Impact How supportyoulocal hospice care Compassion in action AUTUMN 2022
Dr Gill Au Medical Director
2 WELCOME Dear Friend,
Hello, and a very warm welcome to this latest edition of our Impact Newsletter
It was just wonderful to see so many of our supporters enjoying our beautiful gardens this summer at our first Memory Meadow event. Many people support our work in memory of someone who we have cared for, and there are so many ways we are able to help celebrate the lives of those you love, whether it’s a donation in lieu of flowers, an online tribute page or a leaf on our very special Memory Tree. We also hold events where you can remember those you love, including Blackpool Memory Walk and Light Up a Life. However you have supported us this summer, thank you.
We have enjoyed a fantastic spring and summer of super fundraising thanks to your efforts – whether you’ve taken part in one of our events or held your own, joined the Hospice Lottery or made a donation. However you have chosen to support us recently, thank you so much. Here at Trinity, I continue to be amazed at the passion and commitment our teams show to ensure our services continue to deliver outstanding care to all who need them during difficult times. And we simply wouldn’t be here, supporting all who need us across the Fylde coast, if it wasn’t for your support and generosity.
We are proud of how we have responded to the challenges the last couple of years have thrown at us, reaching out and supporting more patients and families than ever. Read on to learn more about just some of the great work our teams have been doing across all our Trinity services over the past few months. I love hearing about the incredible things our community does to support our work – from jumping out of planes and long-distance fundraising to music concerts and sporting events!
3 Inside this issue... 2 Welcome from our Medical Director Hospice news We’re all fundraisers Our special thanks Join us for Santa Dash Bride’s colourful run in memory Join Blackpool Memory Walk for free The latest from Brian House Garden donation in memory of Brian Welcoming families in memory172214191210242784 Write your Will for free IMPACT MAGAZINE 2022 Support us while you shop18 Celebrating our volunteers30
We have always been well supported by our CCGs, which have taken the time to comment on our Quality Accounts to praise our efforts over the last two years. They say: “The high quality of service and dedication of the staff is demonstrated throughout the Quality Accounts, and the CCGs would like to relay their gratitude for maintaining such a high level of patient safety during the challenging times of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the restoration of services across the system.”
Here at Trinity Hospice, we have a contract with the former Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for Blackpool and Fylde and Wyre to provide palliative and end-of-life care across the Fylde coast.
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They continue: “The CCGs recognise the challenges Trinity have faced over the last two years, and will continue to face for the foreseeable future, while the Fylde coast, and country as a whole, continues to deal with the consequences of the pandemic…”
As a local hospice, we are incredibly proud of everything we have achieved and look forward to realising our goals over the next year. We are thrilled to have received such recognition and warm comments from our healthcare commissioners.
Hospice news
Our Quality Accounts reflect on our achievements over the last 12 months and set out our ambitions for the next 12 months. They are available on our website.
We’re proud to be working with hospice colleagues across the North West to provide a united approach to those who commission hospice care. Working with the eight hospices providing expert care in our region, we have created Lancashire and South Cumbria Hospices Together. It means we are one voice, driving improvement and increasing awareness of the importance of a good death, wherever you are, for our healthcare partners.
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Our team working at Blackpool Victoria Hospital has helped to prevent patients needing end-of-life care being admitted when their wish was to die elsewhere.
We are now working to have a syringe driver permanently in place in the department so patients can receive end-of-life pain relief as soon as possible, and we’re working with teams to get them trained to use the equipment. We’re thrilled that this project has been shortlisted for a Quality Improvement Award at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We’ve been working alongside the Emergency Department of the hospital for the last year, where we’ve been able to assess patients who are nearing the end of their life. If their wish was to spend their final days at home or in a care home and they didn’t have any complications, we have been able assess their reason for attending the emergency department and get them safely back to their preferred place without an admission onto a ward. Of the 69 patients referred to the team who visited the Emergency Department towards the end of their life, we were able to get 19 (28%) to an alternative, more appropriate care environment on the same day. That saved the Trust 78 ‘acute bed days’.
Supporting our partners at the hospital
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We are proud of the work we do to support people living with dementia and those who care for them. Trinity has always had strong links with local organisations which support people with dementia, and last year we introduced our own Dementia Lounge here at the hospice. Led by our Admiral Nurse, this monthly information event is the perfect chance to make friends with people in similar circumstances and get expert advice and support about the progression of the disease and local help available.
A trip memorydownlane To celebrate our work, we invited some of the people we support to join us for a special trip down memory lane on a Heritage Tram with fish and chips as part of Dementia Action Week. It was a wonderful afternoon. Thanks to Blackpool Transport and Harry Ramsdens Blackpool for their support.
Nic Lewis’s latest adventure on two wheels took her from London to Amsterdam in a four-day challenge that saw her covering more than 90 miles a day! Her previous achievements include our London to Paris Cycle and Great Wall of China Trek in 2018 and climbing Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya the following year. But as Covid hit, Nic took time off from her adventure challenges to cope with the bigger one presented by the virus. Earlier this year she took on our Couch to 5k and then the Beaverbrooks Blackpool 10K Fun Run to help her on her way for the big cycle.
A nurse’s adventure from London to Amsterdam
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She said: “I’ve worked at Trinity for more than six years now, with the last two years being a huge struggle as a result of Covid. “My colleagues and I worked continuously throughout the pandemic to support people at the end of life. “The hospice has taken a financial hit due to the pandemic and that is why I am raising money for this much needed local charity.” And despite being an incredibly hard cycle, Nic rode to victory among the windmills and fields of Amsterdam.
One of our own, who is no stranger to gruelling challenges, has completedrecentlyan epic bike ride for Trinity Hospice – where she is proud to work as a Senior Staff Nurse on our In-patient Unit.
9 “I was in pain afterwards – my whole body ached! It was warm and there are no hills so it was constant peddling for nine hours a day! “But we saw some amazing sights, especially through the Netherlands – they’ll stay with me forever. And it was such a good feeling to reach the finish line (even though we then had to cycle another three miles to our hotel!). 9 You can still support Nic’s cycle at www.justgiving.com/nicola-lewis68 “I can’t believe I’ve done it, and ticked another ride off my list in support of the amazing charity I have the privilege to work for.”
Lesley Atherton took our Colour Run to the extreme, completing the beach run in her wedding dress to create a colourful gown which she will treasure.
A very special colour run for one of our supporters
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“I got married in October last year, after postponing the wedding twice due to Covid,” she said. “I’d thought about doing a ‘wreck the dress’ photoshoot, but when I saw the Colour Run I knew it would make the dress look incredible and would be a really fun way to remember mum and my friend. “It’s just something wacky, but I had no idea just how colourful – and amazing – the dress would look. It was also extremely heavy! “It did make the run harder, but all the way around I could just imagine what Mum and my friend would be saying. Mum would have said ‘what ARE you doing?!’ and both would just be howling. But they were with me all the way.”
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Lesley asked friends to support her run, with a modest target of £80. She said: “I set a low target because times are hard enough for people, I didn’t want my friends or family to feel pressured to sponsor me when everything else is so much of a struggle. “But I raised £260! I can’t believe it! I never expected to raise so much, and I’m so pleased because I know that it will help other families like ours at such an incredible place.”
Lesley has been a Trinity supporter since we cared for her mum, Carol, in 1997. But her Colour Run had even more meaning as she also took part in memory of her friend, who died in 2020. And when she signed up for this year’s event, she knew she had just the thing to make it extra special.
Walk in
FOR
This year, we’ve made the decision to make entry to Blackpool Memory Walk completely free. memory FREE!
Gather your friends and family and prepare for a walk along the promenade – we can’t wait to see you there.
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Join us for a five or eight mile walk on Saturday 8th October under the world famous Illuminations in memory of someone you’ve loved and lost in our brightest memory event. We know it’s been a tough couple of years and as the cost of living continues to increase, we recognise there are a lot of people in our community who have lost someone close to them without the chance to say goodbye. We hope that by making this bright and meaningful event free, you will be able to join us in celebration of the lives of your loved ones and raise sponsorship for your walk so we can continue to provide outstanding specialist hospice care to all who need it. And you’ll get a bespoke event t-shirt and a finisher’s medal.
13 Sister DadNan Son Family Daughter INCLUDES FREE TSHIRT & MEDA L REGISTER ONLINE TODAY WWW.TRINITYHOSPICE.CO.UKAT OR CALL 01253 359362 BL ACKPOOL Walk together in-memory of those you’ve lost... and raise vital funds for your local hospice. FREE ENTRY SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2022
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Debra’s story
My husband Brian came into Trinity in April 2021. His initial thoughts were to die at home, but after spending a week at Trinity for symptom management, he saw for the first time how things were. The staff put him at ease; nothing was too much trouble. He loved the fact they looked after me too.The staff accommodated me so I could spend the last few nights with him.
He used to love being wheeled around the beautiful garden – the tranquil setting was perfect. Staff were on hand for everything. We can’t thank Trinity enough for what they did for us in his final days. The support was immense, and it made things more bearable.
We’re extremely grateful to Debra for not only sharing Brian’s story, but also for entering Trinity Hospice into a competition with Dobbies Garden Centres to win garden resources for our charity. She did this because of the peace Brian found in our gardens – his favourite place while he was with us. We’re thrilled to say we won, and our volunteers are looking forward to getting stuck in with our new equipment!
15 £5 a month could help Trinity Hospice nurses to provide tailored care that meets a person’s individual needs £10 a month is enough for a nurse in our hospital team to make a difficult phone call £16 a month could pay for a nurse to care for an hour on our In-patient Unit £28 a month is enough for a nurse to spend an hour with a patient at home during the night Sponsor an amazing nurse like Kellie, visit www.trinityhospice.co.uk/sponsor-a-nurse
Mum didn’t get the chance to talk about what she wanted when she’d gone. It meant me and my family – my dad, brother and sister – had to make decisions in the hope it’s what she would have wanted. Mum’s diagnosis came as a shock. She’d had breast cancer 10 years before, but when she had back pain it wasn’t something she worried about. She struggled for a few months, then decided to see the doctor.
The cancer was everywhere. After her diagnosis, mum didn’t know how long she had to get everything in order, but she thought it would be longer than it was. She didn’t have time to write lists. Or to make a Will and let everyone know what she wanted to happen. All I knew from conversations long ago was that she wanted to be cremated. After she died, we quickly had to get our heads around probate. We had to speak to the bank to sort everything out. We had no idea what order we had to do things. We struggled through, but constantly asked ourselves ‘is this what mum would want?’ It was hard.
16 Sue’s Story
It has made us realise the importance of sharing your wishes, so your family isn’t left making decisions they’re not sure of. Since mum’s funeral, we’ve sat down and gone through dad’s wishes so he doesn’t leave us in the same position. Having a Will is so important. You don’t know when your time is up, but if everything is in order you know your loved ones are taken care of, and that they won’t have to muddle through it all when you are gone. Find out more will-monthwww.trinityhospice.co.uk/at We have partnered with local solicitors so you can write a Will for free during October. 2022
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18 Did you know you can support us as you do your online shopping? Shop with Amazon Smile instead of Amazon.co.uk and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your total spend to Trinity Hospice. You get the same products at the same price, and we get a donation - with little effort and no extra cost to you. How amazing is that? Visit smile.amazon.co.uk and select Trinity Hospice And Palliative Care Services Ltd. as your chosen charity to support.
We are thrilled to be part of an exciting three-year partnership between our umbrella charity, Together for Short Lives and supermarket giant, Morrisons. Staff from Morrisons on the Fylde coast - Blackpool, Cleveleys and Kirkham - are working together to raise money for children’s hospices across the UK, and specifically for us here at Brian House. It’s a transformational partnership that will have a lasting impact on our work to support the Fylde coast’s most fragile children and their Wefamilies.were delighted to welcome the stores’ charity champions into the hospice and show them just how much their support means to our families.
An epic journey
Partnerships
It was wonderful to meet Francesca Lennon at Brian House as part of her fundraising challenge to cycle to each of the UK’s 54 children’s hospices!
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Francesca set off on 20th June and planned to cycle 3,200 miles over 70 days – that’s an average of 46 miles a day! We loved showing her round our hospice and giving her a wellearned break before she travelled through the North West.
Arlo is very poorly.
He can have up to 40 fits a day, he can’t see well, on a bad day he doesn’t sleep and, because it takes 40 minutes to feed him through a tube, caring for him takes a lot of time. It’s hard on him. It’s hard on us. And it’s hard on our three other children.
Arlo is only two and we’ve already nearly lost him twice. The first time he was just two weeks old. He pulled through, but we know one day he won’t. But we will have given him the best life possible. After Arlo was born, I knew something wasn’t right. Because of the pandemic, everything happened slower than it should have. But he got seen by an eye specialist, who diagnosed a damaged optic nerve and referred him to hospital. When the doctors saw him, they knew straight away something was wrong. An MRI showed he had three splits in his brain. They quickly got him on medication to control his seizures, and we got a diagnosis. It’s complicated and there is a lot that’s unknown about his condition. My heart broke. More than that – I felt like my entire world fell apart.
Brian House was mentioned quickly because they knew how poorly Arlo was going to be.
Arlo’s story
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Laura x
The team are so understanding. It’s my chance to get a lot of things off my chest that otherwise I bottle up. Without Brian House, we would all be lost. “Arlo is the strongest person I have ever come across. He is so determined and incredibly happy. Even on his worst days he’s laughing and smiling. He just has such a loving and caring personality, and he’s a strong and very determined little boy. He certainly gives us a run for our money.”
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It was like a wave hit me. You hear the word ‘hospice’ and you think of death. But it’s nothing like what you imagine. Brian House is a family. It’s a home from home. As soon as I walked in, I was just at ease and felt really supported both for Arlo and as his mum. There is just such a lovely, homely feeling. Arlo loves it at Brian House – he really enjoys the cuddles and music and his whole face lights up as soon as he hears the staff. He just loves them. And I get the chance to give my other children my full attention. It has made a huge difference to all of us. We also go to the toddler group. It’s such a support to me – I talk everyone’s ears off. I can speak to the other parents without judgement, and the staff at Brian House are there to support us.
Led by our Brian House Chaplain, The Rev. Helen Houston, it was a wonderful celebration of who they were, and a chance for parents to share their memories in the comfort and safety of our staff. We created a virtual Butterfly Service for families which were unable to join us. You are invited to find a quiet space and watch it on our website at www.brianhouse.org.uk
Remembering our Children
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This summer we were able to hold our first Butterfly Service in the hospice since Covid. Our Butterfly Service reflects on the lives of the children and young people we have cared for in our Butterfly Suite, whether we cared for them in the hospice before they died, or if their only contact with us was our dedicated children’s bereavement suite.
When a child is life-limited, a lot of family time and attention can be taken up providing vital care needs. It can mean that siblings – whether older or younger – may take a step back, or even take on some of the caring responsibilities. That’s why we designate special time at the hospice just for children and young people who are related to one of our Brian House children through our Sibling Support Groups. We set up special activities here at Brian House, whether it’s time playing outside or fun trips around the Fylde coast. It gives siblings the chance to meet other people their own age who understand what it’s like living with another child who has high care needs.
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Supporting Siblings
24 at REGISTER ONLINE AT REG CHARITY NO. 511009 Free Santa suits & medals for all www.blackpoolsantadash.co.ukparticipantsWalk,jogorrun on Blackpool Promenade £5 for under 16s £10 for adults £25 for families (2 adults + children) Sponsored by CLAUSASUPPORTGREAT SUNDAY DECEMBER4TH2022 Join us...
See if we can help you www.trinityhospice.co.uk/support-us/our-shopsat
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We’re also opening a dedicated book and music store in Cleveleys based on the success of our pilot bespoke shop in St Annes. It means wherever you are across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, you’re never far away from a shop where you can buy pre-loved, top quality goods at bargain prices to support the care we provide to everyone who needs it.
Retail
All of our shops accept donations, but for large quantities of more than six bags or boxes, we now have a collection van operating in some of our areas which has been kindly donated by the CharitableBeaverbrooksTrust.
We have even more shops where you can grab a bargain and support hospice care on the Fylde coast. Since spring we have opened a new shop on Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, and a Donation Centre on Vicarage Lane, Blackpool.
Jack supporthasdown to a tee
“I’m blown away by the support Brian House offers to local children and their families who can be faced with such difficulties. It was good to see first-hand such a fantastic facility for the children who need it.
Fortournaments.eachbirdie,
“Brian House and the team certainly are at the forefront of my mind as I’m playing for birdies and eagles, and it’s great knowing I can help to make a difference.” We love keeping up to date with how Jack is doing, and we’ve even enjoyed a few rounds of golf here at Brian House! Good luck Jack, and huge thanks to Alpha Heating Innovation.
Fleetwood-based golf pro, Jack Senior, and his sponsors Alpha Heating Innovation are supporting Brian House with a donation for the strokes he lands under par in UK Alpha will donate £20, and for each eagle, the donation will increase to £50. With tournaments still to play this year, Jack has already scored a donation of £500! He said: “I’ve always tried to use my sport to raise money for worthwhile causes, and this time I was really keen that it was a local charity.
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A number of our supporters used a national celebration to raise money for our hospice through Jubilee Get Togethers. We’re very lucky to have so many golf clubs and organisations supporting us through golf events. As well as our own Golf Day supporting Brian House, we’ve seen the return of the annual St George’s Charity Golf Day at Old Links Golf Club and been involved in the Thatched House Golf Society Charity Day, the Seven Stars Charity Committee at Knott End Golf Club and the Community Charity Day at Fairhaven Golf Club. The St George’s Charity Golf Day has raised £100,000 for charity since its inception in 2013 - £20,000 of which was raised at this year’s From garden parties and nights in to whole street gatherings, our community pulled together to raise a total of £3,000 over the Jubilee weekend in celebration of the Queen’s 70 years on the throne. We were thrilled to award a luxury hamper to our top Jubilee fundraiser – Tracy Dewhurst who’s garden party raised a fantastic £1,572.75. event and split between three charities including Trinity. Over the years, Fairhaven Golf Club has raised more than £120,000 for Brian House through its annual Golf Day. This year’s event contributed a very impressive £20,000. We are incredibly grateful to each golf club and organisation which chooses to make Trinity Hospice and Brian House as their benefitting charity. It really means so much.
Our special thanks
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A very big thank you to Darren Johnson and his team of paddle boarders who took on Windermere in memory of his sister Nadine Johnson (known as Deanie). Their efforts raised a fantastic £6,600 for our hospice and the team is already planning a much bigger challenge in the future – we can’t wait to hear more! team
An incredible
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Once again, we are saying a huge thank you to the team of incredible people who put themselves through their paces to complete the National Three Peaks in memory of Jordan Banks. It was tough conditions as the group of around 25 took on Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike before the summer, and after experiencing van trouble, they were forced to call it a day before completing their final peak. But in high spirits, the team has raised a massive £20,000 for Brian House.
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But on top of that you are helping to raise vital funds so that our expert hospice care can reach everyone across the Fylde coast who needs it, wherever they are, whatever the hour.
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As well as the top prize, we have a second prize of £300, third prize of £100 and 10 prizes of £10 to give away.
Signing up is simple. Visit www.trinityhospice.co.uk/support-us/lottery or just scan the QR code and complete the short sign up form. We’ll send you your lottery membership card and will let you know if you are one of our lucky winners. Want to win even more?
There is still time to buy tickets to the Summer Superdraw – giving you the chance to win up to £3,000 for just £1 per ticket. Online entries close on Tuesday 20th September 2022. Find out more at www.trinityhospice.co.uk/summer-superdraw
29 Your chance to win £1,000! Playing the Trinity Hospice
Lottery is win win. For just £1 you are in the draw to win big, and you can have up to three plays each week. Scan here using your phone’s camera
The garden party was a wonderful occasion for our volunteers to see each other after a long absence from the hospice during covid, and staff from across Trinity popped in to let them know just how much they were missed. Volunteers’ Week was the perfect opportunity for us to take the time to thank our volunteers, who truly mean so much to everyone at Trinity.
We invited a selection of the people who donate their time to help us provide outstanding hospice care to join us for an afternoon tea during Volunteers’ Week, when we awarded one of our longest-standing volunteers with her Long Service Award. Valda Trembles has been volunteering for Trinity for 25 years! She was one of the first people to sign up as a volunteer at our Collins Avenue shop when it first opened, and since then has worked at other hospice shops as well as in the hospice itself.
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Volunteering
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This summer we were very privileged to be able to open up our hospice gardens to celebrate our incredible volunteers and all they do for us.
As we develop the services we offer to support patients earlier in their palliative diagnosis, we are looking for people in our community who have the skills and talents to help us broaden our care to all who need it. Find out more about opportunities available at www.trinityhospice.co.uk/volunteer-for-us or give us a call on 01253 952575.
Craft enthusiasts who can support patients in expressing themselves through creativity. Garden lovers who can help patients and children in our dedicated allotment
Skilled musicians who can help with music and singing workshops for patients who enjoy creating music. Certified Pets As Therapy pet owners who can help patients who miss pets they’ve had to say goodbye to.
P�N�Y�G�E�T W�E�N�I�E I�G�E�O�O�G� Supporting SATURDAY 25TH JUNE 2022 THREE PEAKS 26 MILES 12 HOURS Challenge yourself and trek over the famous yorkshire three peaks set against the stunning backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. MINIMUM OF £200 IN SPONSORSHIP PER PERSON (ENTRIES MUST BE OVER THE AGE OF 11) £REGISTRATION30 www.trinityhospice.co.uk/yorkshire3peaksREGISTER AT Per person Can you take on the Dales? Registered Charity No. 511009
If you can help in any of these areas, or have your own skills and interests that would help enrich the lives of our patients (including our children in Brian House), we’d love to hear from you.
32 Trinity Hospice & Palliative Care Services Low Moor Road, Bispham, Blackpool FY2 0BG Tel. 01253 358881 Web. www.trinityhospice.co.uk REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 511009 Community Corner 4th SEPTEMBER Steam Rally The Villa, Wrea Green 29th SEPTEMBER Fylde Mayoral Charity Quiz Night St Paul’s Church Hall, Lytham 1st OCTOBER Fylde Orchestra Concert Lytham Methodist Church, Lytham 29th OCTOBER Thornton Cleveleys Friends Coffee Morning St Theresa’s Church Hall, Thornton-Cleveleys 8th OCTOBER Blackpool Memory Walk Tower Festival Headland 4th DECEMBER Blackpool Santa Dash Sandcastle Waterpark 11th DECEMBER Light Up a Life Trinity EVERYHospice2ndTUESDAY Over Wyre Friends Group Meat Bingo Knott End Working Men’s Club For more information on these events, hospice.co.ukwww.trinityvisit/our-events
