News
Midnight Walk comes back to South Park !!
The ever popular St Teresa's Hospice Midnight Walk will return to South Park this year on 18th May.
This women-only event attracts over 100 people every year and is always an enjoyable evening. Participants will gather in South Park as midnight approaches, and after a brief 'warm up' by the Army will be off as the hour strikes.
The Midnight Walk raises thousands of pounds every year in aid of the Hospice's vital services, thanks to the support from across the region.
Application forms for the Midnight Walk 2012 are now available from St Teresa's Hospice, or by calling 01325 254321
Another Shop Opening !!!!
Already blazing a trail with its innovative charity stores, St Teresa's Hospice is about to unveil its latest 'shop with a difference'.
The new outlet, called St T's Interiors, is located on Fulthorpe Avenue in the popular Darlington suburb of Mowden, and will mark another major milestone in the Hospice's retail operation.
The shop will be officially opened by Darlington Mayor the Worshipful Lee Vasey, who will cut the ribbon on the shop at 11am on Thursday 19th January 2012.
Hospice Retail Co-ordinator Marjorie McIntyre said: "Co-incidentally our new shop is ready for opening just as the prestigious style section of the Sunday Times has hailed interior shops as the new cool retail trend.
"We are delighted to once again be at the forefront of the retail sector. Unlike most businesses, our primary aim is to raise money for a good cause, while still offering our customers brilliant goods at competitive prices."
Christmas Tree Collection
A big 'Thank You' to Darlington Rotary Club for once again supporting our Christmas Tree Collection which this year raised an amazing £2132.21
And a Happy New Year!
St Teresa's Hospice hopes you all had a very Merry Christmas! The support the Hospice has received over the Christmas period has been nothing less than inspiring, enough to grant all our Christmas wishes.
Thanks to the efforts of musical director John Forsyth, Lingfield Point and all the musicians and choirs involved, our annual Christmas Cracker concert was a resounding success. Money was raised to the tune of £2,722! Audience members were treated to an extravaganza of Christmas music and carols, which everyone enthusiastically joined in with!
The concert was followed the next day by our Light up a Life service. Part of a nationwide campaign by the charity Help the Hospices, the service is an opportunity to dedicate a Christmas tree light to a loved one, and a chance to remember those who are no longer with us. As always, the service was deeply moving, and a chance to celebrate the truest meanings of the season.
The Giving to Life Tree, hosted by Darlington's Cornmill Shopping Centre, has been hung with literally thousands of loving and heartfelt messages and will continue to stand until Sunday 8th January, when a non-denominational blessing service will be held. All are welcome to attend.
We were also thrilled to have assisted Father Christmas with his correspondence this year. Our first ever 'Letters from Santa' campaign ensured that over 100 children in the Darlington area received a letter from Santa Claus in the weeks running up to Christmas, raising £650 for the Hospice.
Now that the holiday season is finished, once again we'll be available to help with the clean-up! For the second year running, St Teresa's Hospice is running a Christmas Tree Collection Service. In exchange for a suggested donation of £4, the Hospice will arrange for your Christmas tree to be collected and recycled on 7th and 8th January. You can register your tree for collection on our website, or by calling 01325 254321.
We would also like to wish all our friends and supporters all the best for 2012 – it already promises to be an exciting year for us!
Happy New Year, from St Teresa's Hospice
Hospice Bereavement Team – Supporting People, Families and Children
Losing somebody you are close to is one of the most difficult things any of us will ever have to face. Fortunately, there is help available.
The Family Support Team based at St Teresa's Hospice offers specialist support to individuals and families affected by life-limiting illness and bereavement. The multi-disciplinary team offers support with whatever is important to that family – from advice about benefits and practical matters to emotional support and counselling.
Alongside their one-to-one counselling, the team hold a weekly drop-in group at the Hospice, 10:00–11:30am on Mondays. This service is available to anyone who has experienced bereavement, and is looking for support in a friendly, informal environment. Why not call in for a cuppa and a chat?
In addition, the team work within the local community to help people cope with loss. Over the last 18 months, they have visited Darlington schools, helping to educate professionals who are likely to be affected by children suffering from loss. To further this work, a conference was held for schools and other organisations who work with children, entitled Talking to Children about Loss. The conference covered such topics as handling difficult questions, supporting bereaved children within school, and enabling children to communicate their feelings through the use of play.
If you'd like to get involved with a great cause and to develop skills, the Family Support Team is currently looking for volunteers to work within the Drop-In Group and the Carer's Group services. Empathic and sensitive volunteers who are good listeners will be welcome. Whilst this is a demanding role requiring significant commitment, it is also very rewarding, and offers ongoing training and support as part of a caring and nurturing team.
If you'd like to learn more, please call Deborah Robinson or Julie Baker on 01325 254321.
Mayor's Ball Major Windfall
As one of the Darlington Mayor Lee Vasey's chosen charities, St Teresa's Hospice has received a tremendous donation from the annual Mayor's Ball.
It has now been announced the former magistrate's Cops & Robbers-themed event raised £3,398.50 for the Mayor's two chosen charities: St Teresa's Hospice and the Darlington and District Talking Newspaper.
Various fundraising ventures at the Ball, such as bingo, a silent auction, a sale of artwork by Darlington College students, and luxury lucky dip all added to the final sum.
Since her adoption of St Teresa's Hospice as one of her chosen charities, the mayor has been an active member of the Hospice's army of supporters, even officially buying the first ticket in the Silver Anniversary Car Lottery.
Giving to Life Tree
The St Teresa's Hospice Giving to Life Tree will return to the Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington this year. The event offers the opportunity to leave a message on the tree in return for a small donation to the Hospice. People may leave any message they choose, whether it is a Christmas greeting, a message to loved ones, or a chance to remember someone they have lost.
The Giving to Life Tree raises thousands of pounds for the Hospice every year, and as always, it will be staffed by volunteers, who last year proved themselves truly dedicated to the Hospice when they battled through the adverse weather to ensure that not a single shift on the tree was missed.
The Giving to Life Tree will be open 10am-4pm weekdays and 11pm-4pm Saturdays from 11th November until Christmas Eve, and will continue to stand in the Cornmill Centre into the New Year, when a non-denominational blessing service will be held before the tree is taken down.
End of the Corsa ....... and the winner is ......
It has finally happened! On 1st October at 11:30pm, at the St Teresa's Hospice Strictly Silver Anniversary Ball, the winning ticket in the Silver Anniversary Car Lottery was drawn. The winner was Mrs Charmaine Vickers, who has won the grand prize of a brand-new silver Vauxhall Corsa!
Mrs Vickers said:
"I'm absolutely delighted. I bought the ticket because it was for a good cause and for a great charity, but I never expected to win! My first grandchild was born 10 months ago, so I'll be taking her everywhere now, along with the rest of my kids. I just know it's going to become Mum's Taxi!"
The St Teresa's Silver Anniversary Car Lottery raffle sold 19,386 tickets over the course of just a few short months. For this, the Hospice owes a huge debt of thanks to everyone who showed their support by buying a ticket, and to all the people and businesses who pitched in to sell tickets on behalf of a great cause, and also to its staff and volunteers who ran the event throughout the year.
Among the other prizes given away in the raffle were a mountain bike, a sat-nav system, bottles of bubbly and Cornmill vouchers. All winners have been notified.
For a list of prizes and the winning ticket numbers click here.
Barclays Charity Golf Day
A charity golf day was held on Thursday 29th September 2011 by Barclays Business Bank in aid of St Teresa's Hospice. The event was held at Darlington Golf Club, where nine teams competed throughout the day. The winning team was Kenneth Easby LLP Chartered Accountants from Darlington, with a score of 87 Stableford Points.
Team captain Kevin Bradley said: "It was a wonderful day. I thank Barclays Business for organising the Charity Golf Day and Darlington Golf Club Staff for making me and my team so welcome. We are already looking forward to participating in this annual fixture in 2012."
A raffle was also held throughout the day with prizes kindly donated by Maxwell's of Northallerton, Altberg Bootmakers and Teesside Karting.
Barclays have long been staunch supporters of the Hospice, matching Barclays employees' fundraising and taking part in a variety of Hospice events, such as the 2011 Knockout Challenge, when their team, How Do You Like It, managed the impressive feat of finishing in 4th place!
Michael Wicks, Senior Barclays Business Manager in the Tees Valley Area, said: "We are delighted to continue our support for St Teresa's Hospice which is a favourite charitable cause with our local employees."
The event raised a grand total of £2,624 for the Hospice.
The inaugural Barclays Golf Day takes place during the Hospice's 25th anniversary year, throughout which their support has been unwavering.
Cummins Together for Charity
Cummins have always been stalwart supporters of St Teresa's Hospice, and this year the Hospice has been overwhelmed by the support it has received from the firm. The St Teresa's Hospice Silver Anniversary Car Lottery, supported by Sherwoods, received a £5,000 donation from the Cummins Darlington Engine Plant, who have also been selling tickets for the Lottery among its own staff and clients.
Cummins have been long-time supporters of the local Hospice, having taken part in Hospice events across the years, such as the annual Knockout Challenge.
"Everything we do today flows from our commitment to making people's lives better by unleashing the power of Cummins. The Darlington Engine Plant upholds this vision and every year identifies areas where we can positively impact or influence our local communities," said Lorraine Bulloch, a Business Analyst with Cummins Darlington. "St Teresa's Hospice has been a very worthwhile cause that we have supported for many years. The hospice and its services have been appreciated by Cummins employees and their families over the years and we are more than willing to help whenever we can."
Even the company's university placement students get in on the charity work, selling tickets for the St Teresa's 25th Anniversary Car Lottery, as well as bag packing for Family Help and holding a cake-bake and sports challenges to raise money for the African Relief for Save the Children.
The St Teresa's Hospice Car Lottery features 25 fabulous prizes, plus the star-prize of a brand-new silver Vauxhall Corsa. Tickets are on sale directly from the Hospice and its retail outlets, costing only £1, and will be drawn at the Hospice's Silver Anniversary Ball on October 1st.
If you would like to find out more about supporting St Teresa's Hospice, contact Supporter Services on 01325 254321.
Hospice Marathon Challenge Gathers Speed
September 2011
In celebration of its Silver Anniversary, St Teresa's Hospice is asking 25 people to run a marathon to raise money - one for each year the Hospice has been operating.
Volunteers are being challenged to raise £250 in sponsorship, and whoever raises the most money for the charity will win a Silver Bond entry to the London Marathon 2012.
In support of the Hospice and those undertaking the challenge, Bannatyne's Health Club is giving a donation to each entrant of an exclusive fitness pack, containing a towel, a water-bottle and a pair of earphones.
Nigel Armstrong, Managing Director of Bannatyne Group, said: "I'd urge runners to sign up now for the challenge's final few places. It's a great way to celebrate St Teresa's 25th anniversary and support the amazing work that the Hospice does for the local community. Using exercise to raise money for charity not only benefits the Hospice, but also is an excellent benefit for the individuals themselves so we are delighted to support the challenge through the donation of our fitness packs."
Between them, the 25 participants will raise at least £6,000 and will cover a distance of nearly 700 miles!
Marathons entered include local marathons, the London and Edinburgh Marathons, the Loch Ness Marathon and even the Maui Marathon in Hawaii.
Of the 15 runners registered, 9 have already completed their marathons, and with 10 places still available, the search is on for the final few. Anyone wishing to be one of the twenty-five St Teresa's Hospice anniversary year marathon runners is asked to contact St Teresa's Hospice on 01325 254 321.
We've been adopted!
St Teresa's Hospice is delighted to have been adopted by Sainsbury's Victoria Road as their Local Charity of the Year. This exciting new partnership was launched at the Sainsbury's Fun Day which took place at their store on Victoria Road on the 30th July at 11am.
The Fun Day featured a range of entertaining activities including a Zumba display, face painting, Tombola, craft and cake stalls, and a silent auction for a football shirt signed by the Darlington Football Team. Tickets for the St Teresa's Hospice Silver Anniversary Car Draw were on sale, priced at only £1 a ticket.
Marie Steward, PR ambassador from Sainsbury's Victoria Road said, "Our colleagues were very happy to choose St Teresa's as our local charity of the year as many had used the services offered by the Hospice. They had a strong affinity with the workers and an appreciation of the high level of care and love shown. The staff are very keen to be involved with fund raising activities especially during the Hospice's Silver jubilee year."
In support of the Hospice, Sainsbury's will be placing collection buckets throughout the store for donations, and staff will be helping to raise money in support of the Hospice. A huge thank-you goes out to Marie Steward and all the Sainsbury's staff for these efforts which are proudly displayed at the front of the store along with the Hospice's logo.
The Fun Day was just the first of the joint ventures between St Teresa's Hospice and Sainsbury's over the coming year. Come Christmas, Sainsbury's staff will be "Giving in Lieu of Christmas Cards" to raise money by leaving Christmas messages for colleagues rather than buying cards, while visitors to the store will be able to enjoy the carol singing of schoolchildren from across the Darlington area.
If you would like more information, please contact Supporter Services on 01325 254321.
It was a Knockout !!
The St Teresa's Hospice Knockout Challenge 2011 took place on Sunday, 31st July and was just as weird, wacky and wet as ever. Over the course of the day 16 teams battled valiantly for the winner's trophy across 8 events.
However ... only one team could triumph, and after hours of gruelling competition, the Codfathers from Firthmoor Fisheries emerged victorious.
Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved, the event raised over £7,650 for St Teresa's Hospice!
This year's Knockout Challenge comes as part of St Teresa's Silver Anniversary celebrations, marking the 25 years the Hospice has been providing vital services to Darlington and the surrounding area. Look out for the other events being held throughout the year in celebration of this!
St Teresa's Hospice would like to congratulate the winners, and thank all the teams, businesses and organisations who took part. 'We hope they will return next year to once again try their best and to help raise money for a great cause!'
If you would like to take part in next year's Knockout Challenge in aid of St Teresa's Hospice please contact Supporter Services 01325 254321. You can also check how the event panned out on the Hospice's Facebook Page www.darlingtonhospice.org.uk
Fancy a cuppa, Paul?
July 2011
A successful Darlington charity shop has benefitted from a brand new kitchen, donated and installed free of charge.
Darlington based Durtona Design Ltd offered to completely re-vamp the run down kitchen at the St Teresa's Hospice Home Shop in Skinnergate, at no charge to the local Hospice.
Paul Ashley, Durtona Design Ltd, said: "Durtona are more than willing to help in any way possible, and have been proud to be asked to install the new kitchen which we happily supplied and fitted with no charge to the Hospice.
We wish the Hospice well in their important year, and will continue to support them in celebrating their 25th Silver Anniversary"
Just as the finishing touches were being completed, however, a problem with the water supply meant that the shop has been cut off so staff and volunteers have yet to enjoy a cuppa in the new kitchen!
Jane Bradshaw, Hospice Director: "The support we receive from businesses such as Durtona is incredible. In what is a tough time for the Hospice, their help and donations really make a difference."
To find out how your firm could help St Teresa's Hospice please call 01325 254321
Mayor has a Ticket to Ride!
St Teresa's Hospice is celebrating its 25th anniversary by giving away a brand new silver (of course!) Vauxhall Corsa to one lucky winner.
The Worshipful, the Mayor of Darlington Lee Vasey was the first person to purchase a ticket for the sensational Silver 25th Anniversary Car Draw at the Hospice, when she joined staff and volunteers at their weekly informal communications meeting on Thursday.
The Mayor, who has adopted St Teresa's Hospice as her charity for a whole year, was thrilled to support the draw and also has her own plans for future fundraising on behalf of the Hospice.
When speaking about her reasons for adopting the St Teresa's and supporting the car draw, the Mayor said:
"What the Hospice does is marvellous and I'm delighted to offer my support in its 25th Anniversary year."
Tickets for the draw cost £1 each and are available at the Hospice and from all Hospice shops. Local firms and groups are also supporting the event by selling tickets on behalf of St Teresa's Hospice.
Volunteers from St Teresa's Hospice will also be selling tickets at various supermarkets, shopping centres and outdoor events across the area between July and October. Details of these days will be added to:
www.facebook.com/stteresashospice
The prize draw will take place at the annual Hospice Ball on October 1st. Runners-up have the chance of winning another 25 other fantastic prizes.
Jane Bradshaw, Hospice Director said: "We are delighted to be organizing this Silver Anniversary Draw, raffling a car for the first time ever in aid of our Hospice. This is possible thanks to the support of many local firms, and in particular to Sherwoods Vauxhall, and Cummins Engine Co. The odds are very good, so we hope that people will rush out to buy their tickets from Monday 4th July onwards, and I am looking forward to breaking the good news to the lucky winner!"
Biggar...than Take That?
When Victor Biggar arrived in Sunderland after completing a sponsored cycle ride to raise funds for St Teresa's Hospice, he didn't expect crowds of thousands to be at the finish line.
However, the spectators were not there to greet the Darlington man at the end of the two day Coast to Coast ride, but to see pop band Take That, who were in town at the end of May for a run of concerts! After travelling 150 miles from Workington to Sunderland, Victor now faced the challenge of getting home. Due to the sell-out concert, the exhausted cyclist could not get a train or a room for the night, and eventually opted for a taxi back to Darlington.
"It took me two days to get over the ride, but it was for a good cause", said Victor, who signed up to take part before he actually had a bike!
The keen fundraiser is expected to raise approx. £300 in sponsorship for the local Hospice and is now planning his next venture.
Jane Bradshaw, St Teresa's Hospice Director, said: "It is wonderful when people choose to support us in such an energetic way. I am sure that the crowds for Take That would have given Victor a standing ovation had they known about his epic journey in aid of the Hospice!"
St Teresa's is launching its own cycle event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Hospice, St T's Silver Cycle Ride, later this year. The family event, which takes place on Sunday 23rd October, will challenge participants to complete as many laps as they can of Croft Racing Circuit.
For more information on St T's Silver Cycle Ride, and other ways in which you can raise funds for the Hospice, please contact Supporter Services on 01325 254321.
CRAFTY KEVIN
When Kevin McGee volunteered to lend a hand at a Darlington charity his good deed had an unexpected and crafty outcome.
Kevin's mother had spent some of her last days in the care of St Teresa's Hospice and, to show his gratitude, he signed on as a volunteer driver. Not long after he took up his post the Darlington man's unexpected hidden talents came to light when he paid a visit to the Hospice's warehouse at Lingfield Point.
Donated furniture and clothing are processed at the base before being allocated to St Teresa's Hospice's successful chain of retail shops.
It was while being shown around that sharp-eyed Kevin made his second charitable offer. Noticing that some of the once loved furnishings were in poor repair he offered to help restore them to their former glory. Kevin's offer was snapped up by the Hospice's Retail Co-ordinator Marjorie McIntyre but no-one expected the sparkling results which were to follow.
Armed with his tools of the trade Kevin set about restoring items which had been relegated to a section of the warehouse allocated to damaged goods. In no time at all the talented craftsman had transformed badly scratched table tops, restored beautiful desks and cabinets and following current furnishing trends had hand painted a number of items. "We were confident that Kevin could do the job but none of us expected the beautiful results of his skills,'' said Marjorie.
Now the fruits of his efforts are to be put on sale in the Hospice's flagship Home Shop in Skinnergate in Darlington. The beautifully restored items will also include a selection of refurbished Lloyd Loom chairs and storage cupboards.
Director of the Hospice Jane Bradshaw added: "We were always concerned that there were items of furnishings which , if restored, would have realised good prices but we simply could never have afforded to pay someone for such detailed and skilled work. We are immensely grateful to Kevin whose craftsmanship will help us boost the vital funds for the Hospice as well as provide our loyal customers with the opportunity of buying some wonderful pieces of furniture at realistic prices.''
The restored furniture is now for sale at the busy town shop.
Get on your bike for St Teresa's Hospice
25th Anniversary celebrations continue at St Teresa's Hospice with the launch of a new fundraising event - St T's Silver Cycle Ride. Suggested by Hospice trustee Richard Hepworth, the event will challenge participants to complete as many laps as they can at Croft Racing Circuit, Dalton-on-Tees, on Sunday 23rd October.
The 2.2 mile Croft Circuit is famous for hosting British Touring Car and Superbike racing and has also been the venue for the Hospice's Midnight Walk for the last two years. Organisers hope to attract a wide variety of participants, from cycling enthusiasts to families with young children.
Richard Hepworth said, "With St T's Silver Cycle Ride we hope to promote the involvement of families and friends who may have had contact with St Teresa's Hospice. We are giving them a chance to participate in a fundraising event that will welcome cyclists of all ages and abilities and will try and help them achieve their own personal goal for the event."
Participants will receive sponsor packs, including sponsor forms and fundraising hints as well as an individual number for their bike. A raffle to win a brand new mountain bike will be held at the event and prizes will be issued to those that raise the most money.
Jane Bradshaw, Hospice Director said, "Croft Circuit has proved to be a very versatile venue and we are excited to be staging St T's Silver Cycle Ride there. We encourage as many people of all ages to enter and to get involved in our 25th Anniversary Year."
Registration is now open and anyone wishing to take part can download a registration form from the events page of our website www.darlingtonhospice.org.uk or contact Supporter Services on 01325 254321.
Fundraising trio run up marathon total
Three colleagues from a local business have raised over £1,000 for St Teresa's Hospice by completing the London Marathon.
Mark Colling, Wendy Colling and Linda Noble recently completed the 26.2 mile run as part of the Silver Anniversary Marathons Challenge, an event set up to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the local Hospice.
The trio, who all work at Capita, discovered the challenge after receiving an email which was sent around all staff. Linda, an experienced runner who has now taken part in the London Marathon 5 times, completed the event in 3 hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds. Mark and Wendy both clocked in at just over 4 hours and 20 minutes.
Each runner undertook a gruelling 16 week training schedule in preparation for the event.
Mark, who ran 500 miles over the course of the training, said: "training started on January 1st, which meant no fun on New Year's Eve!" During training, Mark picked up a calf injury, which became "very painful" 7 miles in. However, the very vocal support from the crowds kept him going and he is already planning his next marathon. Mark, Wendy and Linda received incredible support from staff at Capita's Mowden Hall office helping to boost the sponsorship total.
Fifteen runners have now signed up to the marathon challenge and the search is on for the next ten. Each runner is being challenged to raise £250 in sponsorship, meaning in total the fit fundraisers will raise at least £6,000 and between them run further than Land's End to John O'Groats.
Jane Bradshaw, Hospice Director, said: "The energetic support from people like Mark, Wendy and Linda enables us to continue to offer our vital services. They have risen to our marathon challenge and their success is applauded by all at the Hospice."
Bannatyne's Health Club, in Haughton Road, Darlington, has kindly provided St Teresa's with 25 gym bags for the runners, containing goodies including a towel, a re-usable water bottle, and a pair of headphones. Tech-vests branded with the Hospice's anniversary logo are also given out upon registration.
Anyone wishing to be one of the twenty five St Teresa's Hospice anniversary year marathon runners is asked to contact Supporter Services on 01325 254321.
< Previous News Stories
