Celebrating years of caring - Severn Hospice · 2017. 9. 7. · 1981 A message from our Chief...

Yearbook 2013-14

years of caring

Celebrating

H

1981

A message from our

Chief Executive

This photo of Paul Cronin was taken when

he joined our hospice in 2003.

years of caring

CelebratingIn March 1981 a public meeting was called by former nurse Sheila Laws at Shrewsbury Castle to

persuade the local health service and general public that Shropshire needed a hospice. This meeting

was the first major landmark in our hospice’s history.

Paul Cronin, Chief Executive

It is hard to believe that Severn Hospice is 25-years-old in

2014. In this Yearbook we celebrate the essential work of

the hospice over a quarter of a century and all those who

have made it possible, including supporters like you.

And what a story it is. From the passion and commitment

of the early fundraisers and Trustees to the large and

complex organisation we are today, it is an absolutely

fascinating journey.

In the pages that follow we celebrate the work of the

hospice in the last year but at the same time set these

achievements in their proper historical context by taking a

look back to former times. The differences are sometimes

enormous but the philosophy of care and the passion that

underpins all we do at the hospice remains constant.

I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers that carry

this flame in everything they do at Severn Hospice and

indeed to our supporters who make it all possible. We are

truly the best example of a local service for the people by

the people and may this remain so in the next 25 years, and

the next, and the next...

With very best wishes

www.severnhospice.org.uk

John Tancock, Former Vice-Chairman

– I joined the hospice in: 1981, when I

volunteered my services on the hospice

steering committee after attending the

initial public meeting

“It took us six years to reach the sod

cutting stage and a further two years

to build and commission the hospice.

Certainly, in those days, every hospice

in the development stage needed an

inspirational and determined person to

drive the idea along and Sheila Laws, supported by her

husband Dr John, was such a person. I was there on the

day the first patient was admitted. It had been a long haul

but, to me, a building site had suddenly become a place of

caring – a truly moving moment. I retired in 2001, a period

of 20 years which I will always look back on as being one of

the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

Our team

With more than 300 staff and an army of over 950

volunteers working at our hospice sites, shops and in

communities across Shropshire and Mid Wales, our caring

team is able to touch the lives of thousands of local people

every year.

To commemorate our silver anniversary we have asked

some of our longest serving staff and volunteers to share

their memories of how the hospice has developed since its

fledgling years.

Caroline Clegg, Social Worker – I joined

the hospice in: October 1990, I was the

first social worker employed by the hospice

“My abiding memories of the first years of

working here are of the closeness of the

small team that we were. That feeling has

not really changed, although the size of

the team and the scope of the hospice has

changed radically. The standard of care

has not changed. From the days when Dr

Bill Watson would talk to patients perched

on their bed with black Labrador Henry also in attendance,

to the present when everyone from the clinical team to

the kitchen staff will do their utmost to support patients,

families and friends and to look out for each other too.”

Helen Duce, Day Hospice Manager – I joined the hospice in: July 1989,

when I had my induction along with

all the original nurses

“I started at the hospice as one of

the nursing team and I still have

the original letter offering me a job.

When we all started we knew that this

place was full of possibilities and by

all working together we’d make it a

reality. At the time it felt like we had a

lot to learn but we were all here for the same purpose;

to help local people. I’ve had a number of roles at the

hospice and the main change has been the incredible

growth in the scale of our organisation. That said, we

have always maintained the family feel we had in the

early days.”

Jean Dorsett, Staff Nurse – I joined the

hospice in: 1989, the hospice’s first year

“I joined the hospice first as a volunteer

then as a member of staff. From day

one there was always a warmth to the

hospice. Over the years the hospice has

expanded so much, and changed its

name, but the one thing that has stayed

true is the hospice ideal. I will always be

proud of being part of the hospice.”

Bill Quirk, Volunteer – I joined the hospice

in: September 1989, having seen an advert

in the local newspaper

“Coming to Shrewsbury a few years after

retiring I realised I ought to make some

return for being supported by the taxpayer

and also find somewhere I belong. So after

reading in the local press of a hospice

opening on my doorstep, I volunteered

with my wife in September 1989 and was

assigned to the Appeals department to set

up a covenant system. There followed many different roles

in Appeals and Finance, all bringing their own feeling of

satisfaction.”

In June 1985 an official appeal was launched by Lord Shrewsbury at the town’s

Shirehall to raise funds to build the proposed new hospice in Shrewsbury. 1985

...and then

Now...


Originally called the Shropshire

and Mid Wales Hospice, our

building in Bicton Heath was

officially opened in April 1991

by HRH Duchess of Kent.

Our anniversary events in 2014

You can join us to celebrate our silver anniversary at

one of our many events organised for 2014. Visit our

website – www.severnhospice.org.uk – throughout

the year for more information on all the events we

have planned.

8 March – Pontesbury Potter

26 April – Severn Silver Stride, a walk from our

hospice in Telford to our hospice in Shrewsbury

10 May – Midnight Walk in Telford

24 May – Bank Holiday train trip to Torquay

31 May – Midnight Walk in Shrewsbury

22 June – Dragon Boat Festival

June-August – 25 open gardens across Shropshire

11 July – Silver anniversary Grand Prize Draw

12 July – Silver anniversary Dinner Dance

13 July – 25th anniversary service of thanksgiving

at St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury

19-20 July – Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival

10 August – Attingham Classic Vehicle Rally

13-16 September – Cycle the Western Front

26 September – Fire Walk

22 November – Christmas shopping train trip

to Edinburgh

5 December – Lights of Love

19 December – Christmas Raffle Grand Prize Draw


...and then

Now...In April 1987 the plans for a new hospice in Shrewsbury turned into reality when the first

sod was cut at the Bicton Heath site by our founder Sheila Laws. The foundation stone

was laid in the July and is still visible at the front of the building.1987

Our buildings

The one constant since our hospice came into existence 25

years ago has been our site in Bicton Heath. The purpose-

built hospice opened to patients in 1989, two years after

construction first began in an empty field near Oxon Hall.

The building housed an inpatient ward and a day hospice.

In the beginning we were able to care for 10 inpatients at

any one time at Bicton Heath. We now support up to 24

patients in our three wards over both our inpatient sites.

Since we completed our second site at Apley Castle in

Telford seven years ago we have been working through a

phased programme of redevelopments at our Bicton Heath

hospice to ensure a consistent standard of facilities for

our patients across both sites. Improvements included a

refurbishment of our main kitchens, upgrading our Perry

Ward from shared to single patient rooms, and renovating

day hospice facilities.

In 2013 we completed several major developments at

Bicton Heath thanks to a grant from the Department

of Health for almost 70 per cent of the total cost of the

project. The remaining money came from our capital

budget and generous members of the local community

through their kind donations and legacies.

A new sanctuary was created centrally,

between our two wards, making it

more accessible for our patients and

their families. We improved patient

facilities on Breidden Ward by making

each room single occupancy with en-

suite facilities. A new conservatory was

built, offering those who use it a lovely

view of our award-winning gardens.

Communal areas on Breidden were

refurbished so patients can enjoy a

meal or sit with their loved ones in

comfortable surroundings. Working

areas for our staff and volunteers were

also improved.

All of these improvements are part of

our hospice’s ongoing dedication to

continue providing the best possible

care in a beautiful setting, enhancing

privacy and dignity for our patients for

years to come.

Our Shrewsbury hospice

took just over a year to

build, this photo was taken

in September 1987 when

work was still in progress.

As well as our hospices in

Bicton Heath and Apley

Castle, we also have our

Hafan Day Hospice in

Newtown, Powys, which

officially opened in 1998.


Our conservatory is one of a

number of new areas created

at our Bicton Heath hospice

where patients and their

friends and relatives can sit

in comfort and tranquillity.

Courtesy of Stonehouse Photographic


...and then

Now...95 patients were referred to the hospice in our first year of providing care for local people.

This number has increased considerably over the years as the organisation has grown.

In 2012/13 we had 1,907 patient referrals, a record number for our hospice.1989

Our doctors

In 2013 our founding medical director, Dr Jeremy Johnson,

retired after 24 years. As one of our original members

of staff, Dr Johnson admitted the hospice’s very first

patient on 12th July 1989. Since that day thousands of

local people have been touched by his compassion and

dedication. For almost our entire history Dr Johnson, as

single-handed consultant and medical director, led not only

the development of our medical services but also the day-

to-day operations of the medical department, including the

recruitment and development of staff.

Dr Johnson’s retirement heralded a new era at our hospice.

As the demands on our hospice services have grown and the

understanding of caring for people with incurable illnesses

as a specialism has deepened over the years, our medical

team has adapted to embrace these changes.

In 2010 our medical department grew and now has the

equivalent of three full time consultants spread over five

posts. Every member of the team brings with them a

range of interests and expertise which has allowed each

consultant to take on their own area of specialism.

Dr Claire Stockdale leads our palliative

care services in North Powys and also

specialises in motor neurone disease.

Dr Toria Stevens is responsible for

building strong links with our local

NHS hospitals and looking after

patients on Breidden Ward. Dr Derek

Willis, our lead consultant, oversees

our services in Telford and professional

education. Dr Alice O’Connor leads on

developing services in the community.

Dr Louise Gilhooley is responsible for

caring for people on Perry Ward as well

as supporting terminally ill patients

with non-cancer illnesses.

Our medical team may have grown

and developed since 1989 but its aim

has always been the same over the

past 25 years. Our doctors remain

dedicated to providing excellent,

expert care in an environment that

is welcoming and comforting for

patients and their families at a time

when they are often at their most

vulnerable.

Dr Jeremy Johnson with

his family at the official

opening of our Bicton

Heath hospice in 1991.

Dr Louise Gilhooley joined

our hospice in March 2012

and is the fifth member of

our consultant team.


Dr Derek Willis

leads our team of

consultants which

includes (from

second left) Dr Alice

O’Connor, Dr Toria

Stevens and Dr

Claire Stockdale.



...and then

Now...

Our patients

Thanks to supporters like you, our caring teams are here to

provide skilled, loving care to local people during good days,

bad days and the worst of days. Whether it is on our wards,

in our day hospices or in a patient’s home, our doctors,

nurses and many support teams exist to give expert end of

life support to those who need it.

In 2007 we opened our hospice in Apley Castle, providing

a much-needed service for Telford and the surrounding

areas. Since then, we have cared for hundreds of patients

at our Apley Castle hospice. Shirley Morris, from Madeley,

was one of the patients who received care on our Alexandra

Ward in 2013.

Our staff go to great lengths to ensure all of our patients

make the most of every day and, by doing so, help families

build positive memories to help them through the most

difficult of times. When one of our nursing team found out

Shirley had a life-long love of horses, she decided to do

something a little out of the ordinary to make her smile.

Nursing Assistant Julie Crook brought her horse Lilly into

work one Friday morning so that Shirley could fulfil her wish

to see one of the animals up close again. For Shirley, the

gesture was truly uplifting.

Shirley Morris received a special visitor

when Lilly the horse came to our Apley

Castle hospice.

Nurses care for our first ever inpatient at

our Bicton Heath hospice in July 1989.

“I’d heard about people bringing dogs into the

hospice to visit people but I’d never thought they’d

let a horse visit. I have been on a real high since and

it has helped me enormously,” Shirley said.

“If I hadn’t come to stay at the hospice I probably

wouldn’t have got that close to a horse again in my

life. They go out of their way to help you and they

treat you how you want to be treated. Lilly coming

to visit is something I can take away with me in my

memory. It was lovely, absolutely lovely.”

Shirley Morris sadly passed away shortly after

Lilly’s visit.

1996In September 1996 we opened a day hospice at Portway House, Telford. After 11 years,

the day hospice was moved to Apley Castle when the building opened to day patients on

11th September 2007.


Our Trustees took the major step of launching

a £5 million appeal for a new hospice in Apley

Castle, Telford, in July 2004. A big crowd of

supporters turned out to help cut the first sod

for the building work in July 2006. The keys for

the new hospice were handed over in 2007,

with the day hospice opening that September.

We welcomed our first inpatient in July 2008.


...and then

Now...

Our services

Since we first opened our doors to patients in 1989,

demand for our hospice’s services has increased year on

year. In the last decade, we have seen the number of people

who are referred to our services more than double meaning

we are helping more patients than ever during their time of

greatest need.

As the number of local people who rely on our care has

grown, our hospice has always actively looked to expand

and adapt our services to meet the demand. One of

the major changes over the last 10 years has been the

development of our home and community-based hospice

care.

People often think of a hospice as a building, with care

which is confined by four walls. While it is true that we have

hospice buildings where patients and their loved ones come

to receive support, the majority of people we help are seen

out in the community. More than three quarters of people

who need our care receive it while they are at home thanks

to our Hospice at Home service, our team of Clinical Nurse

Specialists (CNS) and our Occupational Therapists.


In 2013 our Hospice at Home service

celebrated its 10th birthday. This team of

experienced nurses and healthcare assistants

provides hands-on care to people in the last

few weeks of life out in the many towns and

villages we serve, helping our patients fulfil

their wish to die in their own home.

Between September 2012 and

September 2013, our CNS team made

4,289 visits to patients at home to

give specialist advice on the complex

physical and psychological effects

of their illness. With their extensive

training, skills and experience in

helping people with cancer, our CNS

team are experts in their field.

Whether it is visiting patients who

have just been diagnosed with cancer

or supporting those in the final stages

of the illness, our CNSs are able to

assess the physical, social, spiritual

and psychological needs of those

they are caring for to help them make

the most of every day. Ultimately,

all our hospice services are aimed at

achieving this. For while our caring

teams can’t put days into life, they are

dedicated to putting life into days for

those with incurable illnesses.

Members of our CNS team travel around

Shropshire and Mid Wales, visiting

patients at home to provide expert

support and advice.

In 2011 our hospice officially took over the management of all of Shropshire and Powys’

former Macmillan community nurses. These nurses are now part of our Clinical Nurse

Specialist team after many years of working in close partnership together.2011

This photo shows the hospice’s original nursing team at the

end of their induction week in July 1989. Since then, the

team has expanded greatly and we now employ 163 nurses

who care for patients across Shropshire and Mid Wales. A

handful of the nurses who appear in this photo still work

at the hospice, having dedicated 25 years of their lives to

supporting local people living with incurable illnesses.


Our fundraising

Our hospice was built thanks to the kindness and generosity

of the local communities we serve. From our very first

donation when we started fundraising in 1982 to the initial

£560,000 gift from the Bradbury Trust which helped us

lay the first bricks at our Bicton Heath site, we have always

depended on willing supporters to help us raise much-

needed income. We are eternally grateful for all the support

we receive.

Since the early days of our fundraising we have developed

different ways our supporters can give to us, providing more

choice to those who want to help our hospice. We opened

our first hospice shop in Newport in 1988 and in the past

25 years this has grown to a network of 21 stores spread

all across our catchment area, with plans to open more in

2014. In 2013, we embarked on a programme of upgrades

for our shops to create an improved environment for our

customers.

Our weekly lottery was launched in 1995 and has been

a vital source of income ever since. In 2012 our lottery

members contributed an incredible £1.4 million to our

fundraising and we are hoping this will continue to grow.

During our 25th anniversary year, we will hold our 1,000th

lottery draw which will be a significant milestone in our

fundraising history.


Our Ludlow store in King

Street opened in May

2013 and is the first of our

shops to feature a new

and improved design.

Each leaf on our Legacy

Tree is engraved with the

name of somebody who

has left a bequest to our

hospice.

Gifts left in people's wills, also known

as legacies, continue to be our most

important source of voluntary income.

In the last 25 years we have received

almost 500 legacies from supporters

who have chosen to give a precious

gift which will ensure we are able

to carry on providing care to local

people far into the future. We unveiled

a copper Legacy Tree at our Bicton

Heath site in 2011 as a tribute to all

those who have given to the hospice in

this way. During our 25th anniversary

year we plan to install a further tribute

to our legacy supporters.

...and then

Now...1982

In 1982 our founder Sheila Laws began holding a series of coffee mornings to help pull in

the pounds for the new hospice project. We now hold a number of different events every

year to raise funds.

Local people have always done amazing

things to raise money so we can continue to

make a difference to the lives of those we

care for. In 2013, 73-year-old Arnold Grayston

circumnavigated Wales in his tiny dinghy to

raise funds in memory of his wife Karen who

was looked after by our caring teams.

Courtesy of Geoff Ward

Heather Palin, Nursing Director

“Last year we set out our five year

strategy with a focus on the development

of community-based services to aid

patient choice and, where possible,

support care in the home. We have

already made progress on this by working

more flexibly through our Clinical Nurse Specialist and

Hospice at Home services. I would like to think that in 25

years, through a programme of continuous improvement

and service developments, we will have secured services

that respond flexibly to the diverse needs of our patients

and individual communities and moves away from some

of the historical and traditional models.”

Paul Cronin, Chief Executive

“By 2039, advances in medical science

will determine that life expectancy for

people with life threatening conditions will

be much extended. People will therefore

look to the hospice for symptom control

services in greater volume to enable

them to lead active lives and, indeed, active working

lives, as people choose or are required to extend their

careers into advanced old age. The delivery of care, now

funded through a combination of state-funded personal

‘allowances’, private health insurance and charitable giving,

will be increasingly shaped by the individual’s preferences

requiring the hospice to have a workforce able to provide

care in a range of settings including the patient’s own

workplace. In this sense, we will have truly become a

‘hospice without walls’.”

Dr Derek Willis, Lead Consultant

“In 25 years time the hospice will still be

hugely important and will still be in the

charity sector. Its independence from the

National Health Service is our hospice’s

main strength because we can be more

flexible with the care we provide to reflect

the diverse communities we serve. I’m sure there will be a

greater focus on care in a community setting. The majority

of our work will happen in our patients’ homes and other

satellite environments. This is really important when you

are caring for a rural area such as ours.”

Norma Ross, Appeals Director

“Communication is key to raising

and acknowledging funds, recent

developments have forced our hospice to

engage via social media and communicate

by e-mail. I predict this will continue to

develop and interaction by 2039 will be

immediate. My greatest hope is that supporters choose

to engage and have a personal relationship with Severn

Hospice and continue to be our greatest allies as they

are the foundation stones of the care we are able to

provide locally.”


In July 2004 our Trustees took a decision to change our name from Shropshire and

Mid Wales Hospice to Severn Hospice.

Our future

The past 25 years have seen major changes at our hospice,

many of which have been chronicled in the pages of this

Yearbook. Here, members of our senior management team

examine what the future might hold by predicting how

hospice care will evolve during the next 25 years.

David Sear, Chairman

“In 2039 the population will be much

older. With the continuing advances of

medicine people will be living longer

but likely to have multiple health issues

which will make caring for them more

complex. The hospice service has been

primarily driven by cancer patients, but excellent palliative

care will be demanded for everyone. For Severn Hospice

the challenge will be funding a much larger service

provided across the whole community and by then the

existing premises at Shrewsbury and Telford will need to be

substantially redeveloped.”

...and then

Now...

2004

Whatever changes have taken place at our hospice since

1989, one thing has always remained consistent. Our

patients and their loved ones have been at the heart of

everything we have done over the past 25 years and will

continue to be so far into the future. We still truly believe

that when cure is no longer possible; care is...


Our President

Algernon Heber-Percy, HM Lord

Lieutenant of Shropshire

Our Board of Trustees

Chairman – David Sear

Vice-chairman – John Fairclough

Vice-chairman – Peter Stewart

Chairman of Finance – Mike Lowe CBE

Sarah Broomhead

Tony Cordery

Marilyn Rydström OBE

Susan Trevor

Ann Tudor

Mike Tudor

Barbara-Ann Tweedie

Dr Wendy-Jane Walton

Gabrielle de Wet

Francis Yates

...and then

Now...

Our accounts

Thank you for taking the time to look through our special

anniversary Yearbook. It is thanks to supporters like you

that we are able to continue being here when it matters

most for the people of Shropshire and Mid Wales. Day after

day, year after year.

Hopefully you have enjoyed reading about some of the

developments taking place at our hospice, as well as looking

back at some of the key moments in our history. All of the

love and care we give to hundreds of families every year is

only possible thanks to the generous donations we receive

from the communities we serve.

Our care and emotional support is totally free for both

patients and their families; but not without cost. Our

services are funded through a combination of kind

donations from supporters, fundraising activities, our lottery

and retail departments, gifts in people's wills and grants

from the NHS. For every £1 invested through NHS grants,

we provide £3 worth of service to local people.

The kindness and goodwill towards our cause is evident in

the tables opposite. Last year supporters like you helped

raise an incredible sum, every penny of which has made a

real difference to those we care for.

Thank you so much for everything you have helped us achieve.

£ % 1. Donations and events 1,508,000 16

2. Legacies 770,000 8

3. Lottery 1,472,000 16

4. Retail 1,908,000 21

5. Investments 255,000 3

6. NHS grants 3,286,000 36

Total 9,199,000 100

Where our funding came from in 2012/13

Full annual report and accounts for year ending 31st March 2013 are on our website or

available on request from the Appeals or Administration office by post.

1

2

3

45

6

In our first financial year, 1988/89, our total voluntary income was £555,000. This figure

included a substantial donation from the Bradbury Trust of Hong Kong for the final payment

for building our day hospice, meaning around £250,000 was raised by local people in our first

year. Last year our supporters helped raise £5.66 million of voluntary income.

1989

£ % 1. Inpatient care 3,811,000 42

2. Day care and outpatient 1,254,000 14

3. Home and hospital support 943,000 10

4. Hospice at Home 427,000 5

5. Bereavement support 136,000 2

6. Education and library 156,000 2

7. Governance 99,000 1

8. Fundraising expenses 474,000 5

9. Lottery 466,000 5

10. Retail 1,275,000 14

Total 9,041,000 100

How our income was spent in 2012/13

1

2

3

4

56

8

9

10

7

www.severnhospice.org.uk www.severnhospice.org.ukwwwwwwwwwwww.sssssssssseeeeeevvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnnnnnhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooossssssssssssssssssssssssssppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiicccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......ooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg............uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuukkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkwww.severnhospice.org.uk

Shrewsbury

Severn Hospice

Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury

SY3 8HS

MAIN SWITCHBOARD

01743 236565

APPEALS

01743 354450

[email protected]

Telford

Severn Hospice Telford

Apley Castle, Telford

TF1 6RH

MAIN SWITCHBOARD

01952 221350

APPEALS

01952 221351

[email protected]

Newtown

Severn Hospice Hafan Day Hospice

Montgomery County Infirmary

Llanfair Road, Newtown

POWYS, SY16 2DW

TELEPHONE

01686 617204

Thank you foryour support

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