Three short films promoting the services of St Michael’s Hospice will be shown on the next Community film night in the Community Centre on Friday June 3, prior to the main film.
The first showing of the films was in the Rye Kino on Friday, May 27, demonstrating the fantastic facilities they provide at 25 Upper Maze Hill, in St Leonards-on-Sea.The charity offers a high quality of dedicated palliative care for adults with life limiting illnesses like cancer, heart failure, chronic respiratory diseases and AIDS, throughout Hastings and Rother, serving a population of over 138,000. Nothing comes free of course and the audience was told a little of how they are able to provide this amazing service.
Firstly thanks go to the many volunteers, 900 in fact, filling more than 1000 roles (in one year they provided 1400 hours of bereavement service, alone). The other important part is sponsorship and donations. The cost of running the Hospice and providing the full service is over £5 million a year. One third of this is paid by the NHS which means St Michael’s has to raise the balance of around £3.7 million, over £10,000 per day, from voluntary sources.
Added to this St Michael’s Hospice has to raise extra money to rebuild the part of the Hospice that was destroyed by the fire in July 2015 together with improvements, including a planned refurbishment of the reception area, a new kitchen, improved staff and volunteer facilities and they are also taking the opportunity to create private ensuite bedrooms. This means that apart from the already mentioned £3.7 million for the services (Hospice at home, Bereavement Service, Inpatient Unit, night sitting and volunteer-led Hospice Neighbours) additional money has to be found for the rebuild project. It is estimated that this will cost £4 million of which £3 million has been pledged, so £1 million still needs to be found in 2016.
For this reason the Phoenix Appeal, of which Mark Benton, local actor, (Strictly come Dancing,Waterloo Road) is the Ambassador, was implemented. As he told the audience: “The Hospice is an incredible place. It really is great. You never know when you might need their services and it’s such a valuable part of our community. The Hospice offers so much and deserves all the support it can get and I am pleased to be supporting the Phoenix Appeal.” I would also like to mention Michel du Voisin, our local composer living in the Mint, Rye who supported St Michael’s Hospice by composing lovely music for the three short films.
If you would like more information about the Phoenix Appeal or to make a donation please contact Sally Beresford, Community Fundraiser on 01424 456369 or phoenixappeal@stmichaelshospice.com
For information on services or to donate towards them go to their website or telephone 01424 445177.
Photo: library image