ST Ann’s Hospice in Greater Manchester has opened up about the pressure put upon hospices and how the support from the local community is the vital and the only reason they can continue the work they do.

One third of St Ann’s budget comes from the NHS but the hospice itself must raise the rest through fundraiser events such as charity runs, family fun days and charity shops, of which they have 14 stores in Manchester alone. St Ann’s is the largest hospice in the UK and needs to raise £16,000 per day to keep their doors open.

The hospice said that they are offering a much broader variety of care now than they did a decade ago ranging from end of life care to homeless support and at home care. Specific problems faced across the country such as an increasing older population and a rise in dementia means that the cost of the care they provide has risen significantly.

Fundraisers for st Anns Hospice
Fundraisers for st Anns Hospice

Communications manager at St Ann’s Hospice in Manchester, Claire Briscoe says; “It is vital that the local community gets behind and support their hospice. The hospice doesn’t just help patients, it does so much more. We offer family support, end of life care, specialist care for cancer and dementia patients, home visits and much more.

We are so incredibly lucky to have over 700 volunteers but we always need people raising money and donating.

We couldn’t do any of the work we do without the help and support of the community, whether that be fundraisers to just sharing a post on Facebook, every small thing helps and is beneficial”

The father of Anabel Johns spent his last days in St Ann’s hospice. Annabel says; “My dad was lucky to spend his last few days in a warm, loving place where he had the most caring nurses till the very end. The only reason he could get that level of care is the funding that St Ann’s receives. Everyone should do the little things to keep places like this going, by going to the events they host you can have a fun day and support amazing work the hospice’s do”

From the 9th to the 15th of October, National Hospice Care Week is celebrating everyone who enables hospices across the UK to remain open and offer the amazing care they give. The Go Yellow campaign urges people to wear yellow on Wednesday 11th October and donate to their local hospice to raise awareness and show support.

“We are so incredibly lucky to have over 700 volunteers but we always need people raising money and donating”

To find out future events and fundraisers for St Ann’s Hospice in Manchester you can visit their website at; https://www.sah.org.uk/ or follow their Facebook page at; https://www.facebook.com/stannshospice/

 

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