One charity close to the heart of the Rotary Club of Brentwood is Saint Francis Hospice.

With not much else to look at during the lockdown other than the confines of our homes, the need to refresh our decor suddenly became more apparent. 

In 2019, employees at Countryside Properties' head office in Warley voted to support a local good cause for the financial year, which runs until October. Saint Francis Hospice came up trumps.

When the coronavirus forced Glenn Pearmain to close his barbershop, Amen the Barbers, he wasn't even sure if his 28-year-old business would survive. Despite his fears, it was Glenn's immense kindness that brought a cheque of £500 to Saint Francis Hospice.

The year 2020 has seen Wimbledon, Glastonbury, the Summer Olympics, the European Football Championship, and the Eurovision Song Contest cancelled. Neil and Jan Walden's garden party at their home in Gidea Park was no exception to the social distancing rule.

Skip Atkins is one of Saint Francis Hospice's most dedicated supporters. 

A Tribute Fund is a special place online where you can remember a loved one and raise money for Saint Francis Hospice in their memory.

When the coronavirus reached the UK in January, Saint Francis Hospice faced an enormous challenge.

Ben Halsey was a confessed couch potato — until he learnt about the hit Saint Francis Hospice's funding is taking from the coronavirus pandemic.

When green-fingered residents of Little Warley were starved of visiting garden centres during the lockdown, Jan and Pete Bennett decided to set up shop.

When Boris Johnson permitted exercise with members of different households, Marion Tomlin and Debbie Nunn decided to use the newly relaxed rule to Saint Francis Hospice's advantage.

Pemberton Place at Saint Francis Hospice is a special place for many. It's our Hospice's vibrant social hub where local people living with life-limiting illnesses come together.

Saint Francis Hospice's Big Orange Quiz is back with a bang — and a twist. 

While counting herself lucky that she's never known anyone who's needed Saint Francis Hospice's care, Patricia Flavell admitted that moment could come at any time.

With trips to friends and family off-bounds amid social distancing, Saint Francis Hospice's online quizzes have kept a close-knit group for many.

Every summer, Citywire hold a huge charity run. The financial publisher's clients meet in Regent's Park, and hundreds of people pound London's pavements and grass over a 10k course.

Last year, Saint Francis Hospice celebrated 35 years with two volunteer thank-you events.

In 1975, there was a dream to open a hospice on a hill in Havering-atte-Bower. Betty Hollinrake's fundraising helped that vision become a reality in 1984. Fast forward to 2020, and Betty is still supporting Saint Francis Hospice — at 90 years young.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Jack Petchey Foundation has introduced the Community Awards. The honours recognise the outstanding achievements of young people and their positive impact in their communities.

When temperatures soared in June, Saint Francis Hospice needed scrubs to not only keep staff and patients safe throughout the pandemic — but also the nurses cool.

Bernie Smith's first glimpse of Saint Francis Hospice was when he drove through Havering-atte-Bower, on the first day of his new job at Ford Motor Company. From then on, his appreciation for what we do grew with every morning commute.

Your cornea is the transparent front part of your eye, and almost anyone can donate them. Saint Francis Hospice's patients are often surprised to discover that when they pass, they can too. Age, poor eyesight, or even a life-limiting illness are not necessarily barriers to donation.

Every week, someone will win £1,000 on the Saint Francis Hospice Lottery. The rollover prize can reach a whopping £25,000. Eighty-eight-year-old Laura Everett was recently one of the lucky ones.

When it comes to fundraising for Saint Francis Hospice, nothing gets in the way of the Cassidy family from Brentwood — not even Britain's highest mountains and longest marathons.

The lockdown has been particularly harsh on Lesley Haynett. As a hair salon and tattoo studio owner, her business was one of the first to close, and it'll be one of the last to reopen.

Jim Dobbs counts himself lucky that he's never known anyone who has needed Saint Francis Hospice's care. Yet, living in Thurrock, he admitted that he inevitably will at some stage.

Despite working for her family's waste management company for eight years, the things people throw away never ceases to amaze Chelsea Sharp.

Tony Hatch and wife Jill have been volunteers at Saint Francis Hospice for 10 years.

Ben Whateley-Harris knows all about running marathons for Saint Francis Hospice. In the lead-up to what would have been his second London Marathon for us in April, we invited him to guest speak at our Hospice.

Everyone at Saint Francis Hospice has had to adjust amid the coronavirus outbreak — including patients' loved ones. Thanks to their understanding of the measures we've put in place, we can continue to safely welcome them to our Hospice throughout the pandemic.