Wilson Field funds day care at Sheffield hospice

Generous employees at Wilson Field dressed down to help a Derbyshire hospice provide much needed day care services.

Staff at the Sheffield insolvency practitioners heard about Chesterfield-based Ashgate Hospicecare through former colleague Sharon Stenton.

As a result, all proceeds from a staff dress down day were donated to the hospice, while company bosses topped up the donation to £580 when they heard about their crucial Day Hospice service.

The money raised will pay for 11 patients to attend the Day Hospice, which offers specialist services, such as physiotherapy and complimentary therapy, and gives carers the opportunity to have a break from their caring responsibilities.

Lynn Jones, community fundraiser at Ashgate Hospicecare, said;

“In addition to the specialist care the hospice provides, patients receiving palliative care at our Day Hospice also benefit from meeting and talking to people who are in a similar situation to them. They can also enjoy a variety of recreational therapies and activities.

“Donations like these are vital in helping us to provide these services to our patients.”

Ashgate’s Day Hospice cares for up to 16 patients a day and is open Tuesday to Friday, from 10 am to 3 pm. They provide transport, lunch, refreshments, all treatments and activities in the service.

Julie Fantom, director at Wilson Field, said;

“Our donation aims to help continue the good work that the hospice carries out. The team there works tirelessly to make the Day Hospice a success. This is our gesture to helping them.”

An independent registered charity, Ashgate Hospicecare provides care to patients across North Derbyshire at the hospice, throughout the community and at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.

It has a 21-bed Inpatient Unit, Day Hospice and provides a range of therapy and support services on site. Also, it provides a wide range of community-based care and support services allowing people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible.

All services are free of charge to patients and their families. Therefore, raising income comes through donations, legacies and all their 16 shops.

Many patients with any life-limiting illness can access the specialist services through a referral, normally through their GP.

It costs £8.5 million a year to provide these valuable services. As a necessity, more than £6 million will be raised through voluntary contributions and fundraising per year.