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Sisters sell off prized possessions as a way of thanking East Cheshire Hospice

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Sisters Imogen and Hattie Shuttleworth are generously selling off their prized possessions as a way of thanking East Cheshire Hospice for looking after their grandfather.

Richard Lea, from Macclesfield, is an inpatient at the Hospice after he was diagnosed with a stage four brain tumour on Christmas Eve.

He dotes on his two granddaughters, so the efforts made by them to support the Hospice are a great source of pride to him and his family.

Imogen (left) and Hattie with grandpa Richard Lea. 

Hattie, aged 10, ran a teddy bear stall outside her home which raised £400, while Imogen (14) will spend six months selling her beloved artwork.

Bollington Printshop print for free to support her fundraising, with all sale proceeds donated to the Hospice where the girls have been regular visitors to Richard’s bedside.

Imogen, a pupil at Church Lawton School, Staffordshire, said: “I’m volunteering as part of my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and want to use my creativity and paint commissions, mostly of pets and landscapes, to raise money for the Hospice.

Hattie with her teddy bear stall.

“The charity is very important to our family as it cares for our grandpa who has a brain tumour.”

Hattie, who attends Ivy Bank Primary School, used her Christmas money to make friendship bracelets bearing messages.

Mum Verity said: “Hattie decided she wanted to sell her teddy bears to raise funds. Dad isn’t well but he’d be thrilled by what his granddaughters are doing.

Imogen and her artwork.

“We’re extremely grateful for the way the Hospice are looking after us all as a family.”

Imogen and Hattie have already raised more than £900.

* To donate visit www.justgiving.com/page/imogen-shuttleworth-1

AstraZeneca employees raise outstanding amount of funds

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Employees at AstraZeneca in Macclesfield helped to raise more than £94,000 for East Cheshire Hospice and Silklife Foodbank last year.

Staff held a range of activities from quizzes, craft events, runs and a netball tournament to support the charities.

Fundraising activities were matched by AstraZeneca which was headline sponsor of Art Fair Cheshire and the Christmas tree collection which celebrated its 25th year.

The AZ donation to the Hospice in 2024 was a staggering £47,821.

AZ employees celebrate raising more than £94,000 for East Cheshire Hospice and Silklife Foodbank.

Guy Camm, from AZ, said: “Our employees know that our local charities need all the support they can get.  We’re constantly amazed at the wide variety of fundraising activities our teams always seem to have on the go!

“We’re delighted to match the donations raised for these charities, both of which provide such crucial support to individuals and families across our community.”

Rachel Allcock, from the Hospice, said: “Working with the AZ team is such a pleasure.  Their staff never fail to raise much-needed funds for the Hospice. We’re so grateful for their unwavering support.”

AZ employees regularly donate food and other much-needed items for the foodbank through two collection points permanently based at its Macclesfield campus.

Dan Blackman, from Silklife Foodbank, said: “AZ Macclesfield’s financial contribution has helped us to make a really meaningful difference to the most vulnerable families in our local community.”

Fallibroome Academy raise over £7,000 for East Cheshire Hospice

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Fallibroome Academy has again earned top marks for its amazing support for East Cheshire Hospice.

The school raised £7,000 for the charity from its Jingle Jog before Christmas, bringing the total donated over the last eight years to an amazing £49,180.

The Fallibroome contribution helped raise £41,407 before Gift Aid from the Hospice’s latest Reindeer Rush in December. Some 29 schools were involved.

Under starter’s orders …students at Fallibroome Academy stage their Jingle Jog.

The Hospice has a special place in the hearts of everyone at Fallibroome after caring for one of the Academy’s late teachers.

Every pupil attending the last week of term defied bad weather to walk, run or jog round the athletics track at the nearby Everybody Macclesfield Leisure Centre.

PE teacher Lucy Bradley, one of four Academy community managers, said: “We hold several charitable initiatives in the year and the Hospice event is always our big one.

“We know of students’ parents and grandparents who’ve used the Hospice services, while students have also accessed its counselling services after relatives were treated there.

Head teacher Ross Martland in Santa outfit with Jennifer Dunn, assistant head of PE.   

“The Hospice ask students to raise at least £3 to cover the cost of envelopes and reindeer ears and we were astonished how much was donated. The average donation was probably £30.

“We thank everyone for their generous support. Parents and students appreciate what the Hospice does and why we need it.

“We hold assemblies for every year group to explain the different ways people use the Hospice. It is described as ‘a place where people come to live’ and we explain why to students.”

Mary Hindle’s fundraising success

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Delicious mince pies, mouth-watering cakes and endless cups of tea and coffee – the perfect recipe for fundraising for Mary Hindle and friends.

Selling Christmas cards has also been hugely successful for Mary who has raised almost £17,000 for charity over nearly two decades.

More than £12,000 of that total has been donated to East Cheshire Hospice where her late husband Ian (63) was a patient. The rest is split between cancer charities.

Mary will never forget the care and compassion the family received when Ian died in the Hospice in September 2011, four years after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Mary Hindle at home with her mince pies.

The HR consultant was treated by The Christie which has also benefitted from her donations, along with Macmillan and Cancer Research.

Mary, a retired teacher, holds a charity day every November at her home in Prestbury.

The event raised a record £2,020 last time when Mary again received help from friends Angie Entwistle, Carol Waters and Linda Richardson.

Mary said: “I couldn’t do it without them. I send out about 100 invitations by email in early October and we had about 80 guests last year between 10 am and 3 pm.

Mary (centre) makes her latest donation to East Cheshire Hospice staff.

“They buy Christmas cards supplied by the Hospice, eat cake, buy raffle tickets and cakes and put generous donations in the pot. Hospice staff come along to support.”

Mary, a member of The Tytherington Club, was busy making mince pies in the days before when she baked cakes with friends.

Mary said: “I make about 35 dozen mince pies to sell to friends for donations which go into the Hospice pot.

“The donations have increased over the years. It used to be a fiver but now people will often put in £15 or £20.

“Guests also like the Hospice Christmas cards and are happy to buy them.

“People feel as though they’re doing something for charity. Everyone has been touched by the Hospice or known someone with cancer.

“The day has turned into a lovely social occasion to which everyone is welcome. It’s an opportunity to meet friends old and new and buy early Christmas cards.

“While old friends have been supporting the day for years, there are always new acquaintances.

“My heart is with the Hospice because that’s where my husband spent his final three weeks.”

Mary has been a volunteer at the Hospice since 2016, helping on reception once a week.

Exciting experience enjoyed by patients at East Cheshire Hospice

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Driving a Formula 1 car, riding a roller coaster and visiting magical destinations across the world.

Just a few of the exciting experiences enjoyed by patients at East Cheshire Hospice without even leaving Macclesfield.

Virtual reality headsets allow patients to fulfil their dreams from inside the comfort and safety of the Hospice.

The VR headsets were donated by NFON UK, a subsidiary of NFON AG, a leading European provider of integrated cloud business communications.

The new technology has benefits for staff and patients.

Myles Leach, Managing Director of NFON UK, visited the hospice to see VR in action.

He said: “We’re delighted to support the incredible work of East Cheshire Hospice. It’s inspiring to see how technology can make such a positive impact on patient care and create meaningful moments for the people who need it most.”

Conor Stubbs, Head of IT at the Hospice, said: “We’re extremely grateful to NFON UK for their generous donation of these VR headsets.

Myles Leach (right) from NFON UK hands VR headsets to Conor Stubbs at East Cheshire Hospice.   

“The technology allows patients to revisit familiar local landmarks or explore places of personal significance.

“Virtual reality gives us an incredible opportunity to promote emotional wellbeing and create meaningful experiences for our patients.

“It’s about finding ways to truly enrich the lives of those we care for.

“The equipment will also play a key role in staff training, developing skills and further improving quality of care.”

VR helps promote relaxation, either through walks in forests, on beaches and other spaces. It also helps relieve stress and anxiety.

There are plans to customise content, create a virtual Hospice tour and library and set up clinical training apps and learning resources. VR can also be used to monitor health data.

Here is a sample of patient feedback:

“I loved the F1 car video and the Subaru rally simulator. It felt like I was behind the wheel experiencing the speed, excitement and adrenalin rush.”

“I saw the Eiffel Tower, Egyptian pyramids and enjoyed a 360-degree sky dive.”

“Best thing ever. The closest I’ll get to the Maldives, especially the beach and I loved the stingrays.”  

For one patient a trip on a bullet train in Tokyo was on his wish list, while an app allowed others to draw in an immersive 3D environment.

The Hospice are also using headsets loaned by Macclesfield and District General Hospital last summer as part of their strategy to aid patients through technology.

East Cheshire Hospice was once again the big winner from a golf day at Prestbury

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

East Cheshire Hospice was once again the big winner from a golf day at Prestbury.

The team event was won by printers Sphere UK, one of many generous supporters who raised a bumper £14,502 for the charity.

Sphere held off the challenge of 16 other teams to lift the prestigious Mactex Trophy.

The event, which has been running for 36 years, is the flagship competition on Prestbury’s charity golf calendar.

From left, Luke Hughes, Carley Macey, Nick Bianchi, Victoria Devon, Amanda Cross, John Davies and Nigel Preston.

Organisers were the tireless duo of John Davies, Director of Mactex Properties Ltd, and ex-golf professional Nigel Preston, from Interflex.

John’s involvement goes back to the first tournament. He said: “We had to postpone the event to another day due to rain, but the wait was well worthwhile.

“I’d like to thank our main sponsors, estate agents Holmes Naden, and other businesses and volunteers who helped us raise such a magnificent total.

“Supporters included Amanda Cross from Sphere UK, Victoria Devon, Paul and Nick Bianchi and Claire Gorton, Carley Macey, Luke Hughes and Sarah Elvin from the Hospice.

“Prestbury Golf Club are always wonderful hosts, boasting top class facilities and a course which is one of the finest in Cheshire.

“The Hospice need to raise £9,362 a day so the contribution from the golf day is a welcome addition to its funds.

“We’re aiming to make our 2025 golf day another big success.”

Local customers have loyally supported Christmas Tree Collection for 25 years!

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Dozens of customers have loyally supported the Christmas tree collection throughout its 25-year association with East Cheshire Hospice.

They are among more than 6,000 subscribers who will hopefully register again for the next collection on January 11 and 12 via www.echtrees.org.uk

The deadline is midnight on Tuesday, January 7.

Volunteers prepare for the 2020 tree collection.

Meanwhile, some of the 278 volunteers on the scheme’s database have helped since almost the start.

Co-founders Richard Raymond and Pete Chapman have overseen major changes over the years.

Pete said: “We’re a lot more advanced these days with hi-tec routing, mapping, social media and online payments.

“People had to put money in a plastic bag on trees until a few years ago. They also register online, whereas it used to be phone calls and messages.

“A van can now collect up to 200 trees a day, twice as many as before.”

Pete’s son Andy, an occupational therapist, introduced spreadsheets using Microsoft Works as part of a school project while studying IT.

The advent of green wheelie bins saw a potential threat become an opportunity.

Recycling trees at West Park depot.

Macclesfield Council backed the scheme, advertising on bins rather than encouraging homeowners to use them to recycle trees.

Crucially, other hospices tap into Pete and Richard’s expertise. Pete said: “We’ve documented everything we do, building a database accessed by more than 50 hospices. We collaborate and want everyone to run a successful collection.

“It means the system will live forever. Richard and I can’t do it forever, so we’ve created a library to hand on to our successors.

“We must thank our supporters, including local businesses, a lot of whom want to give anonymously.

“It means a lot to me that we also help volunteers whatever their physical ability. We’ll always find a role for them.

“We don’t just bring income to the Hospice. We also raise awareness in the local community, drawing in volunteers, encouraging recycling and attracting young people to the Hospice.

“There are more benefits than we ever dreamt of. The Hospice know year on year they’re going to get this money from the collection.

“It has done a fantastic job setting up Hospice @Home and we’d like to think we’ve played a small part by raising awareness of the Hospice.

“No-one had ever thought of a tree collection until we did – it came from one spark of a great idea. The scheme’s success gives us enormous pride.”

* Organisers still need large vans for the forthcoming collection. To help, contact 01625 433477 or email luke.oldham@echospice.org.uk

The Fishers are doing their bit for East Cheshire Hospice

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Plasterer Lee Fisher will be out and about touring in his van collecting Christmas trees like he does every January.

It is very much a family affair for Lee whose wife Alex and mum Judith will join him on their road trip.

The Fishers are doing their bit for East Cheshire Hospice like dozens of other volunteers over the weekend of January 11 and 12.

Travelling far and wide picking up trees for recycling in lieu of a donation to the Hospice.

Volunteers Lee Fisher, mum Judith and wife Alex.

The next collection celebrates the 25th anniversary of an award-winning scheme which provides vital funds for patient care.

Lee, from Macclesfield, got involved 12 years ago through a link with co-founder Pete Chapman.

Lee said: “Pete’s son Rob is one of my best mates and he went round collecting Christmas trees for charity one year.

“That’s how it all started and once I got a bigger transit van for work Rob collared me and said, ‘you’re doing this tree collection.’

“I was happy to help. It’s my good deed for the year.

“I donate my van and don’t even ask for a penny in fuel. Hiring vans is a big cost which would have to come out of the pot for the Hospice.”

The Fishers’ route covers Prestbury, where Judith works part-time in the village pharmacy. Alex is an assistant head teacher at Dean Valley Community Primary School in Bollington.

Lee said: “I drive because Alex usually ends up doing some damage to the van. One year she drove into a pillar and that was pretty painful.

“Mum tells us where we’re going and I jump out with Alex and put the trees in the back of the van.

“We drop them off for mulching at West Park.

“Donations are made online and we get a booklet with all the information. It’s a good day and everyone is in high spirits.

“The scheme is extremely well run and Pete and his co-organiser Richard Raymond work so hard.

“The scheme won the Queen’s Award the other year which was well deserved.

“I grew up at the back of the Hospice. My gran used to knit blankets for them and our family know people who’ve been helped by the charity.”

Registrations are open at www.echtrees.org.uk

The collection covers postcode areas CW12, SK9, SK10, SK11, SK12 & WA16.

The scheme has also been a finalist twice in the National Recycling Awards.

The first garden party to mark the new Memory Tree at East Cheshire Hospice

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

The first garden party to mark the new Memory Tree at East Cheshire Hospice was a major success.

Guests honoured the memory of lost loved ones as they enjoyed afternoon tea while relaxing in the Hospice gardens.

Even the rain stayed away for an event destined to become a regular occasion on the charity’s calendar.

Almost 80 names are now engraved on leaves dedicated to the memory of someone special, even if that person has no link to the charity.

The Hospice is encouraging more people to join the scheme. Subscription is £10 a month, or £120 a year.

A total of 400 leaves are available, with the name of a loved one engraved along with a message if desired.

Representatives from AstraZeneca, whose employees gifted the memorial, attended the garden party.

Guests at the Memory Tree garden party at East Cheshire Hospice.

Rachel Allcock, the charity’s Income Generation Director, explained to guests that it now costs £9,362 a day to run the Hospice which receives 21 per cent of funding from government.

She said: “The Hospice continues to expand and we’ve recently broadened our dementia and Hospice @Home services.

“The new Sunflower Living Well Centre has also just reopened and it is thanks to the generosity of supporters like you that we’re able to make such improvements.

“Thank you to the loved ones who you honour on our Memory Tree. They would be proud to see their names up there and I’m sure they would be proud to know that your support will help others just like them.”

The Memory Tree, which was unveiled last October, is situated in a discreet peaceful setting and easily accessible without entering the main Hospice building on Millbank Drive.

Amy Williams (left) and Beth England from the Hospice beside the Memory Tree.

The metal tree, made by sculptor Christopher Townsend, was created as a way of marking the 35th anniversary of the charity which cared for its first patient in February 1988.

* To sign up to the Memory Tree visit www.eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/memory-tree.

For queries, contact amy.williams@echospice.org.uk or call 01625 665688.

St Dunstan’s have been busy fundraising for East Cheshire Hospice

Posted on by Becky Sidwell

Drinking beer was optional for walkers taking part in a traditional pub crawl across Cheshire countryside.

But having a good time in aid of a worthy cause was compulsory for hikers in the popular Langley 11.

With 100 tickets sold, more than 140 walkers raised £1,321 for East Cheshire Hospice from the latest trek which started at St Dunstan’s Inn in Langley.

Ticket holders enjoyed bacon baps giving them energy for a 15-mile hike through Macclesfield Forest, with a shorter route preferred by some participants.

The longer hike visited 11 pubs, including the Stanley Arms, Wild Boar Inn and Crag Inn which are now closed.

St Dunstan’s has been owned for the last 13 years by husband-and-wife William and Sarah-Kate Cantlie.

Sarah-Kate said: “The walk takes place twice a year and we usually have between 100 and 160 walkers with many picking up tickets in advance and contributing £11 which is donated to the Hospice.

“The route still goes past the three pubs no longer open. Stops are made at the Leather Smithy, Hanging Gate Inn, Ryles Arms, Sutton Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Church House, Sutton Hall and the Kings Head.

“Many people buy a drink en route and it’s a nice way for them to support these businesses and the Hospice.”

AstraZeneca will match fund the donation, bringing the total to £2,642.

The next Langley 11 is on Saturday, September 7, although walkers can get more fresh air – and alcohol – by undertaking the Sutton 8 which starts at the Church House on Saturday, June 29.

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