, please drop me an email.” FOR MORE INFORMATION Email your thoughts and suggestions to Andrew at andrew.whitehead@mariecurie.org.uk
10 People December 2013
Fundraising
We launch Challenges Supporters are set to take on the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales Marie Curie Cancer Care’s range of mountain challenges for 2014 is focused on classic routes on Britain’s best-known peaks and moors.
Fine weather conditions on Snowdon
A steep ascent on the Yorkshire Three Peaks
The charity has launched five events, giving supporters the opportunity to take on Ben Nevis, Snowdon, Scafell Pike, the Yorkshire Three Peaks and Dartmoor. Fundraising Product Manager Dan Nelson said: ‘‘We’re asking people to challenge themselves against the great British outdoors and hike some of the tallest mountains in Britain in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. “The task is quite achievable for most people – and the challenges are a great way to get fit. If you are in reasonable health, and you’re prepared to do some basic training, they are within your reach. “They’re also great events if you think you might enjoy an overseas trek, but want to start with something more straightforward. “This year, we have decided that our mountain challenges portfolio
should focus on these classic, iconic places. Scafell Pike is new to us this year – and it’s a really spectacular route up the highest mountain in England. Snowdon and Ben Nevis are the most popular mountains in the UK, and we have wellestablished Marie Curie challenges on both. Dartmoor is a classic trail that’s very popular with our supporters. It’s an entry-level event – a 10-mile walk on rough terrain in one of Britain’s most beautiful wild landscapes. “The Yorkshire Three Peaks is at the other end of the scale. It’s a 26-mile circuit on tough terrain, with plenty of steep ascent. There are fantastic views – and if you can do this one, you’re ready for Kilimanjaro.” FOR MORE INFORMATION The registration fee is £15, and the fundraising target is £125. For more details, visit mariecurie.org.uk/mountain
December 2013 People 11
Fundraising
the size of mountAINs High five! Snowdon Date: 8 June 2014 Ascent: 3,560ft Starting point: Legacy Royal Victoria Hotel Llanberis, Gwynedd
Yorkshire Three Peaks
Marie Curie Events and Fundraising 2014 You’ll find all our mountain challenges in our Marie Curie Events and Fundraising 2014 materials. You can also sign up for our runs and overseas treks; get involved with the Blooming Great Tea Party; join a fundraising group; and find out how you can organise your own fundraising event. And in 2014, Marie Curie is the official charity partner of the Tour de France Grand Départ – so we’ll be organising lots of cycling events across the UK and looking for fundraising support along the route. Web pages on our events will be live late in December, and our printed Marie Curie Events and Fundraising 2014 brochure will be available from January in hospices, shops and local fundraising offices. FOR MORE INFORMATION For more details see mariecurie.org.uk/events
Date: 12 July 2014 Distance: 26 miles Total ascent: 5,200ft Peaks: Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough Starting point: The Village Hall, Ribblesdale
Ben Nevis Date: 20 September 2014 Ascent: 4,406 ft Starting point: Ben Nevis Inn, Fort William
Scafell Pike Date: 20 September 2014 Ascent: 3,200ft Distance: 11.5 miles Starting point: Seathwaite, Cumbria
Dartmoor
The Yorkshire Three Peaks (main photo also) is Marie Curie’s toughest UK mountain challenge
Date: 12 October 2014 Distance: 13 miles Starting point: Widecombe-in-the-Moor Terrain: Undulating rough moorland
The Ben Nevis mountain challenge is an opportunity to take on the UK’s highest peak
12 People December 2013
Our buildings Thames Water buys Albert Embankment for sewer project Marie Curie Cancer Care’s London offices at 89 Albert Embankment are now owned by Thames Water Utilities company Thames Water has bought the leasehold of the charity’s London office as part of a massive project to build a super-sewer underneath the bed of the River Thames. Thames Water wants the building solely to ensure it can work on the foreshore of the Thames outside, where there are plans to construct an access tunnel, and use the slipway into the river next to the
building. The company will be keeping the 1961 tower block exactly as it is, complete with the tenants. Building work on the £4.2 billion super-sewer is set to take place between 2017 and 2022, subject to planning consent. The sewer will carry overflows of sewage and rainwater 25 kilometres through the centre of the capital to Beckton Sewage Works. It will dramatically reduce the need to release raw sewage into the river during heavy rain. Around 39 million tonnes are currently dumped every year. FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit thamestidewaytunnel.co.uk
Connection culvert to Brixton Storm Relief CSO
MI6
Interception chamber
89 Albert Embankment
Air treatment chamber
Connection culvert
Connection culvert to Clapham Storm Relief CSO
CSO drop shaft Connection tunnel to main tunnel
In numbers: the super-sewer The cost
The depth
The length
Tunnel diameter
£4.2 billion 25 kilometres
30 metres 7.2 metres
Building underway on Newcastle hospice café Building has started on a new garden café at the Marie Curie Hospice, Newcastle. Diggers were brought in to make a start on foundations for the work, which extends the dining area into the hospice’s award-winning gardens. The decision to extend the café followed in-depth consultation with patients, families, volunteers and staff. Hospice Manager Helen Forrow said: “A new garden café means we will be able to provide patients and relatives with a spacious and relaxing eating area. “Many relatives visit patients for long periods of time, and may be travelling some distance, making this an important part of the hospice. We hope the café will encourage relatives to take a welldeserved break, safe in the knowledge that their loved one is still close by. The new café will also allow patients to maintain a sense of normality and independence by dining with their families where possible.”
TEA TIME: Lead Nurse Fiona Rennison and digger driver George Duthie
The design of the Garden Café is intended to bring “the outside in”, providing a warm and inviting space that utilises contemporary colours and luxury fabrics. Large windows will offer patients and visitors views of the garden and provide lots of natural light. The café is one of three building projects planned for Marie Curie Hospices that are funded by NHS England’s capital grants programme, administered by Help the Hospices. Work is also planned at the charity’s hospices in Bradford and Hampstead (London).
Many relatives visit patients for long periods of time, and may be travelling some distance, making the cafe an important part of the hospice. HELEN FORROW, HOSPICE MANAGER
Surveyors’ report shows charity’s hospice estate is ‘sound and fit for purpose’ A survey of the state of Marie Curie Hospices has found that the buildings are generally in good shape for their age, with some building and maintenance work needing to be done over the next few years. Surveyors from healthcare specialist CPA undertook a condition survey covering various elements of each hospice, including physical condition; functional suitability; space utilisation; quality; fire, health and safety; environmental management; and accessibility. They focused on the physical state of the buildings, looking at, for example, the state of boilers, windows, roofing,
nurse call systems and flooring. They did not look at services such as cleanliness or catering. To keep costs down, the charity’s two newest hospices, West Midlands and Glasgow, were not included in the survey, though a review of documentation was undertaken.
Assessment
SURVEYED: The Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh
Head of Estates Paul Cross said: “The six-facet survey is a tool that is used in the NHS every five or six years. It’s based on a visual assessment by a building surveyor – they go into every room, and carry out a basic physical assessment.
“The survey grades buildings A to D, with A really only applying to brandnew buildings, and D being a building in very poor condition.” The Marie Curie Hospices all received B grades, indicating that they are generally sound and fit for purpose, but some work will be required in the near future to keep them in good condition. “Given their age and history, our hospices are in pretty good shape,” Paul said. “From this snapshot we can see the areas which we need to prioritise over the next few years. Now we can compile a detailed capital programme showing the work that we need to do to keep the hospices in good condition.”
December 2013 People 13
Our team
Pontypool team recruits its 3,000th volunteer The Volunteer Centre in Pontypool celebrates record figures and a milestone recruitment In just two years, a small team at the charity’s Volunteer Centre in Pontypool has recruited 3,000 volunteers. In mid-November, Hayley Martin (see box) was signed up as Group Secretary of the Poole Fundraising Group. She was the 3,000th volunteer to be recruited by the centre. The Volunteer Centre, which opened in December 2011, is responsible for recruiting volunteers interested in donating their time and skills to the charity on a regular basis.
Record recruitment The centre started as a team of five. Although still a small team, they have scored some big achievements. Between April and October 2013, they recruited 1,378 volunteers – more than double the number in the same period in 2012 – and in October cleared a record 285 volunteers to start. Kay Southall, Volunteer Centre Manager since February 2013, said: “Having spent 20 years working in the public sector I was delighted to join Marie Curie. My role is to deliver high-quality recruitment of regular volunteers across the UK. “The Volunteer Centre has seen a number of key changes this year, including a new online disclosure process for England and Wales, which can significantly speed up some criminal records checks for volunteers.” The team of Volunteer Centre Officers lies at the heart of the Volunteer Centre, overseeing every stage of recruitment. Wendy Richards, a member of the team since April, said: “Not many people are aware of the numerous processes behind the scenes that go into recruiting a volunteer.” The Volunteer Centre’s record recruiting month was helped by the launch of a new online registration system. An online
The Volunteering Centre team: (l-r) Linda Kay, Sarah Charles, Jo McDonagh, Kath Jones, Anna Pritchard, Hayley Plumley, James Kwesiga and Wendy Richards
form allows volunteers to apply directly to a specific role through the Marie Curie website, rather than submitting a paper copy to the Pontypool office.
registration efficiencies
DELIGHTED: Kay Southall, Volunteer Centre Manager
Hayley Plumley, Volunteer Centre Officer, said: “The new registration system is having a big impact. It reduces the time volunteers spend in recruitment and cuts down some of the time-consuming dataentry elements of our role, so our time is freed up to deal with more volunteers.” Kay says that the Volunteer Centre’s focus over the next 12 months will be on continuous improvement. “We will look for opportunities to make our processes leaner and use cost-effective communication channels to deliver a value-for-money service for the organisation and the best experience for people wanting to donate their skills and time.”
Positive changes for a growing team – with more to come Anna Pritchard is a Senior Volunteer Centre Officer and has worked at the Volunteer Centre in Pontypool since it opened As a Senior Volunteer Centre Officer, it is my job to support the rest of the team in their roles. I am always on hand to answer questions and queries, and offer guidance. I also write training guides for volunteer recruitment, process all disclosure checks, driving documents and ID card renewals for volunteers. There have been a lot of positive changes to the Volunteer Centre since it opened. Our
move to online registration forms has been a huge shift, making the process of applying and registering much more efficient for the volunteers and for us too. It also reduces speculative enquiries and encourages dedicated volunteers who are interested in a specific role to come forward. We have also had some changes in the team structure over the two years, and a nice new refurbishment. We have had so many exciting changes over the past year, including some extra helping hands. The team is the best part of working here. We get on so well.”
In numbers: The Volunteer Centre in 2013
8,000 Calls handled 7,000 References requested forms 4,500 Registration processed cleared 2,200 Volunteers to start their roles Fundraising 500 Community ID cards produced
300 Disclosures processed FOR MORE INFORMATION If you are thinking about enlisting the help of a volunteer in your team, the Volunteer Centre can help you. Give them a call on 0845 305 2191 or send an email to the team at volunteering@mariecurie.org.uk If you’d like to develop a new role, get in touch with one of the National Volunteering Managers, who can help you write the perfect role description: clair.bryan@mariecurie.org.uk (North) linsey.winter@mariecurie.org.uk (South). To see the opportunities currently on offer, visit mariecurie.org.uk/volunteering
The 3,000th volunteer Hayley Martin (pictured) explains her new role – as the 3,000th volunteer recruited by the Pontypool team As Group Secretary of the Poole Fundraising Group, I am responsible for taking and distributing the minutes at our monthly meetings. I got involved with Marie Curie after seeing them care for my father. Not only did they brighten his days with their care and good humour, they also provided much-needed support and compassion for my mother and I who were caring for him at home. Initially I volunteered as a collector during the Great Daffodil Appeal, but after doing so and receiving so many words of goodwill and donations from the public, I wanted to get more involved, so I signed up as a fullyfledged member of the Poole Fundraising Group. Raising funds for Marie Curie – being part of the fundraising group – is a very enjoyable and sociable activity. Last month, I took part in the Ladies’ Driving Challenge at Bovington Army Camp, which was a fantastic day and brilliant fun.”
14 People December 2013
News
Belfast team scoops BT’s shop challenge
TOP TEAM: Lynne and Mairead Jordan present the Kevin Jordan Memorial Trophy to Marion Owens and David Hampton, whose team raised the most money in the Great BT Charity Shops Challenge
A total of 170 BT employees stepped out of their day jobs to volunteer in 17 charity shops for the Great BT Shops Challenge. Teams took on the challenge at 10 Irish Cancer Society shops in the Republic of Ireland and seven Marie Curie shops in Northern Ireland to help raise much-needed funds for both charities. The overall winners were the team from the Marie Curie Shop on the Lisburn Road in Belfast. Clayre Sloan, Marie Curie’s Shops Area Manager for Northern Ireland, said: “We Amount raised in were delighted not only by the amazing Northern Ireland as amount of money raised by BT staff a result of the BT during the Great BT Shops Challenge, but by the fantastic legacy it has provided our Shops Challenge shops in terms of quality stock donations, great sales and increased awareness of the fantastic bargains we have available. A total of 1,449 bags were generated for the challenge. “In Northern Ireland alone, over £40,000 has been raised, between sales on the day and stock donated for our shops.”
£40,000
Take part in a Marie Curie values workshop Internal Communications Manager Melanie Bond writes: Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey about Marie Curie values. You provided lots of insightful feedback, which is helpful to us for the next part of this work.
Please sign up now To sign up by post, please: • Tick the box to attend the workshop that is best for you. We will confirm the time of your workshop when we send you joining details. • Complete the section asking for your name and contact details. Please provide your name, role with Marie Curie and details of how you would prefer to be contacted (by post or by email). • Cut out and return the slip to:
What happens next? We will use your feedback to help us put together some draft value statements. Our values are the words we use to describe what we stand for as an organisation. They’re important because they are the words we use when talking about Marie Curie and what we do. We need to find out whether those draft value statements mean something to you, our
staff and volunteers. We need to make sure that the words we use are robust. By that, we mean they reflect our ambitious plans for Marie Curie but also make sense to you – and you must be comfortable seeing those words and using them. They should truly reflect our organisation and mean something to us all. And that’s where we would like your help. We hope you will join in for this important
Note: The meeting rooms at the Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead are currently closed so we are holding two sessions at 89 Albert Embankment for people who would prefer to attend a workshop in London.
Name:
Please put a tick next to the workshop you’d like to attend.
Address:
part of our organisation’s 2014-17 Strategic Plan.
Values workshops We have set up a series of workshops at our hospices and offices to provide an opportunity for you to respond to the draft value statements, to ensure they will work for all of us.
Date
Venue
5 December
89 Albert Embankment, London
9 December
Bradford
10 December
Swindon
12 December
West Midlands
Melanie Bond, Internal Communications Manager, Marie Curie Cancer Care, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP.
16 December
Newcastle
17 December
Northampton
18 December
Edinburgh
To sign up by email, please: • Send an email to the address at the bottom right of this page. • In your email, please state your preferred workshop location and date. We will confirm the time of your workshop when we send you joining details. • Please provide your name and role at Marie Curie (questions shown the table right).
7 January
89 Albert Embankment, London
8 January
Pontypool
9 January
Glasgow
Are you a volunteer?
13 January
Liverpool
14 January
Penarth
If yes, what is your main activity at Marie Curie (eg fundraiser, collector, helper at a hospice etc)?
15 January
Tiverton
16 January
Belfast
Town/city: Postcode: Email address: Yes
Are you a staff member?
No
If yes, what is your job title? Yes
No
To sign up by email, write to internal.communications@mariecurie.org.uk
December 2013 People 15
News
Reaching out on the streets Marie Curie’s new in-house face-to-face fundraising team is signing up a wide range of new supporters Marie Curie’s new in-house face-to-face fundraising team has had a target-beating first four months. In-house Face-to-Face Fundraising Manager Melanie Roberts joined Marie Curie from Shelter in July, and has since put together three hand-picked teams of new and experienced fundraisers to raise money and awareness of the charity on the streets of London and the south-east. “We’ve hit the ground running,” said Melanie, “and are finding that the charity is well-received. It’s a cause many can relate to. It’s close to people’s hearts.” Operating in London and towns such as Reading and Slough, the initiative is reaching a wide range of people. “From professionals and middle-class people, to lower income supporters, we’re seeing a real cross-section,” Melanie said. “The biggest commitment we’ve had was for £40 per month, with the lowest being £3.”
TRAINING: Melanie (centre) running a training session for new fundraisers Ema-Louise Hawthorne-Parkinson and Daniel Shepherd
Long-term giving The main objective of the face-to-face fundraising is to get sustainable, long-term giving. “Those who sign up become part of an exciting new donor journey and get regular updates about the charity,” Melanie said. “Some will go on to upgrade and give yet more, while others may leave a legacy.” The face-to-face fundraisers all receive two days’ training, one of which is at Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead so they can see first-hand the work of the charity and the difference they make. Training also includes data protection and the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association Code of Conduct under which the charity operates. One of the three team leaders is veteran face-to-face fundraiser Shaun Vignati. “The public perceives Marie
TEAM MANAGER: Melanie Roberts
Curie as an amazing charity,” he says, “and it’s one of the most well-received campaigns I’ve been part of. It’s so personal to people – whether it’s their brother, auntie, uncle or closest friend, terminal illness affects a lot of people. “The fundraisers in our three teams are doing it as a full-time job, five days a week. They see the scope for the development of this campaign, and that it’s a good way to get involved with the charity sector.”
Making lives comfortable Another of Marie Curie’s face-to-
Good ways to win on offer as TicketyBoo.com gaming site goes live TicketyBoo.com, Marie Curie Cancer Care’s new gaming site, has gone live and is attracting players. The site offers supporters the opportunity to play bingo, take part in an instant win game and enter the charity’s seasonal raffle and weekly lottery. TicketyBoo.com Project Manager Anna Marshall said: “The site’s working well, and we’re seeing sign-ups well in advance of our marketing push next year.
Average UK online bingo player Sessions per week: 1 Total time playing: 90 minutes Weekly spend: £2.91
face fundraising team leaders is Matthias Gregory. He’s been working on Marie Curie’s campaign for the past three months and has already had many memorable conversations.
“We’re aiming to attract a new group of supporters to Marie Curie, as well as people who already enjoy a flutter on our long-established lotteries.” To develop the TicketyBoo.com platform, Marie Curie was awarded £120,000 by the Cabinet Office through the Nesta initiative to enable charities to create innovative ways of fundraising.
Responsible gambling The TicketyBoo.com site does not carry casino-style games, and stakes are limited to half the industry guidelines for responsible play. People have the option of excluding themselves from play or receiving marketing. FOR MORE INFORMATION Sign up now and start playing at ticketyboo.com
GETTING INVOLVED: Shaun Vignati
“People sometimes think that end of life care is hopeless – that there’s no cure and it’s not solvable. But if you can make people think about making the lives of people who are in this situation as comfortable as possible, and giving them care on their terms, then you don’t have to convince them – philosophically they’re on board.” Each day, the team leaders come back to the charity’s office in Vauxhall, South London, to feed back on their day, making sure that their approaches to the public are finely tuned. Standards are also monitored by external mystery shoppers. And it’s paying off: “We’re above target,” Melanie said.
16 People December 2013
Food for thought How do I… become a Marie Curie Nursing Representative? Dawn Tame-Battell, Assistant Director of Patient Services, provides a simple guide to finding out more about becoming a Nursing Representative
Desert island essentials Imagine you’re marooned on a desert island. What items would you want with you? Is there a book or film – or Hollywood actress – that you can’t live without? This month, Murray Easton, Hospice Fundraising Manager for the Marie Curie Hospice, Glasgow, takes a seat under the Marie Curie People palm tree.
A song
Do you have an idea for the Food for thought page – a recipe or advice column? Perhaps you would like to feature in our Desert island essentials section? Write to us at people@mariecurie.org.uk
Recipe of the month... Chocolate chip cookies Fundraising Product Support Manager Niall Durdin contributes the Great Daffodil Appeal team’s favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Ingredients 6oz/170g self raising flour 3oz/85g soft light brown sugar 3oz/85g sugar 3oz/85g butter/margarine 4oz/115g chocolate chips 1 egg 1 pinch of salt
Method 1 Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/ 180 electric (adjust for a fan oven).
Blend the flour, sugar, margarine, egg and salt. Once mixed, add in the chocolate chips and mix further. 3 Spoon onto a baking tray according to the size of cookie required. 4 Bake for 15 minutes, remove from tray and place on a cooling rack until you are ready to store or serve. 2
TAKING THE BISCUIT: Niall Durdin
it could be you! Would you like to be our chef of the month? Email your favourite recipe (along with a photo of yourself and a picture of the finished dish) to ana.malinovic@mariecurie.org.uk
ANN’S INSIGHT
Generosity from a range of people Senior Insight Manager Ann Davison reflects on the charity’s supporters As the Great Daffodil Appeal draws near, we are thinking about the generous members of the public who give us support. Surveys show that they think of Marie Curie above all as caring and compassionate. Those who say they support us range across income bands and age groups, with a bit more support from the older population. Nearly twice as many women say they support us as men. People with experience of relevant health conditions (personally, close family or friends), including terminal illnesses, are more likely to support us. The great majority of our supporters are concerned about the need for specialist care and pain relief for people with terminal illnesses, the need to support them in their own homes with family
and friends around them and the need to support their carers, practically and emotionally. They like giving by supporting charity shops, street collections, sponsored events and raffles, and by buying products that include a donation and direct debit. Only about one in five say that they have volunteered in the last three months. They donate to around four charities each and the great majority made donations within the last three months. They say they are likely to trust a charity that a friend or family member has been in contact with or they themselves have had contact with. They like to know the charity has high standards of fundraising. There is also interest in the charity being long established and locally active.”
Does Scarlett Johansson count as a luxury item? If not, I’d take my acoustic guitar, as I would finally have the time to play it and learn more than three chords.
A luxury item
WRITE TO US
My Dad by Anthony Browne is my current favourite book as I read it with my little girl. It is a real heartwarmer, but if I was alone on a desert island without my daughter then it would be a heartbreaker. So I’d go with Sir Alex Ferguson’s first autobiography, Managing My Life, to reminisce about some of United’s glories and Fergie’s fascinating tales.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact the PR team by emailing media@mariecurie.org.uk or calling 0845 893 2010.
A book
Below are the answers to the Sudoku puzzles on page 19.
Staff can do as much or as little as they like, providing the delivery of patient care is not affected and it’s agreed with their manager. Support and guidance is also available. This process has recently been reviewed and we are looking to broaden the pool of staff that we use.
Star Wars is my all-time favourite film. It would be entertaining at times, and at other times I would try to find deeper meanings in some of the scenes, characters and the force – geeky, I know! As a kid I wanted to be Luke Skywalker. My mum would probably say that hasn’t changed.
LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT
A FILM
Are you interested in taking the next step to becoming a Nursing Representative? Any clinical or allied health professional interested in supporting Marie Curie in this way should ask their Clinical Nurse Manager or hospice line manager for more information. There’s a form you’ll need to complete.
Sudoku solutions
WHAT TO DO
SOUL MAN: Murray Easton
GROWING THE TEAM: Dawn Tame-Battell
As a huge music fan, this is extremely tricky for me. If I was allowed a box set, I would go for Russ Winstanley’s excellent A Complete Guide To Northern Soul. Russ was a DJ at the famed Wigan Casino and the box set has songs that would get me dancing and also songs to lift me up during the lonely days and nights on the island. An impeccable collection of music. If it was just an album, I’d go for The Stone Roses eponymous album, which I return to more than any other. I still marvel at the grooves, riffs, beats and melodies.
Nursing Representatives (previously referred to as Nursing Ambassadors) are Marie Curie Nurses, healthcare assistants and senior healthcare assistants who voluntarily participate in local and national activities, as well as media opportunities. The representatives are a fantastic pool of staff who help Marie Curie to raise its profile, and this is done in an array of different ways.
December 2013 People 17
Fundraising
Roadchef speeds past £125,000 target
£50,000
Photo by Marc Williams Hot Pics
Marie Curie’s charity of the year partnership with Roadchef has outstripped its £125,000 target – raising over £130,000 two months ahead of schedule. Launched in January, Roadchef’s 28 sites across the UK have been raising funds for Marie Curie through a creative range of fundraising activities. A golf day raised £22,000, a three-peaks challenge raised nearly £7,000 while the Roadchef site-to-site motorbike relay raised a speedy £5,500. Roadchef also allowed Marie Curie volunteers to hold collections at any time – and with Amount raised so an annual footfall of far from collection 30 million customers, tins at Roadchef this provided a fantastic checkouts opportunity for community fundraising teams to raise awareness and funds. Collection tins at checkouts in all locations have brought in £50,000, while work to recruit Roadchef customers as SUPER CYCLISTS: Employees at nine Roadchef motorway service areas raised more than £5,500 for Marie Curie with a nationwide static cycling relay committed givers has raised another £16,000. A promotional link with Harrogate we’ve still got another two months “Roadchef has given us amazing Spring Water, which directs 5p from to go.” support,” says Meaghan Annear, Senior each bottle sold to Marie Curie, is set Marie Curie is now on Roadchef’s Corporate Account Manager. “The staff to generate yet more funds before the shortlist for charity partner of the year have been so engaged – it’s a wonderful partnership officially ends in December. 2014 – so watch this space. partnership to be involved in – and
Jane takes on half-marathon Marie Curie Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins sported her running shoes to take part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon in aid of Marie Curie. She said: “My family were cheering me on and around 150 other people were running for Marie Curie. It was thoroughly enjoyable after the pain of training. I did it because when I joined Marie Curie I was impressed by how many staff ‘do something’ to help us raise money, so it was obvious I should too. “Also, I know how much we rely on fundraising to do our work, providing care through our nine hospices and our nursing service. Without fundraising, we couldn’t possibly help people who need the vital care we provide.”
ENJOYABLE DAY: Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins after her half-marathon
Cardiff Brain Game raises over £20,000 Test your brain 1. On 11 February, there was a shock resignation from Pope Benedict XVI. Prior to this, the last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII. In what year did this take place? A) 1315 b)1415 c) 1515 2. 2013 is the Chinese year of the a) rabbit b) horse c) snake 3. Which Welsh fashion designer took part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing? a) Julien Macdonald b) David Emanuel c) Laura Ashley Answers: 1B. 2C. 3A
A total of 20 teams competed for the coveted dragon trophy in the sixth Cardiff Brain Game for the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff and the Vale. The corporate quiz, held at Cardiff City Football Club, was organised by the Hospice Development Board. Hospice Fundraising Manager Karen Jones said: “It was a great night. Everyone enjoyed themselves. We had some fantastic auction prizes, including a coveted hospitality day out to the Wales rugby international the following day, which attracted some keen bidding. I’m very grateful to everyone who supported the event. Congratulations to the winning team from Mazars, who have vowed to retain the trophy next year.” Celebrities at the event included Alex Mills from The Apprentice. Nurse Jan Suart spoke about the work of Marie Curie Cancer Care.
TAKE A BOW: The performance by the Hull Playgoers’ Society benefitted Marie Curie
A dramatic approach to fundraising Marie Curie Cancer Care benefitted the comfortable home of country GP from a special charity performance Dr Kirby, is suddenly disrupted by the of JB Priestley’s Eden End by Hull return of Stella, his beautiful and Playgoers’ Society. talented older daughter, after The production, at eight years away making Albemarle Music Centre her name as an actress. (next to Hull Truck Theatre), Stella’s arrival Amount raised by attracted 100 theatregoers throws into turmoil and raised £350. the sheltered existence theatregoers at the Eden End dates from of her family, and performance of 1934, and is one of uncovers secrets, deep Eden End Priestley’s lesser-known passions and bitter works. In North Yorkshire in resentments that have been 1912, the cloistered calm of Eden End, carefully hidden.
£350
Chair of Development Board Bill Jenkins, Alex Mills from The Apprentice, Niall Allen from Only Men Aloud, Mariclare Carey-Jones from ITV Wales, Hospice Nurse Jan Suart and James Wright from ITV Wales
18 People December 2013
Inbox TOP TWEETS
Here is a selection of the top tweets from the past few weeks. Follow us on @mariecurieuk or tweet using #mariecurieuk Darren Millar @DarrenMillarAM
Good to meet with @mariecurieuk today – a great organisation doing spectacular work across Wales.
Simon Schofield @reddragon6253
Over £2000 raised last night at our memorial night for grandma. Every single penny going to a great cause. @mariecurieuk What a night Nikki & Kerri @TeamSulphrCarbn
@mariecurieuk – thank you for all you did for grandad before he lost his fight. It’s inspired us to do our charity run.
Nat. Maritime Museum @NMMGreenwish
#Greenwich school children have been planting waves of daffodils at the front of the museum for @mariecurieuk
Inbox
Inbox is Marie Curie People’s forum for your letters and emails. If you’ve a brilliant idea or a question about our work – or if something is bugging you – email mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk
vouchers offered for your new site suggestions
CHRISTMAS volunteers needed There are still 24 collecting days to go until Christmas – so we’re asking Marie Curie People readers to put on their warmest stockings and get out into the heart of their local community to celebrate the festive season. Marie Curie is running Christmas collections right across the UK – and we need the help of all our supporters to make sure we’re able to keep our services running 365 days a year. Many of our collections will include music and carol singing – and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a bright yellow Santa hat to stand out from the crowd. Wherever you’re collecting, you’ll be making a big difference to patients and families this Christmas – a time when our nurses and hospices are needed more than ever. It’s a great opportunity to practice for the Great Daffodil Appeal in March. So please get on the phone and call our SAT office to volunteer for a collection – call 0800 716 146 today. Thank you so much for your support.
I would like to remind Marie Curie People readers that we are still on the lookout for potential sites for new Marie Curie Shops – and we’re offering £100 in M&S vouchers to any colleague who helps us find a new site. We need units of approximately 950-1,500 square feet (88-139 square metres), leasehold, ideally in busy neighbourhoods/district centres or in good secondary parades of shops. If you spot somewhere suitable, please photograph the shop front, the surrounding street and any details of who to contact about the site, and email it to me. If we take up a site nominated by a colleague, we will award them £100 in vouchers when the lease is signed (if more than one person suggests a site, the vouchers will go to the first nomination received). Many thanks,
Kevin Brereton National Acquisitions Manager kevin.brereton@mariecurie.org.uk
Marie Curie recently opened this new shop in Coalville, Leicestershire. Could you help us find a site for a future shop?
Liz Thornton Senior Fundraising Product Manager
CARING SERVICES
Handling our patients’ data sensitively and appropriately is vital Jonathan Morley @jmo30
has felt tired and rubbish all day. But is still ready to volunteer tonight for a good cause. #makingadifference @mariecurieuk Juless @JulesMinson
Well done Mum. Just retired after 11 years helping in @mariecurieuk Sidmouth – you have helped raise loads! xxx
FACEBOOK FRIENDS
Followers on Facebook are speaking out about the valuable support from Marie Curie. Follow us at facebook.com/MarieCurieUK Helen Frances Wright Thank you Judith and Jackie who do an amazing job and the many others that make the end of life as pain free as possible, with the most dignity. And the greatest support to families at the most difficult time. Donna Clark Marie Curie nurses are fantastic, helped to care for my dad in his final days... thank you so much X Irene Meagan The work they do is tremendous. What the Marie Curie nurses did for my brother was wonderful. Sherry Church Thank you all for your care you gave my beautiful brother, god bless you all, sending donation. xxxxx
Assistant Director of Patient Services Dawn Tame-Battell offers her tips for ensuring patient information is safeguarded, and explains some of the improvements that have been made around the charity recently Top tips for safeguarding our patient information
Every day Marie Curie staff deal with sensitive patient information. As a charity, we have a duty of care to our patients to assure them that their information is always handled appropriately, and we only share it only with those who need it. Generally, health professionals can share with other health professionals information relevant to their patient’s care unless the patient has specifically asked for it not to be shared. When dealing with any sensitive data, we should all ask ourselves: if it was me, how would I want my information treated and used? We would want to trust the professionals who care for us, and feel assured that they are using our information to help others to care for us, treating information sensitively and appropriately. As an organisation, that deals with sensitive information we have to adhere to national regulations, which we are measured against, and heavy sanctions can also be evoked for any organisation breaching data security.
When dealing with sensitive data, we should ask, if it was me, how would I want my information treated and used?
WRITE TO US
•C heck, check and check again. In a time of modern technology, it’s tempting to rush through daily tasks and realise that you’ve sent an email to the wrong person/organisation. Always take that extra two minutes to check who you are sending information to. • Take time to ask yourself these questions: Do I need to send this information? Who actually needs to see it? Do they need all of the information or just some of it? A sense check before sending data is really important. •H andle data in accordance with Marie Curie policies and procedures (refer to Data Protection policy). Marie Curie Nurses have access to referral pads used to record details of the patients they visit. Nurses should return these to the Freepost address on the bottom of the forms to ensure these are destroyed confidentially following the Records Retention Policy. •S peak to your Data Guardian. If you are unsure how patient data should be used or shared, speak to your Hospice Manager or Regional Manager, who have received data security training, and will be able to give you additional guidance.
• Learn and Develop has some very helpful data protection information and courses. We have lots of existing good practice taking place across our hospices and Marie Curie Nursing Service. However, there are always improvements that can be made. Recent improvements include: • In our hospices: patient handover sheets can become attached to discharge information for our hospice patients, so we have changed the paper colour to help them be easily identifiable. • Across our hospices and Marie Curie Nursing Service: we have often faxed patient data to GP surgeries, sometimes resulting in information being sent to the wrong fax number. In England, we have replaced faxes with nhs.net email addresses and are working on a solution for the devolved nations. • All Marie Curie: as a standard, we now only use encrypted USB memory sticks and all our laptops, and computers have been programmed only to accept encrypted USB memory sticks. FOR MORE INFORMATION The policies referenced in this article are available on the intranet. If you do not have intranet access, ask your line manager.
Do you have a comment about the charity or one of our articles, or a suggestion for a story? Write to us at mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk. Comments and letters may be edited.
December 2013 People 19
Noticeboard 60 SECONDS WITH...
Staff Nurse Euna Macdonald married Tom van Kessel at the Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, on 8 October – the happy couple are now Mr and Mrs Mackessel. Euna is a staff nurse in day services at the Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh, while Tom works offshore as a cementer on the rigs in the North Sea. Euna and Tom held a wedding reception for friends and family in November in Edinburgh.
Shop volunteer Anne Boyde celebrated 10 years with the charity on her 80th birthday. She is pictured with Linda Cobain, Senior Manager at the Belmont Road Marie Curie Shop in Belfast, who presented her long service award.
WRITE TO US SUDOKU
Do you have a birth, wedding, civil partnership, retirement or long service to celebrate? Send details and a photo to mariecuriepeople@mariecurie.org.uk
To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or maths involved, just use logic to solve. Find the solutions on page 16.
Marie Curie People sudoku sponsored by: Create and solve your Sudoku puzzles for FREE. Play Sudoku and win prizes at:
prizesudoku.com
Heather Bryson Heather Bryson recently joined Marie Curie as Head of Human Resources (see page 2). Her previous roles include bouncer and, in her spare time, transporter of horse boxes. Q: How long have you worked for Marie Curie? Only since the middle of October. Q: What are the three most important aspects of your job? Listening and understanding others people’s point of view and needs; being pragmatic and flexible, and focusing on finding a reasonable solution; and keeping your professional knowledge up to date so, as a specialist, you can advise the organisation effectively. Q: Describe your typical day. Lots of meetings (informal and formal), and lots of emails and paper. I try to make sure the “urgent” doesn’t take up all my time – so the “important” gets done too. Q: What do you do when you’re not at work? My son Callum and daughter Rowan are at uni now. Rowan owns a horse and competes in dressage, and before she started uni this term, I spent most evenings down the stables, and most weekends driving a horse lorry to competitions. Now I’ve been able to rescue the garden from years of neglect, do some much needed DIY, and take our border terrier out for longer walks. Q: When was the last time you laughed? The latest Terry Pratchett book, Raising Steam. His books always make me laugh out loud – usually on the train commuting. Q: If you were an animal what would you be? I had no idea, so I did a quiz on the internet – I am a walrus! Q: What makes you happy? My kids, walking the dog with my hubby, a nice sunset, and fluffy towels after a long bath. Q: What makes you sad? Cruelty, small mindedness, other people being sad – I cry at sad films. Q: What did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut – then I realised I get sick on the gentlest of fairground rides. Q: What was your favourite childhood TV programme? The White Horses. It’s about a young girl visiting her uncle on a stud farm where Lipizzaner horses are raised. I still love the theme tune. Q: Tell us a fascinating fact about yourself. I used to work as a bouncer. Q: Which five people, alive or dead, would you like to invite to dinner? Jean-Luc Picard (yes, I know he’s not real), Doctor Who (the Christopher Eccleston version), Keanu Reeves (for dancing with), Michelle Obama (truly inspiring) and freedom of information campaigner Heather Brooke.
e i r u C 4 1 e 0 i 2 r g n a i s i a r M d n u Eve
F d n a s nt
Charity reg no. 207994 (England & Wales), issue S525 Charity reg no. 207994SC038731 (England(Scotland) & Wales),S525_MCP_December SC038731 (Scotland)
t e l k o o 4b . 1 e 0 v i 2 t c g in ta s i e a G r . d d n e Fu pir d s n n i a t s e G nt e v E r u 4 o 1 f 0 o 2 y s p o nt c e v e e e r / f k a .u Pick up riecurie.org a m t i s i v or