Team effort makes a big difference to Winchester Hospice festive fundraising

HHFT colleagues in the Medicine Division have really stepped up to the challenge of helping the Winchester Hospice fundraising team pull in the pounds for the charity’s festive fundraising campaign.

Between December 1 and December 8, Winchester Hospice is taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge – and the goal is to raise £12,500 in seven days to unlock £12,500 in match-funding pledges.

The Medicine Division team are among the pledgers and they have been embarking on a series of activities to raise the £500 that they have pledged to donate to the match-funding pot.

To achieve their target, the team have taken on a series of sponsored and fundraising activities including:

·         Climbing Everest at the Haemophilia Centre, in Uplands House, at BNHH.  Everest is 3,871 flights of stairs high, and the team started their step challenge two weeks ago. They aim to complete it on Friday.

·         Completing a 500km challenge

·         Enjoying a virtual pub night

·         Having a murder mystery night

·         Holding an auction of promises

Zena Ludick, operations director of HHFT Medicine Division, said: “We are delighted to support the Winchester Hospice Big Give Christmas Challenge, and if we raise more than our £500 pledge target, we will donate that money towards the hospice Virtual Christmas Tree where donors can buy, or contribute to, items that are needed in the hospice.”

Nick Vaughan, chair of Winchester Hospice charity trustees, said: “Thank you to all those in the Medicine Division who, despite facing so many challenges as they care for patients in their day-to-day work, have taken time to go the extra mile to support the hospice’s seasonal fundraising campaigns. Backing like this means a lot and really makes a difference.”

The good news is that with just two days gone, the Winchester Hospice Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign has raised more than £24,000 and is within sight of its £25k goal.

And if anyone would like to join the Medicine Division Team in donating to the Virtual Christmas Tree, please go to https://winchesterhospice.com/virtualtree

The Winchester Hospice fundraising campaign, which is now over 90 per cent towards a £3.7million target needed to open the hospice next Summer, will be run by HHFT. Its palliative care team have been a driving force behind the ambitious project as they know how important it is to have a local hospice facility that will help, support and care for the people of Winchester and the surrounding area.

Winchester Hospice will be the hub for specialist palliative care, providing inpatient care for up to 10 patients, as well as a host of outpatient and community support for people in their own homes.