Here are just some of the highlights from 2024 that we wanted to share with you – enjoy the read.
“What a year it has been. We continue, as a hospice and a charity, to deliver outstanding care for our local community, to educate professionals in palliative care, and to break down misconceptions about death and dying. We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our supporters that continues to make all this work possible.”
– Jan Noble, Interim Chief Executive
Our care and innovation
We cared for around 7,200 patients and families across South East London and beyond this year, providing individualised care that respects personal choices. We worked tirelessly as a team to tackle misconceptions about hospice care, growing services to our communities, and driving innovation with initiatives like the death doula project and dementia-focused programs.
In May, we led open conversations during Dying Matters Week, helping people reflect on their end-of-life wishes and care preferences. Our research revealed that 70% of people have never heard of advanced care planning, and only 3% have a clear idea of what their ‘bucket list’ might be.
It was fantastic to speak to people on the street about their plans and wishes and to raise awareness of the importance of conversations around death and dying. One man we interviewed said: “Death is such an unknown, we don’t have the language to even comprehend it.” Some of the interviews can be watched on our website.
“I couldn’t do this without them [St Christopher’s]. Just knowing there is someone there, who cares, who knows Tim. Whoever answers the phone, they know everything.”
In October, our Clinical Nurse Specialist, Phoebe Mooney, showcased her work supporting patients with learning disabilities.
The Sky News report highlighted her care for Tim and his mother Valerie, who expressed their gratitude for the life-changing support they receive.
The report showed the critical role hospices play in offering tailored, compassionate care.
Also in October, during Hospice Care Week, we opened a ‘pop-up’ shop in Parliament – a first for any charity – to raise awareness of how reliant hospices like St Christopher’s are on charitable income, with only around 30% of funding coming from central government.
Joining forces with Hospice UK, we are calling for long-term reform of hospice funding, so that hospices are fairly funded for the services we provide.
During a busy autumn of campaigning, in November we signed an open letter to the Chancellor highlighting how the rise in Employers’ National Insurance announced in the autumn Budget would impact our funds, and the implications this has for the care we can provide.
The Assisted Dying debate and subsequent parliamentary vote has drawn an increased focus to palliative and end of life care. We have shared valuable insight with policymakers based on our community research conducted over the past 18 months, while maintaining our neutral position. With this increased focus, we continue to champion and deliver excellent palliative care, both in our community and across the world.
This year, we have also continued our mission to break down barriers to care. Initiatives like specialist support for heart failure patients demonstrate how we are transforming care for underserved groups.
“There aren’t enough superlatives to describe how amazing it was.”
The people we care for
Every day at St Christopher’s, we are inspired by stories of resilience and connection. This year was no different.
There are so many stories we could recount, so these are just a few to help us remember the impact of what we do, and why keeping asking ‘what matters to you” is so important.
In February, we told you about Ron and Ann, and how their friendship blossomed through our Compassionate Neighbour program, reminding us that connecting with others can do so much in helping us feel less isolated.
In May, we featured Martin’s story, who travelled to Zagreb, Croatia, which he described as his “second, or even [his] first home” and “one of [his] favourite cities in Europe”.
After a terminal prognosis in 2019, Martin was determined to travel again and see the places he loved so much.
St Christopher’s supported his recovery after the travelling had taken its toll. The care he received was fantastic, he said.
In September, Danni Mason, a water enthusiast, achieved her dream of swimming in Beckenham Place Park Lake with support from St Christopher’s hospice team.
Despite her challenges, the hospice staff worked tirelessly to make this possible, even arranging for the lake to be specially opened.
The experience brought joy to Danni and her husband, Andy, who appreciated the calm and personal care at St Christopher’s.
Our amazing supporters and volunteers
None of our work would be possible without our supporters’ time, generosity and kindness. Every donation, event, and message of support helps us deliver excellent care, training and collaboration for our community and across the world.
Thank you all, for all we have achieved together, and all the best for 2025.
https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/2024-our-highlights-from-the-year/
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