Nottinghamshire hospices unite to launch new fundraising appeal

Despite being severely impacted by Covid-19, both hospices survived, with help from their supporters, and even extended their services to help more patients and families.

Now they are asking people to pledge a small regular amount to safeguard them from any future impact of the pandemic.

One patient who benefited from hospice intervention was 82-year-old Mavis Dutton, who was able to stay at her Sutton-in-Ashfield home in her final days after being told her bladder cancer was incurable and she had just weeks to live.

Her son, Nigel, on furlough from his job as a bus driver, started caring for her full time but was getting no sleep and becoming very tired.

Nottinghamshire Hospice stepped in with hospice at home care at night, enabling Nigel to get some much needed rest.

He said: “When I stopped at my mum’s I’d sit up all night with her and felt very on edge.

“When Nottinghamshire Hospice offered me support at night I accepted straight away.

"Having the nurses there all night gave me peace of mind.

"It meant that I could go home and get six hours sleep which kept me going.

“The girls who came were brilliant.

"As well as looking after my mum they also checked up on me and asked me how I was coping – they were very caring.”

Mavis, who also had chronic kidney disease and heart failure as well as being blind, wanted to be at home until the end.

She died just three weeks later.

Nigel continued: “Hospitals scared her, she really didn’t want to go into a hospital.

"With the help we got from the hospice and others we were able to care for her at home.

"She got better care at home than she would have done in hospital. Thank you so much for the service you provided.

Nottinghamshire Hospice and Beaumond House are both local charities, reliant on donations to provide care in their areas and both predict substantial losses this year.

The two hospices are anticipating a combined loss in income of £450,000 by the end of the year due to the cumulative effects of the pandemic.

The Forever Fund appeal launch comes just after Nottinghamshire Hospice marked its 40th birthday.

Rowena Naylor-Morrell, chief executive of Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “Hospice care is more important than ever as it allows patients with a terminal illness to stay at home in their final days with family around them and keeps them out of hospital.

“Nobody knows how long the pandemic will continue or what the new normal will look like, so we are setting up our Forever Fund to safeguard services should there be future peaks and lockdowns.”

“Nottinghamshire Hospice has been here for 40 years – we intend to be here for the next 40 years too.”

For more information about the appeal, click here.