Hospice Care Week 2025
‘Hospice care is more than you think’ is the theme of this year’s Hospice Care Week.
The annual awareness campaign is our opportunity to celebrate and put the spotlight on the invaluable care and support Saint Francis Hospice has been providing to our communities in Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Havering, Brentwood and parts of West Essex, for over 41 years.
As demand for our services continues to grow, Saint Francis Hospice, along with hospices across the country, is calling on the government for sustainable funding to secure the future of our compassionate care and support services.
Only 31% of our funding comes from the government. This means we depend on legacies, donations and charitable giving to raise the remaining 71% (almost £9m) needed to fund hospice care every year.
This week we will be sharing the stories of the people who have experienced our care.
People like Don who is receiving care from our therapies team. While attending a therapy session, he spoke about his lifelong love of photography. We knew how proud Don was of his work so we organised an exhibition at our Education Centre so Don could exhibit his photos and give a talk to guests.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to show my photos to a room of people. These photos have been in the house for 40 odd years gathering dust. I really appreciate the hospice giving me the chance to do this.”
Don was introduced to Saint Francis Hospice by his cardiac nurse. He had just come out of hospital and she knew the hospice offered exercise classes.
“I would not swap the hospice for anything,” said Don. “The hospice only has to say ‘would you like to do this’ and I say ‘yes!
I’m blind in one eye and I am so grateful to the volunteer drivers who pick me up and take me to the classes and then back home. They are very caring.
“Coming to the hospice is the best thing I have ever done. I enjoy the company as much as it is exercise, and I have a lot of fun.”
People like Rukahya, who is a mum of two. She was referred to Saint Francis Hospice in 2018 and since then, she has attended a number of therapy sessions to help her manage her condition and improve her wellbeing.
“Saint Francis Hospice brings me hope and joy,” said Rukahya, who also receives regular calls from OrangeLine, our confidential telephone support service.
“My breast cancer nurse told me about the hospice in 2018 and the range of activities available to support people. Now, every time I see her, I thank her for introducing me to the hospice.
“When I come here, I forget about my troubles. I am so happy, I am in another world. Even if I am expecting my death here, it is going to be a fun place to be until the end of my life.”
People like Brian who was cared for by our Enhanced Hospice at Home team. Here his daughter Sue shares how the team made an impact on the lives of Brian and his loved ones;
“Dad was cared for with tenderness and professionalism,” said his daughter Sue.
“They spoke with Mum, comforted Jayne and I, and gave us the freedom to run errands or take a break without the crushing guilt of leaving Dad’s side. They made us laugh and cry when we needed it most. They were, and always will be, unforgettable.
“Without their compassion, friendship, and genuine love, we would not have been able to stay as strong as we did during those final weeks.”
What’s happening in the community during Hospice Care Week?
Representatives from the volunteer, OrangeLine, communication and engagement and income generation teams will have stands outside the following shops to engage with the community to promote our services and hopefully inspire new volunteers, attendees to our support groups and fundraisers.
- Monday 6th October – Hornchurch Shop
- Tuesday 7th October - Magda Mikov from the Referral Hub will attend the District Nurses Forum via Teams
- Tuesday 7th October - Phoenix FM - Jan Scott will be going on Phoenix FM to raise awareness of our services, promote volunteering and upcoming fundraising events
- Thursday 9th October – Stand by our shop in Vicarage Field Shopping Centre in Barking.
Key facts:
Our Services
- Last year we cared for 2,906 people, both at the hospice and at home. This includes our core hospice services, along with our bereavement and OrangeLine services.
- We do not charge people to access our services
- 85% of our care is in the community
- Demand for our services is growing
Funding
- We need to raise almost £9m a year to fund our care and support services.
- 69% of our funding comes from donations and charitable giving
- Only 31% of our funding comes from the NHS
