Life Magazine Spring/Summer 2023

Welcome!

to the Spring/Summer 2023 edition of Life magazine.

Welcome to the Spring/Summer edition of Life Magazine. As we welcome another spring at the Hospice, we’ve taken time to reflect on the past few years. We have all seen so many changes throughout what has been a difficult time; changes to our routines and how we go about our daily lives, staff sickness and ongoing recruitment difficulties. One thing that hasn’t changed is our team’s commitment to

putting our patients first and delivering the very best care at the most important time.

And while we have faced many challenges, both personally and as an organisation, we have learnt so much. We're pleased to be shining a light on a successful new service, the Access Team – read about the important role they play in making sure people in our community get the care they need on page 13.

We had a wonderful close to 2022 with our Light up a Life appeal raising a phenomenal £115,000. I would like to thank you all for your generosity and support. We are incredibly proud of the work we do at St Columba’s Hospice Care, it’s a true privilege to support someone at the end of their life and we are honoured to fulfil that role within our local community.

Coming up this year, we have a variety of events in the planning, from the

P.14 Hospice History

return of our Dook a Day cold water challenge in May, to an exciting new route for our Cycle France challenge in September. We’ll also be hosting our popular Art Exhibition in the autumn and inviting people to sign up for charity places in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival and Scottish Half. There really is something for everyone so please take a look at our full events calendar on page 21 for more details.

We’re also delighted to bring you details of our Summer Appeal on page 15 which focuses

on the work we’ve been doing throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians to support children and their families through bereavement. Fresh from winning a Hospice UK Award, our Family Support Team continue to work in partnership with other hospices, nurseries, schools, Child Bereavement UK and others, collaborating to influence change at a national level. A huge congratulations to the team for gaining national recognition for their hard work.

On behalf of everyone at the Hospice, thank you for your support. So many people come together to make the work of the Hospice possible, I’d like each and every one of you to know you are a vital part of something truly incredible.

With best wishes for 2023,

Jackie Stone CEO

P.s. When it comes to delivering world class palliative care, your feedback is invaluable to us. We want to know what’s important to you. So, if you have comments or concerns about any aspect of our service please get in touch by emailing info@stcolumbashospice.org.uk.

P.16 Summer Appeal 2023

P.9 Call for Vintage Donations

Volunteers on New Year’s Honours

At the beginning of the year, we were delighted to learn that two of our fabulous volunteers, Mavis Little and Carol Graham, have been awarded MBEs for services to the community. Everybody here is so proud of them receiving this well-deserved recognition. The ceremony will take place later this year.

Sunflower Scotland: Compassion and donations

We were delighted to receive a certificate of thanks from voluntary organisation Sunflower Scotland, for our contribution to the 150 tonnes of aid which was sent directly from Edinburgh to cities in Ukraine last year. As a cause close to the hearts of many staff and volunteers, we'd like to extend a thank you to

everyone involved for their invaluable support, help, compassion and donations.

Hospice news

Cooking up a storm!

Once home to our Education and Research centre, we’re excited to be opening our modern and spacious building, No.17, to the public for meeting, event, and conference hire. Conveniently located next to the Hospice, No.17 boasts views across the Firth of

Forth and offers fully accessible meeting room facilities for your in-person or hybrid meeting, conference or training event. To find out more, discuss your requirements or arrange a visit, please contact education@ stcolumbashospice.org.uk

We’ve been slaving away over a hot stove cooking up something special for later this year, our very own cookbook! Titled ‘Generous’, the book contains favourite recipes from local eateries, chefs and celebrities, as well as some from the great and the good of the Hospice community! Copies will be available from Autumn so watch this space for news of stockists.

Venue Hire @ No.17

Our new Patient Transfer Vehicle is now in operation, supporting patient transfers across Edinburgh and East Lothian and helping people attending our wellbeing or outpatient activities. This new service has drastically cut our reliance on NHS ambulance services and has also reduced waiting times for our patients.

Music and Arts for All

Our Arts service has been busier than ever in recent months. With the appointment of our community artists. Alongside music therapy and art psychotherapy students from Queen Margaret University, there are a variety of creative opportunities for all within and beyond the walls of the Hospice.

With the aim of promoting patient and family wellbeing, our team provides one-to-one sessions and group classes throughout the week. Our dedicated arts studio offers a unique space for everyone

to engage with their creativity through in-person and/or online work. No previous musical or artistic experience or skill are required to participate.

Visitors to the Hospice can also enjoy the exhibition spaces, displaying curated works from patients and members of the public alike. And reaching beyond the walls of the hospice, the Arts Team are working with diverse local community groups. Building connection and curiosity to explore and support people’s experiences and to promote their wellbeing is at the heart of our creative work.

If you’d like to find out more or register, you can book your place through the Wellbeing calendar on the Hospice website or by emailing the Arts Team at arts@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Community corner

School partnerships

Celebrating the life of Mary Moriarty

The team at Leith Festival came together in January to host an evening of live music to celebrate the life of Mary, locally known as the Queen of Leith. Mary’s story featured in our Light up a Life appeal in December; she sadly died at the end of last year. Mary’s friends remembered her, whilst also raising a fantastic £700 for the Hospice.

Thank you to Jai and the team for making it such a successful event!

We are delighted to have been selected as their Charity partner of Cargilfield Prep School this year. Community Fundraisers, Diane and Alex visited the school to share with some of the pupils how our services are run, and what a difference their fundraising will make.

If your school is interested in a tailored talk, exploring what hospice care looks like, or to hear more about our newly launched Schools Partnership programme, we’d love to hear from you – fund@ stcolumbashospice.org.uk.

Fundraisers Diane and Alex were delighted to be invited to be part of an assembly at Cargilfield Prep School

Mary’s good friend, Rita, presents Alex with their fundraising total.

Edinburgh Art Fair

We were honoured to be one of the chosen charities at the ‘EAF 22’ in November. It was a buzzing four days, full of incredible art, music performances (featuring our own Arts Lead, Giorgos) and networking for our own Art Exhibition. Sales and donations

over the weekend amounted to over £4,000 for the Hospice! Thank you to Andy McDougall, the artists that donated their work and ABRDN for their donation of artwork, which made this event such a success.

Young supporters

Young hospice supporter, Lucas visited the Hospice after Christmas to donate his well-loved PlayStation 4. The gaming console will be used in one of our

specially designed family suites on the wards. Thank you Lucas for helping make our building a home-fromhome for our patients and their families!

Hospice Pub Quiz

The much-loved Pub Quiz returned in November, in an exciting new venue at the Shore in Leith. Our infamous Tombola table stole the show again, with fantastic prizes on offer, from Ted Baker Gift sets to Champagne. The Pub Quiz returns again in

November, with a regular spot on our events calendar. To be the first to know when tickets go live, get in touch at fund@ stcolumbashospice.org. uk or keep an eye on our socials.

If you’d like to get involved with fundraising, help out with our community activities or learn more, contact our community fundraisers Alex and Diane by emailing fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk or call 0131 551 1381.

Lucas’ sister, Ella, also raised money last year by selling drawings to neighbours!

The Barologist in Leith is the host for our new-look Pub Quiz

The Hospice’s exhibition stand ready for preview night

Call for donations!vintage

We have six charity shops across Edinburgh and the Lothians, selling a wide range of pre-loved items...

But in an age where authenticity and originality are prized, we’re finding vintage goods are increasingly the most sought after by our customers. In fact, the demand for vintage goods has increased so much that our Leith store schedules its vintage days to coincide with

local flea markets, with the most recent in-store event raising over £1600. On average, an item of vintage clothing sells for around 30% more than secondhand goods, with some rare pieces fetching hundreds! Could you have any items sitting in your attic or wardrobe that you could donate?

Are you able to donate...

Clothing: Scottish cashmere, Scandinavian knitwear, 90s casual/sportswear...

Clothing Labels: Bernat Klein (sells for hundreds), Jaeger, Liberty, Laura Ashley, Monsoon...

Homewares:

Mid-century pottery (50s/60s), brightly patterned mid-century curtains/linen, coloured glassware...

Traditional views of vintage clothing may conjure up flares or maxi dresses. Vintage homewares may bring to mind floral tea sets or crystal sherry glasses. Whilst these items are certainly saleable, would you be surprised to know that clothing from the 1990s is now considered vintage and

hugely in demand by students? Or that 50s/60s homewares are now the most desirable? Listed above are the most popular and in demand vintage items and if you have any, or other items which date from the 1930s to 1990s, we would love to have them!

Donate now!

If you would like to donate any vintage items, please email shops@ stcolumbashospice.org.uk or call Marie Perth on 07920865436

Corporate corner

Once again our charity partners, workplace supporters and volunteers have gone above and beyond with their amazing fundraising, donations and support for the Hospice. We could not be more grateful!

Our partnership with Barratt’s continues into 2023, and to date they’ve raised a staggering £100,000 through their staff fundraising and match funding! This amazing total will help us to continue to care for patients with life-limiting illnesses in our local communities and their families.

Join us for one of the biggest events in our calendar our fantastic Dragon Boat Race on the 9th of September at Port Edgar Marina. Dragon Boating is an adrenaline pumping water sports activity. Crews of up to 17 people compete in 250m races.

Each boat has a drummer beating in time to keep the paddlers in unison and a helmsperson in the stern to guide the boat. No prior Dragon Boating experience is required. If you, your colleagues or friends would like to ‘sea’ how you would fare at Dragon Boating you can contact asouthey@ stcolumbashospice. org.uk for more information on this year’s event.

As Spring approaches we are looking forward to welcoming back many volunteering groups from various different companies over the next few months.

The team from Barratt's celebrate raising £100,000 for the Hospice

The Hospice team makes an 'oar-some' attempt to win their heat!

Thank you to our corporate partner!

NVT Group and St Columba’s have a long-standing working relationship, so we’re absolutely delighted that they chose us to be their Charity of the Year for 2023. We’re looking forward to a terrific

year of activities and events to raise both vital funds and awareness of the work we do. We really can’t thank the team at NVT enough for choosing to support us!

Thank you!

With many of our voluntary income channels either curtailed or stopped due to the pandemic, we were delighted that over 50 Trusts and Foundations responded very positively to our applications for support over the past year. We are truly grateful for this support.

NVT Group’s Irene Simmons, Graham Stevenson and Oscar Barr visiting St Columba’s Hospice Care

M eet t h e A cc e s s T e am

Our Access Team are usually the first people you’ll speak to about a referral to our services. The team has been developed to offer a flexible and responsive single point of contact to all referrals and new or urgent clinical enquiries, responding to requests for advice and information from patients, supporters, families, colleagues and other health and social care services.

We offer timely access to advice and support to ensure people are directed to the most appropriate team to best support their needs. That could be the community team, Hospice at Home, inpatient beds, wellbeing, or any of our other supportive care services. We also manage the inpatient waiting list and admissions into our beds and provide urgent clinical

Being able to talk to a member of the hospice Access Team at length has made a huge difference in calming my nerves and anxiety as well as providing clear information of next steps

Here for you...

advice for people not scheduled for contact that day.

Our aim is to get people to the right support as quickly and as easily as possible, so that they can live as they choose for as long as they can. That includes support for the family and carers of the person who is ill; we’re only a phone call away when they need advice or a bit of extra support.

I felt very supported and 100% listened to by the access team. I’ve been reassured and I'm confident in how the Hospice will be able to help my mum as her illness progresses, in turbulent, uncertain times, this is a real anchor.

The Access Team is available Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm (except bank holidays). You can call us direct on 0131 551 7751 . If the line is busy, please leave us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Your call is important to us.

Hospice history

How Challenger Lodge got its name

Challenger Lodge will no doubt be a familiar sight to anyone who has visited the Hospice, but what is probably less well known, is how the magnificent building got its name! We recently welcomed a visit from Charles Marriot, a descendent of the man who named it, Sir John Murray. Charles had been researching his grandmother’s life and wanted to see the house where she and his great aunts (Sir John’s children) had lived so happily, for so many years.

Sir John Murray was born to Scottish parents in Ontario, Canada and decided to move to Scotland to study medicine when he was just 17. Whilst travelling across the Atlantic, he became fascinated by the ocean and resolved to study it instead. He became an amateur scientist and studied at Edinburgh University.

In 1872, the opportunity arose for the then 30-yearold John to join a round-the-world trip funded by the Admiralty which was charged with ascertaining the

depths of the oceans and preparing some maps for the Royal Navy. The name of the ship was HMS Challenger. He became eminent in his field and the science of Oceanography is widely believed to have been started by him. Later in life, John re-named his home on Boswall Road ‘Challenger Lodge’ after the ship, and it has kept its name ever since.

Summer Appeal 2023

At St Columba’s Hospice Care, we know that coping with a life-limiting illness and the changes it brings can be a huge challenge for everyone.

Every child is unique and will cope with the death of someone important in their own way. That is why our Family Support Team offers care, advice and support for children and young people affected by the incurable illness of any adult in their lives.

Over the course of the pandemic, we saw a very significant 54% increase in referrals to our service. As a result, we’ve been thinking about how we can best use our resources for maximum impact. This summer, your generous donations could help us ensure that children and young people across Edinburgh and the Lothians get the appropriate pre and post bereavement support, at the right time, to enable them to process grief in their own way.

Our dedicated Child and Family Lead Donna, helps children and young people work through their feelings with other family members so that they will:

• Feel included

• Feel less isolated

• Trust in what adults are telling them

• Have time to talk about the situation, ask questions and build memories

• Be more prepared for what lies ahead

Donna, who has worked with the Hospice for almost 5 years said:

During my time here the number of sessions provided to patients, carers, children and young people has continued to increase year-on-year. Outwith directly working with children and families, we’re also making huge strides through

our outreach work with nurseries and schools across the community. Our aim is to provide psychoeducation sessions around Grief, Loss and Bereavement and to raise awareness of the support we are able to provide.”

£ 50

£ 30

£ 130

£ 10

£30 could pay for an hour-long session with a counsellor or chaplain for a patient or their loved ones

£10 could help a family create ‘a little box of big thoughts’ so a bereaved child will never forget how much they were loved

£50 could help pay for a personalised comfort and support pack, providing lasting comfort for a child or young person

£130 could provide a half a day of specialist nursing support to help a patient manage their pain and return to the comfort of their own home with their loved ones

stcolumbashospice.org.uk/donate

For this edition of Life, we sat down with Dariusz Wedge, the newest member of our Compassionate Neighbours team!

Meet the

So Dariusz, tell us a little bit about you!

I’m Dariusz, and I’m from a town called Elk in Poland. The area is surrounded by forests and hills and is known as ‘The Green Lungs of Poland’, which I think is where I get my love of running and swimming! I ran the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for the Hospice last year!

And what brought you to St Columba's Hospice Care?

I was looking for a part-time job, and I saw the job with the Compassionate Neighbours team, and immediately I was drawn to it. How often do you see a job with ‘compassion’ in the title?! It felt like someone

who knew me, my story and my experiences really well, had written a role description for my perfect job for me, so of course I applied, and it went from there!

You’re now full-time with us, so it’s safe to assume you’re enjoying the job?

I am! I love doing what I am doing on a human level, not just as a job. I spend my days meeting people, creating meaningful connections, and really feeling like I can make an impact. And I feel like in the Hospice, and in our community, I am surrounded by really good people, the type of people who go the extra mile to look out for each other and be empathic to those around them. Every day they teach me how to live and be the best version of myself.

team

Dariusz will also be featured in ‘Generous’ the St Columba’s Hospice Care cookbook, which is coming out later this year!

Leaving a gift in your Will

The kindness shown to me, my wife and family when this awful thing happened. Professional support from everyone was exceptional. The care provided is second to none. My wife and I think you must go to a special place to find your staff...

Legacies are a wonderful way to support the future of the Hospice and help ensure we can be there when people in our community need us. After ensuring loved ones are looked after, many people choose to remember charities in their Will. By choosing to leave a gift to St Columba’s Hospice Care, you will ensure that we can be there for our patients, their families and carers in years to come.

Gifts from Wills are incredibly powerful and crucial to making healthcare better for everyone. You could change someone’s future by supporting your local hospice. If you’re interested in finding out more, the first step is contacting your solicitor to start the process of making a Will. If you already have a will, you can speak to your solicitor about adding a codicil to include the Hospice.

For an informal chat with one of our friendly team you can contact Lianne at lpryde@stcolumbashospice.org.uk or call 0131 551 1381

There are a few ways to leave a gift but the most popular are either leaving a percentage of your estate (known as a residual gift) or stating a specific sum (known as a pecuniary gift). We would suggest you talk it over with your solicitor.

If you have remembered the Hospice in your Will, we’d love to hear from you. Not only will this help us make plans for the future, it also means we can thank you properly for your kind support. Anything you tell us will be confidential and not legally binding.

Our full name: St Columba’s Hospice Care

Our charity number: SC003634

Our registered address: 15 Boswall Road, Edinburgh, EH5 3RW

If you don’t have a solicitor the Law Society can help you find one. Visit www.lawscot.org.uk/find-a-solicitor

Event calendar

Edinburgh Marathon Festival

27th and 28th May

Looking for the ultimate challenge? Sign up for a charity space to run a full or half marathon, relay, 10km or 5km race. Sign up at edinburghmarathon. com/charity/st-columbashospice

Dook a Day

Throughout May

Can you brave a cold water dip every day throughout May? If so, this event is for you! Free to register, with a minimum fundraising target of only £100, join like-minded people in our closed Whatsapp group and keep each other motivated. Register at register.enthuse.com/ps/ event/ DookaDayinMay2023

A Walk to Remember

June–July

Throughout summer, walk to remember a loved one. Choose your route, distance, and when you complete the walk, whilst raising money for St Columba’s Hospice Care. Free to register and no minimum fundraising target.

It’s a Knockout

Saturday 24th June

Archerfield, East Lothian Teams of 6-10 are invited to sign up to this ‘It’s a Knockout’ international inflatable extravaganza! Come along and try this fun obstacle course in the beautiful grounds of the Archerfield Walled Garden. Kids now invited to take part in a junior round! register.enthuse.com/ps/

Edinburgh Kiltwalk

Sunday 17th September

Don some tartan and take on ‘The Mighty Stride’, ‘The Big Stroll’ or the ‘The Wee Wander’ while enjoying some of Edinburgh and Lothian’s most beautiful sights.

This year, entry has been discounted to only £20! thekiltwalk.co.uk/events/ edinburgh

Dragon Boat Race

Saturday 9th September

Port Edgar Marina

Join our team building event this September, as we get Fired up on the Forth! Dragon boating is an adrenaline pumping, water sports activity. Crews of up to 17 people compete in 250m races. Each boat has a drummer beating time to keep the paddlers in unison, and a helmsperson in the stern to guide the boat.

No prior Dragon Boating experience is required. For more info contact Amanda on asouthey@ stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Scottish Half Marathon/10km

Sunday 24th September

East Lothian

Both routes take you along the magnificent East Lothian Golf Coast before finishing in the final furlong at Musselburgh Racecourse; Scotland’s oldest racecourse. A great flat route to work on your personal best - come and be a part of it! scottishhalfmarathon. com/half

France Coast to Coast

5th-11th September (includes travel days)

An unforgettable crossing of France in five days, cycling from the east to west coast (300 miles). Accommodation, food, support and guided route all included.

Art Exhibition

27th-29th October

St Columba’s Hospice

Join us at No. 17 Boswall Road for our highly anticipated annual Art Exhibition. Enjoy the beautiful views over the

Firth of Forth while browsing the wonderful pieces of artwork provided by over 40 local artists.

Pub Quiz

Thursday 23rd November

The Barologist, Leith

Join us at The Barologist, a unique and quirky venue situated on Commercial Street in Leith for another night full of brain stretching fun, food, tombola and raffles.

Jump into January

January 2024

Jump into January with our brand new skipping challenge. Complete 100 skips every day throughout the month, to raise money for the Hospice. Sign up for just £5 and receive a free skipping rope!

Dinner to make a Difference

Friday 1st March 2024

Sheraton Hotel

Save the date for a night of eating, drinking, fundraising and dancing –more details to follow, but you can email cbolt@ stcolumbashospice.org.uk to note your interest.

Light up a Life event

December

Charlotte Square Gardens

Nestled in the centre of Edinburgh, the Tree of Remembrance will sparkle throughout the festive season. Dedicate a light on the Tree to celebrate the memory of a loved one and join us for the tree lighting ceremony.

For more info...

For more information on any of our events, or to register, contact Claire at cbolt@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Keep in touch with us online for our latest news: www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

facebook.com/stcolumbas

@StColumbas

@st.columbas.hospice

→ St Columba’s Hospice Care 15 Boswall Road Edinburgh

EH5 3RW

T: 0131 551 1381

E: fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Copyright © 2023 St Columba’s Hospice Care. All rights reserved. Registered in Scotland N° 48700. Charity N° SC003634

On the cover: Dariusz Wedge Design: monumentum.co.uk

If you would like to receive your edition of Life via email rather than post, please let us know by contacting fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk