Life Magazine Autumn/Winter 2022

Autumn → Winter 2022

In this issue...

issue...

info@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

15 Boswall Road Edinburgh, EH5 3RW

0131 551 1381

Welcome!

to the Autumn/Winter 2022 edition of Life magazine.

Although we’ve largely overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19, we are very aware this year has not been an easy one for many. I couldn’t be prouder of the team for being so quick to adapt and change to new ways of working under every circumstance that we’ve faced as an organisation. Despite setbacks and conflicting demands our staff and volunteers have shown a willingness to embrace change and

have ensured a high level of care for all the families we support throughout.

I can barely believe we’re already turning our attention towards Christmas, and I hope that this year, the many families who were unable enjoy the festivities together due to restrictions are able to finally enjoy quality time together at such a special time of year.

We’ve seen a promising start to the financial year with patient levels

returning to pre-covid levels and the Hospice community remaining as supportive as ever with outstanding fundraising efforts and generous donations. Our Edinburgh Hospice at Home team is now established and provided almost 5000 home visits in the last 12 months, you can read more about our year in numbers on pages 13 and 14. We have been piloting new ways to deliver our wellbeing service and drawing

P.13 Our year in numbers

together plans for its future. To further diversify our income, we are exploring the feasibility of a social enterprise approach to ensure a more sustainable future and increase social impact.

We’ve also enjoyed a return to a more normal fundraising calendar, and I join our fundraising team in their joy at seeing the return of our favourite fundraising events this year. From hosting a lavish Black-Tie dinner at Archerfield Estate to enthusiastic teams taking to the water to battle it

out in our Dragon Boat Race and of course the up and coming Light up a Life Ceremonies (see p9), it’s been wonderful to see our incredible community getting behind our events and taking part in person again.

Finally, I would like to thank you. We are incredibly proud of the work we do at St Columba’s Hospice Care. It is a true privilege to support someone at the end of their life, allowing them to live every minute to the full and when the time comes, enabling a

dignified and peaceful death. Your unwavering support ensures that we can be there for anyone who needs us, helping them through one of the toughest times imaginable and supporting their loved ones who are left behind.

With heartfelt thanks,

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.9 Light up a life

P.15 Compassionate Neighbours: A tee-rific match

We were recently granted ethical approval for a pilot music and movement project, open to anyone with Parkinson’s disease and their carers. Over the course of six classes, participants will discover how music and movement

sessions can provide valuable social interactions as well as help strengthen movement coordination, promote confidence and prevent falls. We look forward to welcoming music practicioner, Monica Wilkinson, to the Hospice to deliver the sessions.

News from the Hospice

We're excited to announce Yunus Gokkir as the winner of the first St Columba’s Hospice Care Medal in Palliative Medicine for University of Edinburgh Year 5 Medical Undergraduates.

The competition was based on an essay submission of 500 words on the topic ‘What does Palliative Medicine mean to me’.

Yunus’ winning submission titled ‘The Cloakroom’ came out top and is available to view on our website. Yunus will receive his award at a special ceremony being held at the Hospice in October.

Congratulations to Emma and Euan Kelso from Dunfermline who braved the Tough Mudder obstacle course in Skipton, Yorkshire, to raise funds for the Hospice in memory of their Papa, Charlie Kelso, raising over £1300 in the process! Euan, said: “The

Hospice was fantastic in the care that they gave to my Papa and they were also really good with us. We thought it was about time we raised money for the Hospice because that’s the only way they can get by and provide the service that they do.”

Student Award

Dunfermline

duo take on challenge in memory of grandfather

Music and Movement Project for people with Parkinson’s disease

Our Patient Transport Vehicle is here!

W e’re delighted to be able to share our fantastic new Patient Transfer Vehicle! This bespoke van will give us the capacity to operate a pick-up and drop-off service for our patients and will greatly reduce our reliance upon the NHS ambulance service. The service will be launching

shortly so look out for this eye-catching member of the Hospice fleet on the streets soon! A huge thanks is due to our superstar supporter, Graham Lebeter (pictured), who came to us with this idea, and whose passion and dedication have been instrumental in making it a reality.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) –Exploring health and social care needs

A huge part of our current strategy, ‘Adapting to a Changing World’ focuses on ensuring our services reflect what our patients and families need. Over the coming months, we’ll be working closely with key health and social care providers to support a forum in which individuals living with DMD can get together and discuss their lived experiences.

Although still in the early planning phases, the sessions will be led by the participants and it’s hoped that first-hand knowledge and insights held by service users could be harnessed to not only improve, but to help deliver services available to people across Scotland living with DMD.

Have you got yourChristmas Cards yet?

ALL PROFITS SUPPORT OUR WORK!

This Christmas, we have an exciting collection of cards on offer including lots of new designs sure to appeal to all tastes. As always, we’ll have a selection of our popular Edinburgh themed cards, great for loved ones living locally or outside of the city. We also have a number of traditional designs from cute robins to snowmen! All cards are 100% recyclable and prices start at £4 for a pack of 10.

Top 5 Gifts For

This Christmas, we’re encouraging our supporters to give a gift that really matters and help local people living with life-limiting illnesses. All purchases made through our shops, online and in our café will help us continue to provide our vital services to those who need it most. Below we’ve listed our Top 5 Gifts for Christmas...

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Needle felting kit

Learn a new skill and make your own Christmas Gnomes!

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Gingerbread Brownie kit

This is a great gift for budding bakers and a lovely activity to do with the kids in the run up to Christmas (or you could always just make them to enjoy yourself!)

2 Dipsticks

A game for all the family –ideal for keeping everyone awake after an indulgent Christmas dinner or for when you have friends round...

Christmas

Pooch bow tie

‘Tis the season to add some glitz to your pooch’s wardrobe! The perfect festive accessory for your fourlegged friend.

Gisela Graham Apple Ginger Snap Candle

Bring the aroma of spiced berries into your home this Christmas, it’s guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit and comes in a lovely presentation box making it the perfect gift too!

Support your hospice...

We rely on our local community to help raise around 75% of our funding. Your support has never been needed more. You can do all of your Christmas shopping with the Hospice this year, knowing that the money from your purchases will help care for adults with life-limiting conditions across Edinburgh and Lothians. Shop our full range online, in our Iona Café or come along to our Christmas pop-up shop at 17 Boswall Road from 28th-30th October (Daily 10am-4.30pm).

Every year, we join with hundreds of people in our Hospice community to remember and celebrate the lives of our loved ones. This is an opportunity for everyone to remember someone they love, whether you have any prior connection with the Hospice or not.

During our services, the lights on our Christmas Tree of Remembrance will be lit, symbolising the lives of those we are remembering.

Your gift will not only Light up the Life of your loved one, but it will also help care for our patients and their loved ones this Christmas.

We hope you can join us at one of our Light up a Life ceremonies.

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30

45

£10 could provide a delicious hot Christmas dinner, catered to a patient’s individual needs

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

£45 could pay for a patient to have two-hour visit from a clinical support worker at Christmas

Dedicate a light to help people like Mar y

F or the last thirty years, Mary Moriarty has been a ‘well-kent’ face around Leith. From her spell as the publican in one of the Port’s most famous pubs, to the matriarch of the long running Leith Festival, there will hardly be a soul north of the St James’ Quarter who doesn’t know her! Following a cancer diagnosis, the most important thing to Mary was to be at home, in Leith, surrounded by her loved ones.

“I was diagnosed with cancer in June last year at the Western General and was referred to the Hospice following a course of radiotherapy. I didn’t have any prior connection or experience of the Hospice at all, I wouldn’t say I had a fixed idea of what it would be like because I’ve never really been ill before. I didn’t know what to expect but whatever expectations I had have been exceeded! The one thing I knew was I wanted to be cared for at home, that was the main thing for me and they’ve helped me do that.”

Home for Mary, and indeed for most people, is all about home comforts, and familiarity. Mary’s house is testament to a life well-lived; her walls are adorned with pictures of her with the great and the good of the Leith of yesteryear, including some now iconic images which have been immortalised into a mural in the Leith Theatre. From her bed, where she now spends most of her days, she has a clear view to a tree

her back garden, in which a remarkably well-groomed pigeon sits preening itself.

Mary tells us that the bird has been visiting her window for years, and she feeds it religiously. Her “wee friend”, or “the fattest pigeon in Leith”, depending on if you listen to Mary or her son Niall, is evidently a character in her daily life, and another reason she is glad to have been able to remain at home and retain some normality.

Mary continued: “The Hospice team have been coming out to see me for a couple of months now and they are wonderful. I never dreamed I would be looked after the way I have been, I’ve been mollycoddled. I feel lucky because I’m still here, and I’ve still got my lipstick, and I’ve still got my hairbrush and I’ve had splendid care. People are in and out visiting all the time, sometimes it’s like Waverly Station in here! The care I’ve had from the Hospice is absolutely top class, I can’t praise them enough”

Niall Brown, Mary’s son, lives with her and said: “Mum’s wish was to stay here, the Hospice building is just incredible, but she’s always had it in her head that she would want to stay at home. They’ve made that possible, the team have been great, she always has a laugh with them and nothing is too much. I’ve been offered support if I need it, my sister has appreciated the extra help too. In all honesty, we wouldn’t have got to this point without them, for example, Mum from the beginning said she didn’t want me to have to help with personal care which is completely understandable. They’ve come in and helped with that side of things ensuring she can maintain her dignity and that’s so important.

Eilidh Moriarty is Mary’s daughter and also helps out with her care, she said: I’ve been a carer for 8 years so I know the community and I have nothing but good things to say about the Hospice. The Hospice at Home team has been really good with my mum. She enjoys the company and shares lots of stories about her time running the Port of Leith, she’s no stranger to an interview, from local papers to National Geographic and she even got a British Empire Medal in 2014. When asked if she had any advice to anyone worried about a referral to the Hospice, Mary said: “Dinnae worry, go for it and enjoy it. What’s not to feel good about?”

Mary Moriarty died peacefully at home, surrounded by her loved ones on 3 October 2022. People from across Edinburgh and beyond showed up to pay their respects at a service in South Leith Parish Church on 25 October 2022. Mary will be fondly missed by all who knew her.

stcolumbashospice.org.uk/donate

Our Year in

TOTAL INCOME

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

group sessions were run by our Arts service team

people supported at the end of their lives to remain in their own home (44% increase on last year) average occupancy across the year

Numbers...

increase in referrals to our counselling

increase in the number of referrals to our clinical services over the course of 2021–22referrals to our Family Support Services

complementary therapy sessions delivered

delegates from across the world attended the Online Arts Symposium

Hospice at Home visits across Edinburgh wonderful volunteers supported our work

A tee-rific matc

Jimmy (94) was first introduced to the Hospice 18 years ago when his wife was being cared for as an inpatient. More recently he was referred to our Day Therapies service, then during lockdown he was identified as an individual who may benefit from our Compassionate Neighbours initiative. That’s when he was matched with Geoff, who has been volunteering with the Hospice for several years. The pair instantly hit it off…

"

I was introduced to Geoff in February 2021 so we’ve been ‘together’ for almost 18 months now. I know from looking at me you’d never guess he’s 30 years younger but we actually have so much in common and really hit it off from the moment we met, a couple of jokers! I think we’ve been lucky as we can talk about everything; golf, our travels, all the places we’ve been, golf, the current political situation in the country, music and did I mention golf? As much as we have a laugh, it’s a wide range of topics and it’s quite stimulating

conversation – a nice part of my week. I only really have two family members, a nephew in Australia and a niece in London, so the regular contact has been good because they are so far away.

"Geoff brings me music to listen to and we watch lots of YouTube clips together too. I’m currently living four weeks at home and then I go for respite for two weeks but no matter where I am, Geoff pays me a visit. The thing I like most about his visits is he’s genuine, he’s real and that’s what I like, people that call tatties tatties or a spade a spade. He’s a great man, he’s a friend now."

Geoff said: “Being a Compassionate Neighbour is definitely rewarding for me too. We were amongst the first batch of compassionate neighbours matched. At that time, because it was in the pandemic there was no in person visiting so we could only speak by phone or we had the occasional Facetime or WhatsApp call. I can still remember our first call because I didn’t know anything about Jimmy except that he was a

match...

golfer, so I had prepared a little prompt sheet with questions. Well, it was a complete waste of time because the minute I picked up the phone he was off and had no hesitation when it came to tearing apart my golf game, the prompt sheet went out the window! Luckily, it wasn’t like that for long and we we’re able to meet in person soon after, it’s probably been about a year now since we started to meet up face to face.

"Somebody once asked me, so how do you plan out your visits? They’re not planned, I just

arrive and it flows. Without a doubt, we have great conversations and we actually talk about what Compassionate Neighbours means for both of us, we’ve had that conversation more than once. It's about relationships and relationships are always two-way so I’ve never seen it as being all about me, giving something to Jimmy. I look forward to coming here, I think just as much as Jimmy looks forward to my visit, so it’s great for both of us."

Meet the team

In July, Community Fundraiser Diane Ewart travelled to, Kortgene, Netherlands to participate in the 2022 Skiffie Worlds, the World Championships for St Ayles Skiff Rowing.

RIGHT: Diane Ewart, Community Fundraiser

St Ayles Skiff boats are wooden boats, often built by the individual rowing clubs, and are rowed by 4 rowers and a cox. Diane has been rowing with the Eskmuthe Rowing club for the last 3 & a half years, and alongside her crew-mates, has been practicing at least twice per week for the last 6 months in preparation for the tournament!

I joined the club 3 and a half years ago as a way to get a bit of exercise into my weekly routine, as well as meeting new people and doing something a bit different to the gym etc! I was delighted to find that the club has a thriving social scene too, so I quickly made firm friends! I think that’s been something that’s helped us in this competition, because we’re all rowing for each other, and we love coming along to training every week.

Diane raced in 2 categories, the under 40s Women, and the under 40s Mixed, and progressed to the final with her crew in both! After 4 races, Diane’s team placed 9th overall in both categories, a tremendous achievement for her and her fellow rowers!

Diane’s oar-some skills have also been put to good use benefitting the Hospice as she joined the Hospice team, the ‘Cheeky Chefs’ in the recent Dragon Boat Race at Port Edgar!

LEFT: Diane was part of Team Cheeky Chefs in this year's Dragon Boat Race, competing in memory of Paul Walker, former head chef at the Hospice who died of cancer in April.

TOP RIGHT: Diane with members of the Eskmuthe Rowing Club

Hospice walkers

Community corner

Jodie, along with 16 friends and family, walked from Edinburgh to Linlithgow to raise money in memory of their family member and dear friend, Susan, who was cared for by the Hospice. They raised an incredible £3,690! Well done, and a massive thank you for supporting the Hospice!

Super supporters

pleased to be able to offer face to face talks again.

If you’re hosting a community event or need a speaker please do get in touch and remember to look out for our wonderful volunteers out and about across Edinburgh and East Lothian.

Our super supporters have been going the extra mile and we want to say a big thanks to everyone who raised money for the Hospice this year! Whether you baked, cycled, organised an event or anything in between, we are most grateful!

Community activity

Gaming for good

We’re delighted to be back out in our local community meeting supporters and letting you know about our new services and events. We had a great day at Trinity Gala, have enjoyed some bucket collections and are

Our supporter Liam has completed his 5th annual Twitch gaming livestream in memory of his uncle and dad, who were both cared for here at the Hospice. He raised an incredible £3,200 taking his total raised through livestream events to over £10,000

Gaming is a great way to raise funds and awareness of the work that we do. We can share our top tips and how to get started if you or someone you know wants to try out a Livestream in aid of the Hospice. We can even put you in touch with Liam!

Edinburgh Art Fair 2022

O2 Academy, Thursday 17th - Sunday 20th November.

We’re thrilled to have been invited to be involved with this year’s Edinburgh Art Fair.

The Edinburgh Art Fair is a renowned, international art fair held over four days at the O2 Academy, Edinburgh. Our Arts team are working on an exciting programme of art and music to

demonstrate how the arts play such an important role in hospice care. You can read more about the fair at artedinburgh.com

Day tickets are priced at £7.50 (£5 concession) and all funds from these sales are donated directly to the hospice.

If you’re interested in attending, please contact Diane at dewart@stcolumbashospice.org.uk .

fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk or call 0131 551 1381.

Jodie and friends walked 22 miles to raise £3,690 for the hospice

Some of our patient's artwork will be available at this year's Edinburgh Art Fair

Corporate corner

It’s been another successful few months of fundraising for our corporate partners, with a variety of events taking place!

Barratt’s raised £33,800 through their annual Golf Day and Staff Summer Fun Day, including a generous £15,000 in match funding!

Intercontinental The George Hotel added ‘invisible’ chips and coffees to their menus, and so far, their kind customers have raised over £450!

The Dragon Boat Race made a welcome return to the Firth of Forth in August, with both new and returning corporate teams taking part, and collectively raising over £12,000 for the Hospice!

Congratulations to the Wave Project, who were worthy winners on the day! We have also welcomed back many corporate volunteer groups over the summer months including Aegon, Barratt’s, ABRDN, Standard Life, HSBC who have done everything from gardening, painting or shed assembly to car washing.

If you, your colleagues or friends would like to find out more about Dragon Boat Racing, corporate Volunteering, or becoming a charity partner, please email Amanda at asouthey@ stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Enthusiatic corporate volunteers got stuck in helping with our car wash fundraiser

The team from Aegon spent the day painting outdoors and picked the perfect day for it!

P ay Roll Giving/ GAYE (Give as you earn) is a simple but effective way to support St Columba’s Hospice Care. It’s a flexible scheme which allows anyone who pays UK income tax to donate regularly to charities and good causes tax free. Payroll giving donations are deducted from your monthly pay before tax, so each £1 you give will only cost

Did you know..? Get Involved!

you 80p and if you are a higher rate tax payer it will only cost you 60p. You can speak to your employer if you're interested in supporting the Hospice with a regular monthly payment. Every penny you donate will help the Hospice provide vital care and support to patients and families across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

If you are part of a corporate organisation and would like to know more about a partnership with the Hospice please get in touch with Amanda Southey (asouthey@stcolumbashospice.org.uk).

www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

2022Events

Take a look at some of our Events over the last 12 months. Thank you to everyone who has either taken part or donated!

Our events calendar for next year is just as eventful and will include : Dook a day, Edinburgh Marathon, A walk to Remember, Art Exhibition, Firewalk, It’s a knockout, Kiltwalk plus our new look pub quiz..!

TOP: The Celtic Challenge

CENTRE: Edinburgh Marathon Festival BOTTOM: The Celtic Challenge

More towayshelp

1Leave a gift in your will

A gift in your will is an extremely generous, thoughtful and caring way to give vital funds to the Hospice. It ensures a good quality of life to all our patients long into the future.

We understand that your loved ones always come first, so please make sure they are provided for. As little as just 1% of what is left over could make a big difference to us.

If you are able, please think of the Hospice and help us to continue to be there for the local community for years to

come.Every year the Hospice relies on income received from legacies to provide services free of charge to people from the local community with life-limiting illnesses. The care of one in four of our patients is covered by gifts in wills.

If you have already made provision for the Hospice in your will – thank you. If you would like to let us know this, in strictest confidence, we would love to hear from you so that we can thank you during your lifetime.

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2Stamp and coin collections

Do you have foreign currency left after a holiday, some old currency rattling around in a drawer, or a stamp collection in your loft?

We can turn these into valuable donations to help us provide vital Hospice care. Donations can be handed in to the Hospice reception or any of our charity shops, marked for the attention of the Fundraising Team.

Give a home to a collection tin

In pre-Covid times, the Hospice raised more than £40,000 each year through collection tins, but due to restrictions, with shops and business premises being shut for many months, this source of income has dropped dramatically. We’re now looking for businesses to again support us by taking a tin. It’s a simple way for any public facing company to support the Hospice and help us bring in valuable funds.

Get in touch with fund@ stcolumbashospice.org.uk if you can help!