St Michael's thanks community as festive fundraising passes £100,000
St Michael’s Hospice has thanked supporters after revealing its Christmas fundraising events have brought in over £100,000.
The Bartestree-based charity, which provides palliative and end-of-life care throughout Herefordshire and its borders, said money can still be donated through its festive appeal.
In the last month, more than 2,000 children have visited the Hospice’s expanded Grotto during a record 17-night run.
Little ones have also been sponsored to run around their school or nursery playground during Rudolph Run, while on Sunday hundreds donned the famous red outfits for Santa Run through Hereford city centre – with the exciting addition of our four-legged friends taking part in the first-ever Santa Paws.
Meanwhile, hundreds attended a three-day Christmas Market, before two special Light up a Life services were held; one outside St Michael’s, and the other at a packed Hereford Cathedral.
“Our Christmas events are a firm favourite amongst supporters,” said Rachel Jones, the Hospice’s Income Generation, Marketing & Communications Director.
“We would like to thank everyone who has attended one of our events, from Santa Run or the Grotto, to Light up a Life or the Christmas Market.
“Your generosity will go straight towards helping those in our community who enter the festive period requiring our expert care. It will also help provide support to loved ones at what can be an upsetting and distressing time.”
The St Michael’s Wall of Remembrance, featuring the names of hundreds of people being remembered by Hospice supporters this Christmas, will remain up close to the West Door of Hereford Cathedral until the New Year.
Aside from its events, St Michael’s Christmas fundraising will be boosted by one of the largest campaign mailouts it has ever done.
Over 40,000 households in Herefordshire have received its Christmas Story mailer highlighting many of the elements which make up life at St Michael’s, from its bathing service and horticultural therapy, to memory bears and the kitchen team.
Households are being invited to donate across a series of price-points, from £15 – which could pay for an inpatient’s meals throughout one day – to £781, which could pay for a patient to stay on the Inpatient Unit and receive expert care and pain relief, for 24 hours.