Give the 'Gift of Care' to Trinity Hospice this winter as selfless nurses stick to front lines of coronavirus care

With the cancellation of its annual Santa Dash - a huge fund-raiser that brings in tens of thousands each year - Trinity Hospice has turned to other means of bringing in donations this winter as it counts the cost of the coronavirus pandemic.

The hospice, which must raise £5m every year to keep going, is facing a £1.5m loss this year as its main fund-raising events were called off.

So nurses are now appealing for the community to rally behind the life-changing palliative care service and give the ‘gift of care’ this Christmas.

Trinity manager Rebecca Ferguson said: “Normally this time of year would be all about big family get-togethers and a big Christmas dinner. Obviously we can’t do that this year.

“We can’t say for sure what Christmas will look like for us, but we will still be looking after everyone who needs us, not just in the hospice but in the community as well. That’s why this year we’re asking people to give a gift of care.”

‘Gifts of care’ are vouchers used to bring money straight to the hospice’s door. A £5 gift pays for a full day of meals for a patient, while a £150 gift pays for six hours of overnight nursing care.

It is also hoped that these gifts can be used to replace the usual Christmas donations of toys and games for the children at Brian House.

“At Christmas we get a lot of people who want to bring presents for the children, but our patients are so vulnerable that we just can’t allow it,” Rebecca said. “So instead we are asking people to use the money they would have spent on a present on a gift of care.”

Gift-giving at the hospice is not the only holiday tradition that has been forced to change due to Covid-19.

Usually the hospice, on Low Moor Road in Bispham, would be abuzz with festive cheer, with visits from carol singers and brass bands.

Rebecca said: “Usually the build up to Christmas is a special time for the hospice. Families would visit and we would cook a big meal on Christmas Day that all our patients came into the courtyard to enjoy.

“We have schools come in and do carol concerts, we have a brass band come in. It’s normally a very busy time for us.

“Unfortunately, we are looking at a £1.5m shortfall this year. Our Santa Dash is not going to happen. We’re getting people involved in virtual events, but still not as many people sign up, and not as many people sponsor them because they’re facing their own financial difficulties.

“We will always be here for people who need us, but we do need support to do that.

“It’s been a really, really difficult year. The nurses have been on the front line, and dealing with the new restrictions has been tough.

“We care for people at the end of their lives and it’s very much a hands-on job. Sometimes all people want is a hug. But we have had to be very clinical about things. You want to wrap your arms around them, but you can’t.

“We’re now dealing with people with Covid-19 in the hospice. On top of that we have still got the elderly and the cancer patients to take care of, and the added pressures that winter brings.

“We hope we will continue to be there for those who need us, whether that’s at home or at the hospice. We will get through this together.”

WHAT DOES A GIFT OF CARE PAY FOR?

Each Gift of Care provides a vital service to those receiving end of life care at Trinity Hospice and Brian House.

£5 - could pay for a full day of delicious meals for patients living at the hospice

£10 - could provide home care activity packs for day therapy patients

£15 - could pay for a virtual counselling session for a bereaved family member

£29 - could pay for one hour of vital nursing care for a patient

£50 - could help Trinity’s Hospice at Home team care for a patient and their family in the middle of the night

£100 - could help pay for the cost of a community visit by a specialist nurse

£150 - could pay for six hours of overnight nursing care for a live-in patient.

Anyone who purchases a Gift of Care will receive a certificate of thanks in return, which can be given to a chosen recipient. To buy a Gift of Care, visit the Trinity Hospice website at www.trinityhospice.co.uk/support-us/gifts-of-care.