I have always been a keen gardener and interested in nature and the outdoor life. So when I retired eight years ago, part of my retirement plan was to join the team of volunteer gardeners at Saint Francis Hospice.

We are supporting the National Day of Reflection (23 March 2021) which marks one year since the start of the first lockdown. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on our community - especially those who lost loved ones but have been unable to process their grief.  Here Shahina Haque, our Family Support Services Manager, gives us an insight into how her team responded to the growing need for bereavement support. And although written in June last year,  Shahina's words are still very relevant nine months later. 

I started at the Hospice in the heat of the pandemic in April last year. I had worked in the NHS for 32 years and although I had retired and continued working part-time, I was ready for a change.

This week Ella received a Gold Star Award by the Jack Petchey Foundation in recognition of her volunteering work on the ward at Saint Francis Hospice. Along with a certificate, Ella also received £50 from the Foundation to spend on herself.  

I had only been in post as team leader for 6 months when the whole country was put into lockdown for the first time back in March.

My nursing career started at the age of 21 when the Bee Gees were high in the charts.

One of the greatest pleasures of my work at the Hospice is my work with the tissue donation group.

Having been an OrangeLine volunteer for the past two years, I know how much the organisation does to support our local community.

In 2008 I began volunteering for Saint Francis Hospice after my eldest son died in a traffic accident and I wanted to help somehow, for some worthy cause

I have been a volunteer at Saint Francis Hospice for five years and I helped on reception, in the volunteer hub and I now work two days from home for our confidential telephone service OrangeLine.

This time last year I was starting a new and exciting role with Saint Francis Hospice as their Events Manager and I couldn’t wait to get my teeth stuck into hosting some great events and raising funds for such a well-loved local charity.

"I chose to help a charity for the Volunteering Section of my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award."

When you lose someone close to you as I have done, some people at the time said to me, time is a healer, some said, I know exactly how you feel, and some said nothing at all and avoided me in case they said the wrong thing and upset me.

Brenda Clark spent the last two weeks of her life on the ward and during that time, her daughter Tina says her mum received so much care and kindness. In March, Tina is taking part in a thrilling skydiving challenge. Here she explains why she wants to raise as much money as she can to help local people like her beloved mum.

Our Therapies team were determined to reach out to patients and families who need our care and support. And they even managed to find a virtual way to deliver Reiki. 

My involvement with the Hospice almost came about quite effortlessly and through opportune awareness raised of a local support organisation at a time when I had been thinking about how I could get involved further with a local initiative and give back something to the community.

Looking back over 2020, we will all have our own memories and thoughts about the year. No one could tell us how serious this Corona virus was going to be, but we all had to prepare for it in one way or another.

I have been a Trustee at Saint Francis Hospice for 7 years and I have always been impressed by how professional, caring, and adaptable everyone at the hospice is.

As 2020 comes to an end and I think back to when Covid started, it seems such a long time ago. A ‘new normal’ of masks, gloves and aprons provided a barrier to protect us but for me, it put a barrier between us and our patients.

I am a ‘junior doctor’ and more recently, I decided to pursue a career in General Practice (GP). Part of the training process for this has allowed me the pleasure of spending 6-months at St Francis Hospice.

It’s been quite a year for the retail industry and the pandemic hit our charity shops hard.

I witnessed how the pandemic was affecting individuals in different ways.

I'm pleased to say that our local community has really got behind us and shown incredible generosity.

Hospice survival and foundations for the future is paramount

Volunteering has taken on a different meaning for me.

We had to find a way to continue to care for people remotely.

The hospice is beautiful, which makes for great film-making.

From a secretary to a social work teacher, I've enjoyed a varied career.

"I am a lifelong West Ham supporter living in West Knighton, Leicester.

Children in Need enabling child bereavement support at Saint Francis Hospice