YEARBOOK 2017

Thank you for supporting Severn Hospice and for taking the time to read this Yearbook. At Severn Hospice our mission is to provide the best care and a better life for people living with an incurable illness, and for those important to them. We are committed to providing this care to patients in the place where they want to receive it, whether that is on our wards or in their own homes. Every year more of our patients are choosing to receive care at home. In response to this, during the last 12 months we have invested in and enhanced our hospice at home services to enable us to meet our patients’ needs.

Every year the demand on our services grows; last year over 2,000 new patients were referred to us and we fully expect this number to keep on rising over the coming years. Historically, hospice care is associated with people with a cancer diagnosis; while it is certainly true that many of our patients have been diagnosed with cancer, we are now caring for an increasing number of people with non-cancer diagnoses. In fact 20% of the patients referred to us last year were people with a non-cancer illness. We are also caring for people for longer periods of time. People are living longer with life limiting illnesses and we want to be there when, and how they need us.

Hospice care is so much more than just caring for people in the last few weeks or days of their life, it is helping people who have an incurable illness to live their life as well as possible. As Noel Conway explains on pages 4 and 5 of this Yearbook, it is about improving the quality of people’s lives.

Thank you - it’s because

Our President

Our Board of Trustees

Sir Algernon Heber-Percy, HM Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire

Tony CorderyChairmanJohn FaircloughVice-chairmanAnn Tudor Vice-chairman & chairman of financeJudy BeardSarah BroomheadPaul DonohueZara OliverDr. Declan RyanBarbara-Ann TweedieDr. Wendy-Jane WaltonGabrielle de WetFrancis Yates

Paul Cronin, Chief Executive

On the following pages you will read about the experiences of some of our patients and their loved ones. I would like to thank all the people who have shared these very personal stories: Noel Conway; Susan Tudge; Sarah and Oliver Tilsley; Edward Martin and John Baker. I hope you find their stories insightful; I hope that while reading about their experiences you will discover aspects of Severn Hospice care that you didn’t previously know about.

We are very proud of the work we do at Severn Hospice and the difference our team makes to people’s lives every day.

The loving care and support that you will read about in this Yearbook is only possible thanks to you. As an independent charity we need to raise £7million every year; we are only able to do this thanks to the generosity of our supporters and local community.

On behalf of everyone associated with Severn Hospice and all of our patients, thank you. It is because you care that we can.

you care that we can

In 2014 I was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

My life expectation is between two and five years from the date of diagnosis, but Motor Neurone Disease is a notoriously difficult condition to diagnose. The first time I came to the hospice was to see Dr Claire Stockdale, it was in the Spring of 2015. Before then I, like most people, just thought it was a place where you come to die. I now know that people are here because they have got life limiting conditions. Some people have quite a few years and it’s all about improving the quality of people’s lives.

I usually see Claire once every two months and I usually spend an hour to an hour and a half with her, depending on what we talk about. She listens and she’s very informative; it’s almost like having a friend rather than a doctor.

I began attending the day hospice on a weekly basis in April 2016. Many of the people who are here now were here when I first came. I envisaged that I would be with a group of people much older than me and dying of cancer, but that is simply not true. I used to work in the college teaching adults and I am a very social person. I’ve got some friends here, which is wonderful, some really interesting characters, many of them are younger than me – this notion of a hospice being full of geriatrics just isn’t true.

Everyone works as an effective team to monitor, supervise and respond to my changing needs. For me, the greatest joy is being able to interact with everyone: patients, volunteers and nurses. If you have got any worries, you’ve got someone immediately to talk to. If you’ve got any health concerns they will deal with it.

Last year over 20% of our patients were people with a non-cancer illness Noel Conway

An increasing number of our patients have non-cancer diagnoses

I also make use of the complementary therapy; I usually get a neck and shoulder massage. To be able to get a massage is very important to me because I struggle with neck and shoulder muscle bunching, so it really does give me quite a bit of relief.

Before coming to the hospice, I genuinely didn’t realise the range of services that are available. I didn’t know that the hospice also has a team of social workers. The social work team has been excellent, providing counselling to my wife both at the hospice in Telford and at our own home. They were also instrumental in helping us to receive CHC funding to pay for the care I need whilst at home.

Severn Hospice has been a huge asset.

Noel Conway

You can support us by becoming a volunteer

Susan and Vincent Tudge with two of their grandchildren

We are caring for more patients in their own homes

My husband Vincent was cared for by Severn Hospice.

Sharon, one of the hospice’s Clinical Nurse Specialists was the first contact Vincent had with the hospice. Vincent got to know Sharon for nine months. She would phone to check on him and have a chat to find out how he was. That was incredibly important; they became friends. It was really good to have that relationship. When the time came for Vincent to visit the hospice for a clinic, it was Sharon who first suggested it to him, she gave him time to think about it and make the decision himself.

When Vincent became more poorly, we decided together that we would prefer for him to stay at home.

Hospice at Home nurses came to help us look after Vincent during the fortnight before he passed away. We were really lucky to have the support. The help we had was just amazing. The hospice staff were hugely professional and totally confident in what they were doing. They gave us confidence. They were totally in control, which in turn left us in control. With their help and support we didn’t feel fearful at all; they were just so experienced in giving that care. It was fantastic care.

In the last few days of Vincent’s life, we were supported at home by the fantastic, lovely nurses from the hospice’s Hospice at Home team. They came and cared for Vincent during the day for four or five days and the Hospice at Home night care nurses came to our home about five times to nurse Vincent through the night.

Without their kindness and highly professional skills I know he wouldn’t have been able to stay at home. They taught us how to cope. We were really, really grateful for all their help.

Everything was just what we wanted. The family was here together.

Susan Tudge

You can support us by making

a good Will gesture.

Vincent at the family farm

We care for 4/5

patients at home

We support patients

Edward and Frank Martin

The hospice was help when we needed it - not just for Dad, but for Mum and us as a whole family. They make things seem normal.

Dad was referred to a Severn Hospice Clinical Nurse Specialist after being diagnosed with cancer. His Clinical Nurse Specialist was wonderful. She visited Dad at home on a regular basis and was always on hand to offer advice and support via the telephone. We were so grateful that she persuaded him to attend the hospice as a day patient, as it did wonders for him and us. He wasn’t keeping pace with his pain, he wasn’t taking his medication regularly, so the plan was to get him on an even keel. Part of the idea of going to the day hospice was to talk to others about how they managed their pain and to help him change his cycle.

Dad was a great talker. He enjoyed the social side but his visits to the hospice really helped Mum too. She was really struggling, so it helped to give her a bit of a break. We knew he was being cared for, he was being looked after. He could see a doctor there if he needed, he could discuss his medication, there was always somebody on hand and that’s worth an awful lot.

At home Dad was struggling to sleep in his own bed, so the hospice arranged for a special bed to be brought into the bungalow for him to sleep in. Before that he had been sleeping in his chair.

Towards the end Dad deteriorated quickly so he was admitted to a ward at the hospice where the care he received was exceptional - the staff were so loving and caring that nothing was too much trouble, no matter what he wanted, or what time he wanted it. Sadly Dad passed away on Boxing Day but we are very grateful that in his final few days he was so comfortable thanks to Severn Hospice.

They were there for us in our hour of need and I want to help make sure that the hospice and its staff can be there for others when they need it.

Edward Martin

and their families

You can support us by donating to our shops

John & Helen Baker’s vow renewal

In June 2016 Helen and I renewed our wedding vows at Severn Hospice

Helen’s illness was incredibly sudden. She began attending the day hospice after she was diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year.

Helen was really happy coming to the hospice - I was too, I felt peace because everyone was so helpful.

Helen and I married in May 1983 in Wellington registry office. We’d been thinking about renewing our vows for a long time, long before Helen became ill, but we just couldn’t find the right place to do it.

The hospice is such a special place, the gardens are beautiful and the Sanctuary is lovely. So one day when Helen and I were at the hospice I was speaking to Tim, the Chaplain, and I asked him if he would lead a service for us to renew our vows at the hospice. He said he’d be delighted to, so that’s what we did.

It was a beautiful sunny day in June, there was me and Helen and all our children. It was really special, it meant so much to us both. Tim, all the staff and volunteers made renewing our vows perfect. We’d been thinking about it and trying to find the right place for so long, we couldn’t have done it without them.

I’m so grateful that we were able to have our special day before Helen passed away. We were so happy together.

John Baker

Mum was diagnosed with peritoneal cancer in August 2015 and passed away in March 2016.

My son Oliver was extremely close to his Nanny. The two had a very close bond and very special relationship. About a month after Mum’s death, Oliver began to find things difficult to cope with and was struggling to handle his emotions when he was at school.

I had heard that the hospice has a children’s bereavement group called Elephants Never Forget so I contacted the hospice social workers, explained the situation and Oliver was invited to attend a session.

Oliver’s Elephants Never Forget day was a beautiful sunny day in August. The group of children spent the day at the hospice in Telford. They made their own pizzas which they enjoyed eating outside for lunch; they spent time in the garden playing with two guinea pigs; they made candles and painted money boxes; they also each made a special memory box to remember their loved one. All of the children chose special items to put in their memory boxes and then they spent time decorating them. In Oliver’s box he put an elephant money box – Mum loved elephants - he also put in special photos of him with his Nanny and a few other items that have really special memories for him with Mum.

It was a really wonderful day for Oliver and the other children. The children were all in the same boat; they weren’t talking about that, but it was just nice that they were together. They knew why they were there, but they didn’t have to talk about why they were there. They were just being normal children.

Oliver enjoyed his Elephants Never Forget day. When we left he said to me:

“Mummy, I didn’t realise that there are other people like me. It was nice to know that I’m not the only one.”

At the end of the day each child let off a red balloon for their loved ones. Oliver wrote “I love you Nanny” on his label and let it go. He didn’t want to let it go at first, he wanted to keep it, but he did let go. He let it go for his Nanny.

Sarah Tilsley

Elephants Never Forget

Oliver With his memory box

Oliver With his Nanny

You can support us by playingour lottery.

Oliver Tilsley

Players must be aged 16 or over

Registered with the Gambling Commission

43 cash prizes

to be won every week

including a

£2,000 weekly jackpot

All the care we provide is free of charge, but not without cost. It cost £10 million last year to provide the care that people in our local community rely on.

Become a volunteer

Our weekly lottery members make a massive difference to our work and are responsible for funding care for one in seven of our patients. It costs just £1 to play and every Friday one of our members wins the guaranteed £2,000 top prize.

It is because you care that we can

The support of our volunteers is invaluable to Severn Hospice. Over 1,000 people volunteer their services, sharing their interests, skills and talents, in our hospices, in our shops and in the community.

FundraiseWhether you would like to organise your own

event, or join in one of the events that we organise

throughout the year, your support will help to make a huge difference. Our fundraising team would love to hear from you.

Support our shopsWe are always

in need of good quality items to

sell in our Severn Hospice shops.

Join our lottery

20% of our donations are gifts that people have left us in their Will.

When you are making provisions for the future, caring for your family

and friends, please help us continue caring by

making a Good Will Gesture.

Making a Good Will Gesture

How we raise the moneyfrom every

£1 donated goes towards

funding our services, we use the other 12p to

help us make another £1

Find Out more...Full annual report and accounts for year ending 31st March 2016 are on our website or available on request from the Income Generation department

33%

22.4%

12.6%

13.7%

16.5%

1.8%

£3,598,456

£2,446,693

NHS FUNDING

LEGACIES

LOTTERY

RETAIL

INVESTMENTS & OTHER

DONATIONS & EVENTS

£1,376,840

£1,497,136

£1,797,203

£194,214

How we spend the money

1.8%

10.3%

41.9%

14.5%

12.9%

3.9%

6.3%

0.3%

1.6%

6.5%

INPATIENT CARE

DAY & OUTPATIENT CARE

HOSPICE AT HOME

HOME & HOSPITAL VISITS

RETAIL

LOTTERY

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

WELLBEING

FUNDRAISING

GOVERNANCE & INVESTMENT

£183,593

£1,031,167

£4,192,126

£1,448,782

£1,293,427

£390,725

£632,172

£25,627

£163,115

£650,722

It cost £10M last year to run Severn

Hospice; that’s £27,400 per day

Our supporters helped raise £7.11M

last year; that’s £19,480 per day

www.severnhospice.org.uk fundraising@severnhospice.org.uk @severnhospice/severnhospice

Thanks to all patients, volunteers and staff who have given their permission to have their photos included in this yearbook.

Connect with us

SHROPSHIRE

MID WALES

CEREDIGION

TELFORD & WREKIN

ShrewsburySevern HospiceBicton Heath, ShrewsburySY3 8HSMAIN SWITCHBOARD01743 236565FUNDRAISING01743 354450

NewtownSevern HospiceBack LaneNewtown, POWYS SY16 2NH

TELEPHONE01686 623558

CeredigionTŷ Geraint, Bronglais General Hospital,Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 1ER

Telephone:01970 635790

TelfordSevern Hospice Apley Castle, TelfordTF1 6RHMAIN SWITCHBOARD01952 221350FUNDRAISING01952 221351