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Thank you so much to all of our wonderful supporters for last year’s Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice. With your loyal support and each and every local donation given nationwide a total of €1.2 million was raised in 2021.

This would not have been possible without you all!

With this New Year ahead we are looking forward to celebrating the 30th year for Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice with you on Thursday September 22nd 2022.

A special thank you to Bewley’s, our national sponsor and partner for the past 30 year’s!

 

It’s that time of year again where we all come together in our local communities to host coffee mornings for our local hospice!

The past 18 months has been incredibly challenging for so many, and while we are all still managing the return to some kind of normality, there is hope on the horizon and we are thrilled to see so many people supporting this year’s Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice event.

Hospices were faced with many challenges throughout 2020 and while the event was drastically impacted by Covid-19, we raised over €1million for local hospices. This is an incredible testament to the dedication and support from communities in villages, towns and cities right across the country.

Where people could no longer host in their homes, they adapted to Drive through coffee mornings and take away events. Where people could not join together with work colleagues they hosted virtual coffee mornings online. People came together in gardens and parks, and when that wasn’t possible, they asked people to donate to their local hospice instead. The support for hospice care in local communities is incredible, and is such a huge part of why Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning Social for Hospice has become an important event in the diary each year.

To those who have supported your local hospice year in year out, throughout the past 29 years – you have been a huge part of the over €40million that has been raised for hospices nationwide during this time, and we cannot thank you enough.

If you’d like to get involved you can register to host a coffee morning for your local hospice at www.hospicecoffeemorning.ie and your hospice will send out your free Bewley’s coffee pack. If you can’t host, why not donate – All funds raised go directly to your chosen hospice.

We wish you all the best for your coffee mornings again this year.

Take care and Stay Safe.

Together for Hospice, The National Hospice Movement.

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that two of our incredible Hospice Ambassadors, Francis Brennan and Domhnall Gleeson will be speaking on tonight’s Late Late Show in support of Hospice Coffee Morning Together with Bewley’s.

Hospice Coffee Morning Together with Bewley’s has been running in towns and villages all over Ireland for 28 years, raising over 39 million euro since inception. The campaign is co-ordinated by Together for Hospice which is made up of 26 Hospice and specialist palliative care providers nationwide.

It’s the biggest fundraising event of the year for hospice and specialist palliative care providers nationwide and it’s success is testament to local communities who have gotten behind their local hospice each and every year.

This year our fundraising efforts have been severely affected by COVID-19. While we are overwhelmed and incredibly grateful for the support of those who are in a position to host coffee mornings safely this year, we know that they cannot take place at the same scale that they would have previously.

This will have a devastating impact on our ability to raise the much needed €2 million that we would usually raise through this campaign. We need your support to urgently help us raise vital funds to support patients and families in your local area.

If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at the link below. All funds raised through this link will be split evenly between the 26 hospices involved with Together for Hospice.

Donate now at: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/hospice

The members of Together for hospice that will receive the funds are listed here;

St. Christophers Hospice Homecare, Cavan, Marymount University Hospital & Hospice, Cork, The Friends of Youghal Hospice, Cork, Milford Care Centre, Limerick, Clare Hospice at Cahercalla, Clare, Donegal Hospice, Donegal, St. Francis Hospice, Dublin, Our Ladys Hospice & Care Services, Harolds Cross, Blackrock, Wicklow, Galway Hospice Foundation, Kerry Hospice Foundation, St Brigids Hospice and Homecare Service, Laois Hospice, Longford Hospice Homecare, North Louth Hospice and Homecare Foundation, Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, Meath Hospice Homecare, East Meath Hospice Association, Offaly Hospice Foundation, North West Hospice, Sligo, North Tipperary Hospice Movement, South Tipperary Hospice Movement, Waterford Hospice Movement, North Westmeath Hospice, South Westmeath Hospice, Wexford Hospice Homecare.

Five lucky winners will get a chance to join Hozier for an exclusive virtual coffee date as part of Hospice Coffee Morning Together with Bewley’s

#TogetherforHospice

We are delighted to announce an exclusive competition offering five lucky winners the opportunity to have a coffee with the globally acclaimed recording artist, Hozier.

The competition has been created to raise awareness for Hospice Coffee Morning together with Bewley’s which is celebrating its 28^th year and since its inception in 1992, has raised over €39 million for local hospices and specialist palliative homecare services nationwide. The vital funds raised have enabled local hospice groups to provide specialist, high quality and loving care to patients and their families, fund on-going facility enhancements as well as purchasing crucial equipment.

The five winners will be invited to join Hozier for a virtual coffee date on Wednesday 30^th of September where they will have the chance to enjoy a Bewley’s coffee with Hozier and ask the star questions about his music and career and what his lockdown experience was like.

Hozier commented, ”I’m delighted to be involved in this exciting competion to support Hospice Coffee Morning together with Bewley’s. It has been a difficult few months for so many and I really wanted to help shine a light on the great work of hospices and the wonderful work they do for communities across Ireland. It is crucial that we continue to support fundraising events like this and raise vital funds for hospice and specialist palliative care services across the country”.

To enter the competition:

1. Text COFFEE to 50300  to donate €4 to the Hospice Coffee Morning, with every euro raised going to support local hospice and home care services. Text costs €4. Hospice Coffee Morning Together with Bewley’s will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278.
2.  Share a screenshot of your donation and post it to your Instagram channel using the hashtag #TogetherForHospice and tagging @bewleysireland.
3. Closing date for the competition will be midnight 24^th September and winners will be contacted on the 25^th of September.  T&Cs apply. Competition open to ROI residents only.

This year due to COVID 19 restrictions, coffee morning hosts are encouraged to host socially distanced or virtual coffee mornings to ensure the safety of attendees and that government guidelines are adhered to. It is hoped that this year’s events, whether held in small groups in homes or virtually with colleagues and friends, will raise much-needed funds for hospices across Ireland, to meet growing demands for the services.

Please always remember to stay safe and adhere to the current HSE and Government COVID-19 guidelines. Please visit www.hse.ie to see the most up to date guidance.

Coffee Date with Hozier Competition September 2020 Terms and Conditions:

Competition Close Date: Midnight September 24^th 2020

The following terms and conditions relate to the Coffee Date with Hozier Competition (the ‘Competition’) run by Together for Hospice and Bewley’s,  the below term are viewable on https://hospicecoffeemorning.ie/ together the “Terms”. By entering the Competition, you accept and agree to be bound by the Terms:

• In order to enter the competition participants must Text* COFFEE to 50300 to donate €4 to the Hospice Coffee Morning and post a screen grab of the confirmation text to their Instagram account using the following hashtag; #TogetherForHospice and tagging @bewleysIreland.
• Text costs €4. Hospice Coffee Morning Together with Bewley’s will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278
• Participants need to post the screen grab to Instagram  before midnight on 24^th September 2020 and ensure their social profile is on public in order for the entry to be counted.
• All entries must be appropriate for public viewing and must not contain anything offensive, obscene or otherwise in breach of any applicable law or rights (including privacy, data protection or intellectual property rights). Please do not tweet anything that is disrespectful or that would otherwise bring Together for Hospice, Bewley’s or the Competition into disrepute. Please remember that your use of the social media site is governed by the social media site’s terms and conditions, privacy policy and other user policies. You are responsible at all times for your conduct on the social media platform, including the form and content of anything that you post. Together for Hospice or Bewley’s will not be liable to you for any loss you suffer as a result of your post/tweet or use of the social media platform. We reserve the right to inform the social media platform of any breach of its terms by a user. This Competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with any social network platform.
• Together for Hospice or Bewley’s accepts no responsibility or liability for invalid entries or information relating to entries that are lost.
• The winner will be notified on 25^th of  September. The winner of the prize will be the person who posted the screen grab on their social media. In the event the winner declines the prize or if, following reasonable efforts, we cannot make contact with the selected winner within 48 hours; we will award the prize to another winner.
• The prize consists of a virtual coffee date with Hozier which will take place on Wednesday 30^th of September. Five winners will be chosen using online generator and will also receive a gift hamper from Bewley’s. Winners will be informed via Instagram direct message.
• You must be 18+ to enter the competition. Competition open to ROI residents only.
• You agree to co-operate with and comply with all reasonable requests of Together for Hospice and Bewley’s and its agents and employees in connection with the Competition.
• Entrants information will not be used for any communications or subsequent promotions by Together for Hospice, Bewley’s or agents and employee in connection with the competition

‘Share the Sunshine’ this 5^th & 6^th June for hospice frontline workers

Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 emergency the national Hospice Sunflower Days on-street collection can no longer take place, which is a huge loss to hospices nationwide. The annual fundraising event is run by Together for Hospice, The National Hospice Movement and is a vital source of funding for hospices, with nearly €800,000 raised nationally last year. This year also marks 30 years of Hospice Sunflower Days, and a virtual fundraising campaign is being led by Hospice Sunflower Days Ambassador and broadcaster Mary Kennedy.

During this difficult time, the public are being invited to ‘Share the Sunshine’ and show their support for hospice frontline workers by making a donation, big or small, to their local hospice at www.togetherforhospice.ie. It’s vital to remember that all funds raised locally, stay locally.

 

The public are also being asked to display a sunflower in their window on 5^th and 6^th June in solidarity  for hospice frontline workers. ‘Share the Sunshine’ is all about creativity and showing support. Visit www.togetherforhospice.ie to download your ‘Share the Sunshine’ pack which contains some simple tips on how you can spread   joy in your community and creative ways to get involved in the campaign. The public is also being encouraged to share their creations online and with friends and family, by tagging @TogetherHospice and using the hashtag #togetherforhospice on Twitter.

Hospice Sunflower Days aims to raise much needed funds for hospices and specialist palliative home care services across the country enabling them to continue to provide person centred, holistic and loving care to patients and their loved ones. Funds raised through the campaign are used to directly support hospices and specialist palliative home care services allowing them to purchase new equipment, support frontline posts, upgrade current facilities and continue to provide their vital service.

Speaking about this year’s unprecedented campaign, Mary Kennedy, said, “This year, more than ever, your local hospice needs your support. With all funding raised locally staying in the local area it offers a great opportunity for people to support their local hospice or specialist palliative homecare service. You can lend support by donating via www.togetherforhospice.ie or by displaying a sunflower in your window on 5^th and 6^th June 2020. I look forward to sharing the sunshine with you”.

Audrey Houlihan, Chairperson, Together for Hospice, commented, “Hospice Sunflowers Days is one of our pillar fundraising campaigns during the year and the cancellation of our on-street collection is a huge loss for hospices nationwide. We are calling on the nation to ‘Share the Sunshine’ to show solidarity with our frontline hospice workers and to help raise funds for the vital work they carry out. Hospice care is about helping people of all ages to live well with a life-limiting illness and offering them support & care as well as providing support and assistance to their families and loved ones. The provision of these services relies heavily on the generosity of our supporters and volunteers across the country and we, as service providers are very appreciative of this support.”

To share the sunshine this Hospice Sunflower Days, please visit www.togetherforhospice.ie to make a donation to your local hospice service and display a sunflower in your window on 5^th and 6^th June 2020 in solidarity with frontline hospice workers.

Established over 140 years ago in 1879, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services is a 200-bed facility that provides specialist care for those with a wide range of needs from rehabilitation to end-of-life care.  Just over 600 staff and 330 volunteers work with residents, patients and their families at a most difficult time in their lives. Their focus is to improve and enhance quality of life and to enable their patients to live as independently as possible with comfort, dignity and peace of mind. Care is provided both on-site in Harold’s Cross and Blackrock Hospices as well as in people’s own homes across south Dublin and north Wicklow, a catchment area of almost 1 million people. In 2019, care was provided to over 4,000 patients and their families and their team also provided over 11,000 specialist palliative homecare visits to patients in their own homes. In 2020, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services will open a third hospice site – a 15 bed hospice in Wicklow.

As people are now living longer and have more complex palliative healthcare care needs, end of life professionals must provide even more specialist facilities and services of the highest quality to meet these critical requirements. In response to growing demand, in 2015, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services began the most ambitious project in their organisation’s history; the complete redevelopment of their out-dated and predominantly four bedded specialist palliative care unit in Harold’s Cross. The construction of 36 single en-suite state-of-the-art specialist palliative bedrooms began in 2016 and the unit was officially opened by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in early 2018. The new unit has transformed how the team deliver person centred care and 100% of the building costs, or €13.6 million, were funded through the generosity of fundraising and without donors this new unit would not have been possible.

Speaking at the official open of the new unit, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, said; “At a time when we are all living longer it is vital that we provide the best support to people as they become frail or face illness.  The Hospice supports people during these times and works with patients and their families to celebrate life and ensure their dignity and comfort. This new purpose-built facility, which has been developed in close consultation with patients and staff, will provide a sanctuary for those who need care and support, as well as providing a peaceful environment for their families.”

The redevelopment in Harold’s Cross is just the first phase in Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services’ progressive vision to meet growing demand and anticipated future needs. In mid-2020, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services will open their third hospice site, a 15 bed unit in Magheramore in Wicklow. This will be the first specialist palliative care facility in the county. Towards the end of 2020, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services also plan to commence the complete refurbishment of the 12 single specialist Palliative Care bedrooms in Blackrock Hospice emulating the quality now present in Harold’s Cross. The refurbishment is planned to start towards the end of the year and will be funded through fundraising. These progressive developments will form the basis of their specialist community services over the coming decades.

2019 was a historic year for Mayo Roscommon Hospice with the hospice building in Mayo completed and due to open in the coming months.  The 14-bed inpatient facility, with full day care services cost in the region of €8.5 million euro to construct and 100% of the funds came from fundraised income. A loan was secured for the construction of the unit, but that loan was not drawn down and the unit is now complete on fundraised income.

2020 will also be a busy year for the Foundation. The sod was turned on the Roscommon Hospice on January 10^th and the project will take around 14 months. The finished facility will be an 8-bed inpatient facility, with full day care facilities. It will cost about €6 million to construct and again 100% of that will come from fundraised income.

A large percentage of our fundraised income comes from Hospice Sunflower Days and Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice Together with Bewley’s each year, so without that we would not have been able to build our Mayo Hospice and move onto our Roscommon build and continue to provide our homecare palliative care services in the two counties.

 

After 32 years in existence the construction of a dedicated 20 bed Palliative Care Centre for the South East, on the grounds of University Hospital Waterford, which started in 2017 has now been completed and is on schedule for opening in 2020.

Waterford Hospice, in conjunction with the Health Service Executive has been working for many years to have this vital place of health infrastructure delivered to the people of the South East.

Waterford Hospice has pledged €6 million to the overall cost of the project and so far €4.6 million has been raised, thanks to the generosity of the people of Waterford City, County and South Kilkenny. With the continued help, dedication and commitment of the people of The South East we can reach our goal of raising the Final €1.4 million to provide a facility that will give both patients and relatives the dignity, care and privacy they deserve.

Marymount unveiled a commemorative sculpture to mark 2020 as its 150^th year of service. Entitled ‘On Life’s Journey’ and sculpted by artist Helen Sinclair the piece has been erected at the entrance to the Marymount building and is a symbol of hope and light as it centers on an individual’s life cycle.

Speaking at the launch: Sarah McCloskey, Marymount CEO said:

“We are honored to unveil this sculpture today to mark 2020 as our 150^th year of service. It is an equally impressive and humbling moment to mark 150 years of providing much needed palliative and elderly care services to the people of Cork and beyond. We have a huge legacy from our founding Sisters of Charity and Dr Patrick Murphy who, alongside the people of Cork, funded our original building in Cork City, to the many individuals and companies of today’s Cork that continue to support Marymount in so many different ways.

“Marymount has been an important part of so many people’s lives across many generations. We are part of the history of Cork and part of its future too. A lot has changed since our initial services opened – from medical practices to access to health information to our physical building. However, what remains is the ethos and vision of Marymount – we continue to strive to provide exceptional care to the dependent older person and for those with life limiting illness.  And we continue to work with each person, each family with dignity compassion and respect. These essential elements have remained a constant throughout our 150 years.

To make the launch day extra special for patients in Marymount the River Lee Hotel group held an afternoon tea for patients and staff. 2020 will also be a bumper year for Marymount fundraising with many events and campaigns scheduled to support the 150^th year.

“We could not do the work we do alone,” explains Dr McCloskey. “On behalf of Marymount, I am so thankful to everyone who has supported us in any way and who continues to do so. Fundraising is part of the lifeblood of Marymount – from donations of money and services to get the original building opened in 1870 to the remarkable €26 million fundraised by the Friends of Marymount to ensure this building in Curraheen opened in 2011.

 

“Each year we need to raise €3.5 million to deliver our current level of services and to enable us to continue to grow.  The numbers of people accessing our services has doubled in the last decade and we will continue to strive to reach more families and to develop our education/ research institute.

Each year the people and community of Cork step up and help us to do this. We are so grateful to you all and we hope to see you at some of our 150 years events this year.”

To get involved in 2020 you can do so by running an event to mark 150 years of our service in Cork, or by sponsoring one of our planned projects/events. You can contact our fundraising team at 021 4501201 or email fundraising@marymount.ie.

A full schedule of Marymount events for its 150^th Year including an International Palliative Care Conference on 8 & 9^th October is available on www.marymount.ie.

The North West Hospice in collaboration with the HSE has submitted an application to Sligo County Council for planning permission to progress the development of the hospice facility on the existing site of the North West Hospice inpatient unit on the grounds of Sligo University Hospital. This will see the hospice’s inpatient unit increase from its current 8 bed inpatient capacity to a 12 bed single room inpatient capacity. The enhanced hospice facility will include accommodation for the Community Palliative Care Team, outpatient and consultation facilities, administration and management offices and will have meeting room facilities to support HSE, community and volunteer activities which support the delivery of specialist inpatient, community and acute palliative care services.

North West Hospice services are currently revenue co-funded from the HSE and voluntary contributions. HSE Estates are managing the capital project on behalf of the North West Hospice to ensure compliance with all relevant HSE protocols and statutory requirements. The total cost of the project which is included on the HSE’s capital plan for funding is approximately €8 million with the North West Hospice having contributed approximately €300,000 to bring the project to design stage.

Once planning permission is received, subject to funding availability it is expected that building would commence in 2021 with completion of the build in 2023.

Pat Dolan, Chair of the North West Hospice stated that

“On behalf of the Board and management at North West Hospice, we are delighted that the new design is now submitted for planning permission. North West Hospice as part of our strategic plan recognised the need for some time to upgrade our Hospice facilities to meet the growing needs of our community. Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and West Cavan. We look forward to collaboratively working with the HSE and our local community to bringing the project to completion. We would also like to thank all involved in bringing the project to this point.”

John Hayes, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1, Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo stated that

“The HSE works closely with the North West Hospice in order to deliver, develop and improve palliative care services to the people of the hospice’s catchment area of Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and West Cavan. The co-location of the existing North West Hospice building with Sligo University Hospital has a real benefit to the clinical management and care for patients who require acute hospital services and the location of the new development on the same site will ensure this is retained. The HSE looks forward to progressing further the capital development which will see an enhanced and more integrated palliative care service being delivered to the people living in the Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal areas.”