People across Somerset are being encouraged to look at their local hospice charity shop in a new light, as St Margaret’s Hospice Care launches theirMore than a shop campaign this July.
The campaign celebrates the vital role that the hospice’s 32 charity shops play in funding specialist care across the local community, while recognising the dedicated staff and volunteers who work hard every day to transform everyday donations into compassionate care for patients and their families.
For many people, the hospice’s shops are places to find a bargain, donate unwanted items, or discover something unique.
It can sometimes be easy to forget that every purchase and every donation contributes to the funding of specialist hospice services, supporting nurses, doctors and wider clinical teams to provide expert care when it is needed most.
Last year, the hospice’s retail operation generated approximately £6.77 million in gross sales. The profits generated by the hospice shops are enough to fund their community nurses for a year, helping nurses like Angie Hayes provide compassionate care to patients in their own homes.
One of those patients is Michael Johnson, whose first contact with the hospice came through a visit from Angie.
“I wasn’t quite sure what palliative care was at the time,” Michael said. “But Angie was remarkable. She listened to all of my problems and I have definitely benefited from the efforts she made.”
Following that first consultation, Angie consulted with a doctor about Michael’s symptoms and decided that he needed further treatment to stop his cancer from spreading.
“If I hadn’t had that radiotherapy, I would probably have been paralysed from the waist down,” Michael said. “I’ll always be very grateful to Angie. I would recommend anybody go to St Margaret’s, I really would. My experience with them has been first class.”
While Michael’s care was delivered by the clinical team, it was made possible by the local community’s support of the hospice’s retail operation.
The campaign also celebrates the shops as important community spaces, where people can support sustainable shopping, meet new people, and play an active role in funding local hospice care. The hospice’s shops facilitate local community payback and home furnishing schemes, provide volunteering opportunities for young people to develop valuable skills, and create welcoming spaces.
Anyone wishing to support the More than a shop campaign can visit their local hospice shop to donate quality items, shop for pre-loved treasures, or find out more about giving their time.
Find your local shop at www.st-margarets-hospice.org.uk/shop/find-a-shop/
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St Margaret’s Hospice
St Margaret’s Hospice Care has been at the heart of Somerset’s community for over 45 years, delivering high quality, responsive and compassionate care to patients facing a life-limiting illness and their families. In that time, we have become a household name, firmly rooted in local communities delivering care and support for people living in in the East to Wincanton on the West, and every town, village and neighbourhood in between.
What do we do?
St Margaret’s is a community funded charity, caring across Somerset. We support people of all ages with life-limiting illness; not just cancer. Our care embraces an individualised, holistic care plan including physical, emotional and spiritual care which is available to our patients, their families, and carers.
Last year, St Margaret’s supported 5,680 people across Somerset. The majority of these were cared for in their own homes by one of our five community nursing teams. Our 24-hour Adviceline managed close to 26,000 calls, and our specialist In-Patient Unit in Taunton continues to provide 24-hour complex symptom control.
St Margaret’s Hospice started in 1980 as a nurse-led initiative funded by an event raising just £400. Today, it is a £15m turnover operation, employing 350 staff and supported by over 1,000 volunteers!
How to get involved
With only £3m provided by government funding, the hospice continues to fundraise year-round to fund the cost of our care.
Funds from events, alongside sponsors, donations, and gifts in Wills are vital to the success of St Margaret’s. There are plenty of ways to support the hospice, from donating and shopping in one of our 31 charity shops through to opening your garden or getting your Christmas tree collected. 1 in 3 of our patients receive care thanks to gifts kindly left to us in Wills. However you help, we’re grateful you’re taking the time to care.
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Lead photo: Hospice nurse Georgiee Trim
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