Education and Conference Centre at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity available for venue hire, as well as virtual and ‘hybrid’ events!
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Education and Conference Centre reopened in May, in line with government guidelines. The venue can additionally now facilitate video conferences and streaming, to provide virtual and hybrid events.
Between its initial opening in November 2016 and March 2020, the Centre hosted over 350 different training sessions, conferences, meetings and events. When the pandemic hit, all confirmed bookings for the facility had to be cancelled or postponed. The space was repurposed to allow colleagues to continue working in a socially distanced manner. For a brief period in March 2021, the space even hosted outpatients from the Hospice’s Living Well Services whilst their lounge accommodated additional Inpatient Unit beds to support the wider healthcare system.
During the third lock-down and in preparation for the expected reopening of the facility, the Charity benefitted from a COVID-support fund set up by Citrix, a global technology company whose research and development arm is based in Cambridge Science Park. Their support enabled the Charity to install high tech video conferencing equipment, meeting the needs of future hybrid events, catering for both delegates attending in-person and virtually. Hybrid and video streaming packages can now be offered, including seamless technical support for clients, in association with Venue AV.
The venue is COVID-19 safe, having made all the necessary changes for Keeping You Safe, and has been awarded Visit Britain Good to Go accreditation; and also provides in-house hospitality and catering if required.
The Charity hopes to raise £50K in revenue through venue bookings this financial year, making a vital contribution to the £10.5 million it will cost to deliver the Hospice’s outstanding care across its frontline services.
To enquire about booking the facility, contact the Conference Team at venuehire@arhc.org.uk or find out more at arhc.org.uk/venue-hire.
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Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Retail Hub in Sawston celebrates its reopening
Visitors were welcomed to a largely outdoor reopening at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Retail Hub in July.
The afternoon was an opportunity to meet the colleagues and volunteers who help run the Retail Hub, play some traditional COVID-secure village-fete type games and peruse discounted bargains, including pre-loved furniture, clothing, bric-a-brac, books and DVDs.
It has been over a year since the Hospice took over and transformed Unit 35 on the Eastern Counties Leather Industrial Estate, between Sawston and Pampisford, into a busy shopping hub. Due to the pandemic and various lockdowns, plans for the Retail Hub’s original opening have had to be postponed several times. However, customers are now able to once again visit and shop for good quality furniture and discounted bargains between 10.00am and 4.00pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
Due to limitations on space and rules related to COVID, there have been limits on the volume of donations which can be safely accepted, meaning that the Hub has periodically been unable to accept donations. If you do have donations to drop off especially furniture, please call ahead on 01223 242684 to check there is still capacity to accept your items.
The Retail Team have been busy behind the scenes during the various lockdowns: two vans are now available to both pick up donations and deliver purchases; the Charity’s eBay store has become an outlet for more unique, unusual and designer items; the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Amazon store is a treasure-trove for pre-loved books and DVDs; a Facebook Page ‘The Retail Hub – Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’ showcases star pieces of furniture and recent quality donations; and ‘Click and Collect’ has been implemented.
If you would like to donate pre-loved goods to any of the Charity’s shops, please check the list of items which can be accepted at arhc.org.uk/shopdonations and call ahead to check they can be taken. You can find locations and opening times at arhc.org.uk/shops.
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Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Amazon Wish List
When the temperatures took a dip earlier this year, Dr Jenny Huguet, one of the Consultant Doctors at Arthur Rank Hospice, requested more blankets to help keep patients toasty and warm. That weekend a “We need … nice NEW fluffy blankets!!” social media post was shared on Facebook resulting in an incredible response. Later that day more than 13 people had donated over 60 blankets, which arrived the next week and were soon put to good use!
After such an amazing response to the appeal, it was suggested that the Hospice could put together an Amazon Wish List. The idea was already in the pipeline and has since been launched, this summer. Head of PR & Communications, Dawn Easby, explains:
“We have some much-needed every-day items which can be bought by supporters to help bring down our overall Hospice expenditure. Our Amazon Wish List includes everything from moisturising lotion for patients’ bedrooms and scrubs for clinical colleagues, to hand putty for stress relief and audio recorders for life celebration activities. Visit our website and search for Amazon Wish List to find out more.”
Another great way to make an impact and ensure front-line care can be sustained, is to set up a small monthly gift. If you would like to find out more about this, you can email fundraising@arhc.org.uk or visit arhc.org.uk/donate selecting how frequently you would like to give.
Since the pandemic life has become more difficult for everyone. It also had a huge impact on the fundraising activities and potential of the Charity. Funds are stretched now more than ever, so any act of kindness, large or small, is gratefully received. It is thanks to the generous local community giving what they can afford, or taking part in fundraising activities, that the Hospice continues to deliver its outstanding care.
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Family and friends remember a loved-one together, with beautiful online tribute pages
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Tribute Pages can be compared to a dedicated website. Each one is individual, and a ‘theme’ can be selected to suit the person being remembered.
Since COVID-19 restrictions prevented family and friends physically coming together to grieve and celebrate a loved one’s life in the traditional way, they have provided an opportunity for people to share treasured memories of their loved ones. Some families have chosen to add a eulogy, which everyone with access to the page can read, and some have linked recordings to memorial services. In turn, there are a range of ways family, friends and loved ones can share their thoughts, photos, stories, poems, even video and music.
Often families who set up Tribute Pages choose to also collect tribute donations, providing an alternative to the physical ‘collection’ which might previously have been gathered at a funeral or memorial service.
Kate was cared for by Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. Her son set up a Tribute Page for her and shared:
“We chose to set up a tribute page, in part because we wanted people to donate to Arthur Rank Hospice Charity in mum’s name, but also as we needed a focus to bring together comments relating to mum. We got lots of emails and card too, but the website has been good in that it allows others to see and remember mum together. This would be good at any time but has been particularly important while we all have to social distance.”
If your loved one has been supported by Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and would like to create a special Tribute Page, you can call the fundraising team 01223 675888 (Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm), email fundraising@arhc.org.uk, or visit arhc.org.uk/tribute
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Upcoming events
August to September – Bridge the Gap
You are invited to explore the beauty and uniqueness of Cambridge, by taking part in a novel alternative to the traditional Bridge the Gap Walk. This family-friendly fundraiser can be completed in one day or over several days from 13 August – 10 September, raising funds for both Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and Romsey Mill.
The route of around four miles, is self-guided and can be completed at participants’ own pace and convenience, at a time and day of your own choosing. It includes locations and highlights that have not previously featured on Bridge the Gap walks, as well as featuring details in familiar places that may have previously escaped participants’ notice. Register at arhc.org.uk/btg
Sunday 3 October – Virgin Money London Marathon
Already have a ballot place? Run for us! Enquire at challenges@arhc.org.uk
Sunday 17 October – TTP Cambridge Half Marathon
If you have your own place and would like to join the #TeamArthur fundraisers, email challenges@arhc.org.uk
Tuesday 19 October – An Evening with Kathryn Mannix
We are welcoming Dr Kathryn Mannix, bestselling author of ‘With the
End in Mind’, to be our guest speaker for our Annual Lecture on 19 October. This will be an online event, open to anyone with an interest in end-of-life
care, both medical and non-medical.
Dr Kathryn Mannix is a palliative care physician, passionate to get us all better acquainted with the idea of dying well. Her new book, ‘Listen: How to find the
words for tender conversations’, will be released in September. For more information and tickets visit arhc.org.uk/annual-lecture
To discover more about the clinical work of the Hospice, you may like to read the Charity’s Quality Account, released in August and reflecting care provided from April 2020 to March 2021. You can find this at arhc.org.uk/about-us/governance/
Saturday 13 November – Firewalk
Throw caution to the wind and walk over hot wooden embers on 13 November as Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Firewalk returns! We are looking for a team of blazing firewalkers willing to brave the heat and embrace this unique challenge held at the Hospice. Led by Master Firewalking Instructor, Steve Consalvez, you will undertake a training session to prepare for the walk and help overcome any limiting beliefs you may be harbouring! No other training required! Sign up at arhc.org.uk/firewalk
Sunday 21 November – Festive 5K
Another special edition of our ever-popular Festive 5K Fun Run will take place on 28 November and you are invited to take part wherever you live! In 2020, the event raised the equivalent of 100 nurses’ shifts, enabling local people to receive our tailored care when they need it. Sign up at arhc.org.uk/festive5k
Sunday 5 December – Light up a Life
After many months apart we look forward to bringing together family and friends to remember loved ones over the festive season. Visit: arhc.orh.uk/lual