St Helena Hospice – caringwith dignity and choice St Helena Hospice helps local people with an incurable illness to live well and die with dignity and choice. Adviser spoke to the team at St Helena to find out how local businesses can support the charity.
H eadquartered in Colchester, St Helena Hospice relies on the support and generosity of the community across north Essex to raise two thirds of the £8.9 million it costs per year to run the charity. The remaining third is contributed by the NHS. Without these donations the hospice simply could not be able to continue helping people who need care at the most difficult, and distressing time of their lives. The hospice provides many opportunities for local individuals, businesses and community groups to do their bit to help raise this money. These fundraising initiatives can range from challenges and events such as cycling to Paris or running 10k dressed as a superhero, donating in memory of a loved one, or sponsoring one of the hospice’s famous annual events. The hospice fundraising team offers advice and guidance on how people can set up events, challenges or fundraising initiatives to raise funds. They can offer talks to groups who wish to find out more about the hospice and the difference that fundraising makes to the lives of the people it cares for, and they can provide informal information evenings for people who are considering taking on a big challenge in aid of the hospice.
One in five of the patients at St Helena’s are supported by people who leave a gift in their Will to the hospice. Gifts in Wills are a wonderful way to leave a legacy and allow the charity to continue to help people who need their services. The hospice has an Individual Giving team who can help people who are interested in giving sizeable amounts to the hospice, or giving in memory of a loved one. To find out how you can support the hospice in any way please contact the fundraising team on 01206 931468 or email fundraising@sthelenahospice. org.uk or see their website www.sthelenahospice.org.uk Scrutton Bland have many years’ experience working with charities and not for profit organisations across the region to provide financial services including accounting and audit advice, and we have a specialist insurance team dedicated to charity. To talk to one of our advisers call 01206 838400 or 01473 267000 .
The hospice’s Kickstart Christmas initiative takes place throughout the month of December and enables local workplaces to get involved by asking staff to wear a Christmas jumper to work in exchange for a donation to the hospice The hospice runs similar events throughout the year and can offer sponsorship opportunities to businesses throughout the region. Sponsorship of local causes not only raises much needed funds, but can also be a great way to promote a company’s brand by getting involved in large scale community focused events. The St Helena’s team are constantly looking for sponsors to support their cause and are currently working toward securing sponsors for their 2018 events including the Comic Hero Run in March, Pier to Pier in April, Bubble Rush in May, and a 10th Midnight Walk in Colchester which will take place in July. It is not only sponsorship that the team looks for; local businesses and groups can offer their time and expertise, for example, marshalling at an event, or collecting up Christmas trees to be recycled in January in the hospice’s annual Christmas Tree- Cycle initiative. Time can be one of the most precious donations, as seen earlier this year when teams from local firms gave up their time to help rejuvenate gardens at hospice sites, or spent a few hours sorting donations at the charity shop donation centre in Stanway.
2 4 | S C R U T T O N B L A N D | C H A R I T Y
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker