S P R I N G 2 0 1 5

Working TogeTher

MeeT our neW VolunTeer

SerViceS Manager ForgeT-Me-noT appeal The puSh

DeSigning our hoSpice SpaceS

in ThiS iSSue03 Welcome

04 News from the Hospice

06 Designing our Hospice Spaces

07 New Hospice, New Website!

08 Celtic Challenge

10 Working Together

12 Forget-Me-Not

14 Meet our New Volunteer Services Manager

16 The Push

18 A Walk to Remember

19 Art Friends

20 30 Years of Gordon

22 Fundraise for St Columba’s Hospice

23 Events Diary

24 Weekly Prize Draw

Keep in touch with us online for our latest news.

www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/stcolumbas

Follow us on Twitter: @stcolumbas

St columba’s hospice 15 Boswall road edinburgh eh5 3rW

T: 0131 551 1381 e: fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Scottish Charity No. SC003634. Registered in Scotland No. 48700

Design: Ian Wetton

02 | CoNTENTS

Left, Yvonne Whitehouse Right, Fiona Cruickshank

Centre, Marion Bowen

WElCoME | 03

let me begin by wishing our readers a belated Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fabulous time over the festive period and had the chance to spend some quality time with your friends and loved ones.

Thank you to everyone who came along to our light a light event in Charlotte Square Gardens in December – the event was a great success with thousands of you turning up to show your support for the Hospice. The overwhelming sense of community was truly humbling and it really highlighted how important our work is for the friends and families of those we have cared for.

I am very excited about 2015 as there is a lot happening at St Columba’s Hospice. Following extensive discussions with staff, volunteers, patients and their families, we are now beginning to develop a new Strategic Plan for the Hospice, which will dictate the changes we want to make to our services to further improve the care and treatment our patients receive.

We also have a host of events that you can get involved in, to help raise funds for the Hospice and help us continue the vital work we do. For any keen cyclists, the Celtic Challenge in May sees participants cycling 200 miles in four days from Edinburgh to Iona (pages 8 & 9) and for any hillwalking enthusiasts, The Push on 19th September is not to be missed (pages 16 & 17).

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support of St Columba’s Hospice, and wish you all the best for 2015.

With kindest regards and best wishes,

Jackie husbandChief Executive

Jackie Husband

Welcome to the spring edition of liFe

www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

over 2,000 of you braved the frosty temperatures – and muddy ground! – to join us at our lighting Ceremony on December 15th in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square Gardens.

our 2014 light a light event was a huge success and we would like to thank everyone who dedicated a light on our Tree in memory of a loved one, and everyone who attended on the night.

Thanks to your support we have raised over £95,000 to fund the care and support of our patients and their relatives over the Christmas period and into 2015.

Light a Light

2014

04 | NEWS

neWs from The hoSpice

Congratulations to our former Chief Executive Margaret Dunbar, who has been awarded an MBE (Member of the order of the British Empire) for her services to palliative care in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.

MARGARET DuNBAR MBE

our host Grant Stott and wonderful celebrity speakers Bruce Fummey, Jane McCarry and Mark Cox kept us entertained throughout the evening and Corra’s ceilidh music was fantastic – thank you to everyone who supported us on the night and all of you who donated prizes for our tombola. Your support means so much to us and we hope you all had as much fun as we did!

BURNS SUPPERSt columba’s hospice

www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Well you birled the nicht awa’ at our Burns Supper last month to celebrate the Bard in style!

GoRDoN HugHEsIn our last edition, we ran a feature on our cow statue – ‘Thistle Returns to Boswall Road’ – which mentioned a Mr Gordon Hughes as one of the people who secretly moved the cow around the grounds, while his wife was being treated in the Hospice. His daughter Pauline Affleck has kindly shared a photo of Gordon, so that people can put the mischievous face to the name!

All CHAngEThe Hospice has seen some major changes in the last few months – we have said goodbye to many wonderful staff, including Bill Kerr, Volunteer Services Manager, Head of Education Margaret Colquhoun, Project Manager Alison Allan and Estates and Facilities Manager John Sharples.

While we will miss each and every one, we hope you will join us in welcoming our new colleagues to the Hospice, including our new Estates and Facilities Manager Stuart Walker, Director of Education and Research Erna Haraldsdottir and Volunteer Services Manager Karen Filsell, who you can find out more about on page 14!

Alison Allan and Bill Kerr

EDuCATIoN CENTRE PostEr

The End of life Care Group supports the Hospice team in implementing holistic, person-centred end-of-life and bereavement care, by developing ways to evidence best practice.

Advanced Care Planning is about having structured discussions with patients and their families about their wishes and thoughts for the future, and is an integral part of palliative care. The group members developed a poster on the work that had been achieved in this which was presented at the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Conference – Choices & Decisions Towards the End of life – on 17th September 2014, at the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.

HoSPICE BookworMson 20th May 2010, St Columba’s Hospice Goldenacre Book Shop opened its doors for the first time, and the shop now has over 4,000 titles on show, a children’s corner, small gift shop and book ‘wish list’ service.

The St Columba’s Hospice Book Worms book group was set up in April 2014 by Sarah Broadley, a volunteer in the Hospice Fundraising department since 2007 and local children’s writer. Her new blog – stcolumbashospicebookworms.wordpress.com/ is now up and running and provides information on the Book Worms and book recommendations.

NEWS | 05

06 | DESIGNING ouR HoSPICE SPACES

Designing ourhoSpicespacesfollowing our successful rebuild campaign, we are looking towards the future in our new building and are beginning to devise a new strategy for the hospice.

As part of the consultation process for this we held forums with staff and volunteers, to get their opinions on the changes they would like to see in the way we provide our services and work within the Hospice.

We had a tremendous response from all those involved with lots of fantastic ideas which have been logged so that senior management can refer to them when making decisions going forward. These have covered all aspects of the Hospice, from catering and patient care to communications and fundraising.

Feedback has also shown us that many people feel that although the new building is more modern, it is less cosy and familiar, so we have consulted with Burns Interior Design ltd who have agreed to help us make our interior spaces feel more comfortable.

Burns Interior Design is an established firm of professional and commercial interior designers specialising in the leisure and healthcare sectors. In 2012 the company was selected by the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice (PPWH) in Glasgow as designers for the new Hospice to be built in Bellahouston Park in 2015.

We chatted to ronnie Burns about the vision for St columba’s:

When we worked on the PPWH plan the ethos was to design spaces that were homely, comforting and also functional for the treatment of the patients. The design was reflective of a boutique hotel rather than the coldness of a hospital space, and this is the same design ethos that we have adopted in designing the various spaces for St Columba’s Hospice. our initial discussions with staff at the Hospice have been very fruitful and initial designs very well received.

ronnie Burns, Burns Interior Design Ltd

NEW HoSPICE NEW WEBSITE | 07www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

NEW HoSPICE NEW WEBSITE!

As part of our re-design we have created a survey for staff, volunteers, patients, relatives and members of the public. This will help us find out a little more about how people are using our site and how they feel it can be improved. The survey only has ten questions so it doesn’t take long to complete, and we would really appreciate your participation as one of our supporters. You can find the survey at our Survey Monkey site: www.surveymonkey.com/r/2BMn9kk.

Recently our friends from Teviot Creative were in the Hospice, filming interview footage for

our new Hospice Information Film, which some of you may have seen at our Burns Supper. This is now available on our homepage (www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk) and features interviews with staff, patients and relatives. It is a fantastic way of explaining to people what the Hospice does and how it supports families.

We would like to thank the late Ann Holmes as well as Catherine Bent, Kelly Tulloch and Grant Buchanan for agreeing to be part of our film and for sharing their experience of St Columba’s, and the team at Teviot for all of their help in bringing the final product together.

as part of our new strategy we are also in the process of re-designing our website. We currently have a main website (www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk) and a microsite (www.stcolumbashospicefundraising.org.uk) which will soon be brought together to form one site with all the information on our services available in one place.

08 | CElTIC CHAllENGE

The Celtic Challenge sees participants cycle over 200 miles in four days from St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh, to St Columba’s Abbey in Iona. With three of Scotland’s top 50 cycle routes to enjoy along the way, the Celtic Challenge passes through some of the most stunning and unspoilt landscapes in Scotland, and is open to everyone from keen cyclists to those just starting out.

Those who sign up are supported with training advice and tips in the run up to the challenge as well as being expertly looked after by our event partners Sport Ecosse while on the journey.

Each participant is asked to raise £1,200 in sponsorship, which goes towards helping St Columba’s Hospice care for people with life-limiting illnesses in Edinburgh and the lothians. We are reliant on fundraising events like this to continue to offer care and compassion to those who need it most.

St columba’s hospice

Get Back in the

saddlewith theceltic challenge13 – 17 MAY 2015

how many times have you promised yourself that you’ll start using your bike and not leave it to rust in the garden shed? it can be hard to find ways to get back into cycling, but here at st columba’s hospice we have just the event for you!

www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk CElTIC CHAllENGE | 09

Bill Stott has been taking part in The celtic challenge for years and in 2014 was named ‘Most inspiring participant’ by the other cyclists! here he shares his story of why he takes part:

I’m originally from london but for the past 25 years I have lived and worked in Biggar. I will be 74 years old when I take part in this year’s Celtic Challenge, turning 75 a month later. This will be my fifth time taking part. like many people we had a close encounter with St Columba’s Hospice’s cause when our daughter had breast cancer and was very ill. We also had too many friends suffer in the same way, some of whom ended their days in hospices down south. I felt I needed to be more active in supporting such good causes and that’s why I decided to sign up.

I have only done one of the rides with a friend (who I have tried to persuade to come along this year) but I keep taking part because I find the organisers and other riders such good company. I know some of them are doing the Challenge in memory of someone close they lost in the Hospice and it’s humbling to be able to ride with them. It celebrates and challenges my own fortunate health.

The far side of Mull is without doubt the most difficult part of the route, especially if the weather turns nasty (wind, hills, rain or even sleet) but at least you are nearly home.

Going over my handlebars on the loch lomond cycleway was the worst part! The ice cream at the next stop was especially good though, and the descent into oban after riding through stunning scenery will always be a memory not to forget.

I’m also looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and I can’t wait for the start – it’s usually my first event of the year so a good tester of my Spring training!

My tips for those thinking about taking part would be:

1. Get your bike in good working order – good tyres at the correct pressure, and a saddle in the right position is a must.

2. Clothes suitable for both wet and warm conditions.

3. In terms of training, turbo or spin through the winter and build up to 50 mile rides twice a week at least for a month before.

Registration is £150

(or £100 if you sign up at the Training Bike ride on 7th March

2015 – contact for more info).

Register today by contacting:fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk , calling

0131 551 1381 or visiting our website www.stcolumbashospicefundraising.org.uk and filling out the Celtic Challenge Entry Form.

Ann Holmes, 49, from East lothian, was first diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago in 2011. She became an inpatient at the Hospice in late 2014:

What I’m looking for is the best quality of life I can get – and the Hospice is helping me with that. The emotional and spiritual side has been great. I’ve been working with the Chaplaincy Service staff and everybody’s taking it at whatever level I want to take it.

one of the things I do really enjoy doing here at the Hospice are the arts and crafts activities. There’s about 12 of us who meet on a Wednesday, and a lady called June – who is just lovely – helps us to make various things like decorations and sun-catchers. I thoroughly enjoy it!

I’ve also had a few complimentary therapies – reflexology mostly – which helps me to relax. I don’t even need to leave my room which is really handy.

The Hospice staff are so good – so supportive and genuine. I need practical, hands-on advice and support and that’s what they provide here.

Sadly, Ann passed away in the Hospice on 21st January 2015. Before her passing she was kind enough to feature in our new Hospice film, which you can watch on our website, www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk.

10 | WoRKING ToGETHER

st columba’s hospice provides a wide range of services to those with life-limiting illnesses, through our multi-disciplinary team. all of our patients have access to these and can choose which they find most useful for their needs.

We have a variety of services available within our Hospice – find out more from the teams themselves:

Social Work…

I work to assess and address the psychological, practical and social needs of patients and of their families and carers. I enable them to make informed choices and provide advice and information on benefits, making a will and discharge planning.

Susan Forrest, Social Worker

Day hospice…

Day Hospice is for patients who are still able to be at home, but need support with symptom management, pain and psychosocial issues. We

talk to patients, families and carers about their wishes for care as their disease progresses and support them with the choices that they make.

Helen Brown, Day Services Manager

community palliative care…

We are a team of specialist nurses covering a population of over 300,000. We support patients and families with specialist

palliative care needs in their home and we work closely with primary care teams and GP’s. We are also involved in palliative care education, both internally and externally.

lorraine Wilson, Community Palliative Care Team Leader

WoRKING together

WoRKING ToGETHER | 11www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

in-patient Services…

our focus is on providing patients with the best quality of life as well as supporting their families, carers and friends. We practice using a multi-professional approach to our patient care which assists with symptoms whether they are physical, psychological, emotional, social or spiritual where individual wishes of each patient are respected.

Irene Barclay, Ward Manager, Pentland Ward

complementary Therapies…

Complementary Therapy is an integral part of the holistic care offered to our patients and their loved ones. We offer a range of

massage therapies, including therapeutic massage, reflexology, reiki, Indian head massage and cranio-sacral therapy. These can help to relieve stress, aid relaxation, promote a sense of wellbeing and help develop coping skills.

Jen Wood, Complimentary Therapy Coordinator

occupational Therapy…

We provide practical support to enable people to overcome physical and psychological difficulties that prevent them from

doing the activities that matter to them. This can involve assessing their home environment to make it more accessible, assessing for carer support and provision of equipment to aid everyday tasks.

Fiona Cruickshank, Occupational Therapist in Palliative Care

physiotherapy…

There is a common misconception that palliative care is only appropriate when someone is coming to the end of their

life; in fact, palliative care physiotherapy can be beneficial much earlier than that. People with progressive illnesses often feel they are not able to do all the activities they used to and that they have lost some independence, and we aim to help people to move around and stay as active and independent as possible.

Yvonne Whitehouse, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist

counselling Service…

My role in the Hospice is to offer psychological and emotional support to patients, families and carers. Having someone

to talk to and be listened to may not change the situation, but it can help put thoughts and feelings in to perspective and offer strategies to help people cope.

Pauline Gibb, Counsellor and Bereavement Co-ordinator

chaplaincy Team…

People think that chaplaincy is just for religious people. I see it as being about spiritual care. My role is about being with

people as a fellow human being. This kind of attentive companionship is the role of all the chaplains. Clinical staff have other responsibilities so spiritual care is a crucial part of the mix.

Donald Reid, Chaplain

Help us create welcoming spaces for our patients and their families in our new Hospice.

In association with

12 | FoRGET-ME-NoT APPEAl

When we first moved in to our new building, we started to think about our gardens and we wanted to find something that would have meaning for you, our friends and supporters. Memories are so important, and are often what sustain us at the darkest of times, so the theme of our gardens’ appeal was ‘Forget-Me-Not’ as this petite, beautiful flower symbolises remembering forever.

The Forget-Me-Not Appeal resonated with so many of you, we have decided to make this our annual Spring time appeal. Now that we have moved in to our new building and our gardens are nearing completion we would like to focus on the interior of the Hospice, to create warm, welcoming spaces for our patients and their families.

Physiotherapist Yvonne Whitehouse feels the Forget-Me-Not appeal is an important way of raising funds to support our work:

“My role as a Physiotherapist is to help our patients live full and meaningful lives, by supporting them to maintain their independence despite their illness.

“The Physiotherapy Team works with healthcare providers throughout Edinburgh and the lothians to assess and support patients from all walks of life, with a variety of life-limiting conditions. This means that our service is tailored to each patient as an individual, so that their care plan and goals can be personalised to their own situation.

“Enabling people to make the most of their final months, weeks or days allows them to create special memories with their friends and loved ones, which can provide comfort during difficult moments when they are no longer here. The importance of fond memories can make such a difference to those who have been bereaved and that is what we want to capture with our Forget-Me-Not Appeal.

“Now that our Rebuild is complete, we have a wonderful canvas which we can develop into a warm, welcoming environment for our patients and their families. Following

“consultation with patients and their families, we plan to not only improve the look and feel of the Hospice, but also to create two additional family bedrooms – one in each ward – so that relatives can stay overnight when their loved ones are in our care. We also want to introduce more dedicated communal areas for visitors and visitors where they can take time out in a comfortable setting, and an area for children to play.

“By donating towards our Forget-Me-Not Appeal, you will help us to make this vision a reality, and provide support for our patients and their families so they can spend more time together, and create more wonderful memories.”

Yvonne WhitehouseClinical SpecialistPhysiotherapist,St Columba’s Hospice

remember a loved one and let us know their name on the donation form enclosed in your mailing. We will send you a Forget-Me-not certificate with their name, and also plant a Forget-Me-not in memory of your loved one, within the gardens of the hospice. each seed we plant will bloom next Spring to create a ‘field’ of Forget-Me-not flowers, which patients, families and visitors can enjoy for years to come.

FoRGET-ME-NoT APPEAl | 13www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

14 | MEET ouR NEW…

meet our new…VolunTeer SerViceS Manager

Where are you from originally?

I was born in Billericay in Essex. I’m an Essex girl! When I was very young I lived in lincolnshire and then moved to Sussex, before leaving to study law in Exeter. After I got my degree my husband and I moved to St Albans where we lived for around 25 years before moving to Edinburgh in 2011.

Have you always worked in the voluntary sector?After graduating I realised I didn’t want to practice law, so I worked in motor insurance, then in children’s publishing, before becoming the Dean’s Secretary at St Albans Cathedral where I worked for around eight years. That was probably the most inspiring turning point, when I looked at the voluntary sector and thought ‘This is where I want to be.’ In the Church you see people at extremes. We did some really big funerals – one of the last things I did there was the funeral of Robert Runcie (former Archbishop of Canterbury) which involved chatting to Desmond Tutu which was very humbling – but we also saw beggars coming to the doors asking for money, so you really saw people at both ends. I went on to work in local government for a short spell before running the Volunteer Centre in St Albans for about three years. I then worked at the Hospice of St Francis in Hertfordshire, before moving to Edinburgh to work for CHAS, where I was the Volunteering Development Manager, responsible for volunteering right across CHAS.

What attracted you to St Columba’s?

There’s a couple of aspects to it – it’s back in adult palliative care which I’ve found is kind of my home setting, and I was really inspired by what I saw at St Francis. Also it’s very community-based – responding to and meeting the needs of the local community. I’m also looking forward to lots of face-to-face contact with the volunteers. I’m really looking forward to 2015!

What inspires you so much about volunteering?

It’s a two-way-thing; it’s not just about the organisation, it’s transformational for individuals as well. The bit that people might not get is the impact St Columba’s Hospice will be having on its community, by inviting people to be a part of our work and giving them something meaningful to do. The knock-on effect is huge.

What are your interests out of work?

A great passion of mine is singing. We did a lot of singing in london where we had a fantastic choir. leaving them was a big wrench. I now sing in two choirs – one at St Giles Cathedral and the other at Robin Chapel, which is part of the Thistle Foundation. We did a concert with friends earlier this year which raised about £800 for Marie Curie, so we may have to do one for St Columba’s now!

Karen Filsell has officially joined our team as Volunteer Services Manager, taking over from predecessor Bill Kerr. Here she chats with life about the journey which brought her to St Columba’s…

VoluNTEERING FoR ST ColuMBA’S HoSPICE | 15www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution to do more in the community, or take up something new? Why not volunteer for St Columba’s?

neW Year, neW You!

Alva Jane Harker is a volunteer in our Iona Café. We caught up with her to find out what it’s like volunteering for St Columba’s Hospice:

Are you from Edinburgh?

I’m originally from Glasgow but that was some time ago. I moved here from Carlisle last year – I always wanted to move back to Scotland when I retired. My husband Clive and I have just moved into a new flat in Murrayfield.

How did you get involved in volunteering here?

When I lived in Carlisle I volunteered at the Hospice bookshop down there, which was called the Eden Valley Hospice. When I came here I spoke to Bill Kerr who was the Volunteer Services Manager at that stage, who said that they were just re-opening the Hospice with the new café and they needed people to help out.

How long have you been volunteering in the Café, and how often are you in?

I’ve been volunteering here since May 2014, when the Hospice re-opened. I’m only in for three hours a week so it’s not taking up a lot of time but I think it’s important.

What is the most rewarding part of volunteering for you?

I think I’m just aware of how important volunteers are in the successful every day running of the Hospice. It means that the medical staff, nursing staff and everybody else that works here are able to get on with their jobs knowing that there’s people in the background who keep the Hospice running and I think that’s important. You feel as if you’re doing something useful. I enjoy working here. It’s a lovely new café and it’s good to meet people. You meet members of staff who come in for their coffee, members of the public, relatives, patients and people who come in from the surrounding communities.

could you volunteer with us? There are lots of different roles available, from fundraising and hospitality to wards and retail, so contact vol@stcolumbashospice.org.uk or call 0131 551 1381 for more info.

You can choose from three routes – Gold (25 miles), Silver (20 miles) and Bronze (14 miles) to walk or run. As the minimum age per Push participant is 16 years, and 16 to 18 year olds must be accompanied by a responsible adult, there is also The Nudge – a five mile ‘family-friendly’ route, suitable for all ages.

There are water stops and checkpoints on each route offering hot food, energy drinks, snacks and plenty of pampering to soothe those aching joints. The event culminates in a scrumptious meal, entertainment and some well-deserved drinks.

Registration is £60 until 31st March (£75 thereafter) and each participant must raise £325 which will go towards helping staff within the Hospice to continue their vital work.

The Push is a sPorTs challenge based in The beauTiful wilderness of The PenTland hills, jusT 12 miles from The cenTre of edinburgh. wheTher you’re Taking ParT wiTh colleagues, family or friends, iT’s a unique exPerience ThaT you can’T geT anywhere else!

Register now at pentlandspush.com,email push@stcolumbashospice.org.ukor call 0131 551 1381

16 | THE PuSH

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

19 sePTember 2015

THE PuSH | 17www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

romany Morrice has completed the push three times now – once whilst pregnant! – and aims to continue taking part every year:

I found out about the event as I have taken part in A Walk to Remember in the past to fundraise for the Hospice and I thought this would be a great new challenge. My friend passed away in the Hospice in his early 20’s after battling a brain tumour and I felt a great way to serve his memory would be to fundraise for the Rebuild.

last year was my third time taking part in the Gold Route. The first year my brother also took part and I was actually 11 weeks pregnant at the time so he carried all my equipment round as well as his! The second year we also roped my husband into it, but in 2014 I took part myself and managed to beat my best time by 45 minutes – which my brother and husband are not happy about!

The route was fantastic, easy to navigate as there are orange markers along the way which help a lot. The refreshment stops are a lot of fun and the map you are given shows exactly when the next one is and by following this it really makes the route easy.

I am going to aim to take part every year as long as people keep sponsoring me – it is such a great experience. I would urge everyone to give it a go.

cat Maclean had originally planned to take part in The push with her Mum in 2012, but sadly was unable to as after falling ill in June 2012, her Mum passed away in St columba’s in october 2012:

My brothers and I had talked about taking part after Mum died but only a month after the 2013 Push, I was diagnosed with cancer myself, and started chemotherapy for breast cancer in the middle of December 2013. Chemotherapy continued until April 2014, and I then underwent two lots of surgery followed by radiotherapy. Throughout my treatment I kept as active as I possibly could and I am quite sure that training for The Push made a huge difference to how I felt during chemotherapy, and how quickly I was able to recover afterwards.

We decided to sign up as ‘Team for Mop’ – Mop was the nickname the family gave to my mum.

It was great fun – fantastic to spend time with my two brothers as we’re a close family. We reminisced our way round the route talking about our mum and recalling lots of lovely and happy memories and to be honest the time flew. A truly lovely day.

I’ve already registered for 2015. I would say to anyone who is thinking of doing it to just go for it – the atmosphere on the day was great, we had lots of fun and free jelly-babies are always a bonus!

18 | A WAlK To REMEMBER

Whether you are walking to honour or to celebrate a life well lived and much loved, we invite you to join us on Saturday 13th June for A Walk to Remember. on this 5 or 13 mile route through the hidden heart of the city of Edinburgh we can take time out to reflect on the good times we have had with those that are no longer with us.

Within the Columba Room in the Hospice, a large bowl filled with water sits in the centre of a table overlooking the Firth of Forth. Alongside this is a small pile of pretty beach pebbles which

patients and their families are invited to drop into the water, allowing them to symbolically let go of worries and concerns. We invite you to select a beach pebble from our pebble cairn at the start of the Walk and carry it with you as a solid reminder of why you are walking and those whose memory you cherish.

If you are still carrying your pebble at the end of the Walk, you can add it to our cairn which will be transported to the Hospice and which will stay in our garden until next year’s event.

The entry fee for both walks is £10 per person, with each participant asked to raise £50 sponsorship. For a family or team of up to 6, the fee is £8 per person.

All participants will receive a goody bag and a medal. All ages are welcome to join us, but anyone under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult. Dogs on leads are very welcome along the route too.

Walking is good for us, challenges us, and gives us time to reflect.

A Walk To RememberSat 13 June 2015

There are two routes to choose from: Murrayfield – leith (5 miles) and Balerno – leith (13 miles).

Register at www.stcolumbashospice.org.ukor call 0131 551 1381 for more info.

ART FRIENDS | 19www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

arT friends

this year will see the 29th annual exhibition from the art friends of st columba’s hospice!

The event will be held between Friday 5th June and Sunday 7th June in our Education Centre and will display various art works – including jewellery, paintings and sculptures – from some of Scotland’s most renowned artists.

The exhibition is free for all to attend and offers art lovers a wonderful way to support the Hospice, with many unique affordable items on offer.

our Art Friends’ Exhibition has raised over £320,000 for St Columba’s since it’s launch, and this year our supporters will have the chance to see our stunning sea views – not to be missed!

New Venue!our 2015 event will not take place at The Freemasons Hall as before, but at the St columba’s hospice education centre at 17 Boswall road, next door to the Hospice itself. We hope that you will still join us for the same great exhibition.

To register your interest please contact our Fundraising Team on 0131 511 1381 or e-mail fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

20 | 30 YEARS oF GoRDoN

Where in Edinburgh are you from?

Pilton.

When did you start at St Columba’s Hospice?

I started over thirty years ago as a volunteer and then when a Steward job came up I applied and got it – I’ve been here ever since!

What is a typical day for you?

There isn’t really a typical day which is what makes the job so interesting. I begin in the Stockbridge shop helping set up the books and items outside, make calls to people who want collections and planning the day. I visit each shop daily so I know what they are short of or need.

What is your favourite part of the job?

I get a lot of satisfaction from knowing I have helped the recently bereaved. often when I visit people they are very upset and the

loss is new – I hope I help them. I also enjoy keeping in touch with the volunteers who have retired, as I have been with the shops since the beginning I know that some were instrumental in setting up the shops and they love to hear news of how they are doing. our oldest ex volunteer is 103 this month and I regularly collect things from her as she still knits for the shops.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I am an avid film goer. For my birthday the shop volunteers clubbed together and got me a year’s pass for the cinema which was a great present – I go at least once every weekend. I also read a great deal.

Have you ever bought anything from the shops?

Mostly computer games, books and yes, you’ve guessed it – films!

He’s a weel-kent face around our shops and with our supporters, but we were still surprised to find that Steward Gordon McRae has officially worked with us for 30 years! We caught up with him between deliveries to find out more…

30 YEARS oF gorDon

ouR SHoPS | 21

donate to our shops and Bag YourSelF a Bargain!We’ve all been there. You do a ‘Secret Santa’ with friends, you make every effort possible to get something specific to your designated person, and in return you end up with a top that doesn’t fit, a celebrity autobiography you have no interest in reading or an anti-ageing skin care kit which, while useful, doesn’t quite make your yuletide dreams come true, even if it does make your friend chuckle.

if you have any unwanted gifts from christmas, you can donate them to one of our five hospice charity Shops – who knows, while you’re in there you might even find a Spring bargain!

www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

our shops can be found at the following locations:

195/7 Morningside Road, Edinburgh

352 leith Walk, Edinburgh

65b Main Street, Fauldhouse, Bathgate

9 Comely Bank Road, Edinburgh

4 Drumsheugh Place, Edinburgh

15 Montague Terrace, Edinburgh

You can also donate any unwanted books and bric-a-brac to our Hospice Charity Bookshop

22 | FuNDRAISE FoR ST ColuMBA’S HoSPICE

fundraise for ST coluMBa’S hoSpice

Forth Bridge rotary abseil challengeSupport St Columba’s by taking part in an abseil from the Forth Bridge on 7 June 2015!

This is your chance to take part in a unique challenge to abseil 165ft SAS style (i.e. freefall) from the Forth Rail Bridge onto the beach below.

Suitable for anyone over the age of 16 years, The Forth Bridge Abseil is a real adrenaline rush for the daring – and the ultimate challenge for the rest of us! The Rotary Club of South Queensferry kindly run this charity event each year and you can abseil in aid of St Columba’s Hospice!

No previous experience is necessary to take part and our team of highly skilled instructors from the Glasgow Climbing Centre will ensure you are equipped with all you need to make your abseil as safe and enjoyable as possible. Parental consent is required for persons aged under 18 wishing to abseil – to sign up just visit www.rcsqsales.org.uk/abseil/home.php?cat=2

Bring your friends, colleagues and family along to take part in our Giant Quiz at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on 14th May 2015 and be in with the chance of leaving with the £600 prize fund!

Tickets are £15 a head (or £75 for a team of six) and include a pie and a pint –

and a very fun night!

The giant pub Quiz

Make this your running challenge for 2015 and sign up now to run the Edinburgh

Marathon for St Columba’s Hospice!

For more information please contact fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

or call 0131 551 1381.

30/31 MaY 2015

Your City – Your Marathon – Your Hospice!

edinburgh Marathon Festival

Call our Fundraising Team on 0131 551 1381 to book your tickets.

23 | SPoTlIGHT oN ouR SHoPS

events diarY 2015The celTic challenge

13 – 17 May 2015

Cycle 200 miles over four days from Edinburgh to Iona with our Celtic Challenge and see some of the best scenery and landscapes Scotland has to offer! Registration is £150 (or £100 if you sign up at our Training Bike Ride on 7th March!) which includes accommodation, food and transport for belongings, and participants are expected to raise £1,200 in sponsorship.

The puB Quiz

14 May 2015

Bring your friends, colleagues and family along to take part in our Giant Quiz at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange and be in with the chance of leaving with the £600 prize fund! Tickets are £15 a head (or £75 for a team of six) and include a pie and a pint – and a very fun night!

eDinBurgh MaraThon FeSTiVal

30 & 31 May 2015

As we are one of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival’s affiliate charities, you can choose to run the marathon to raise funds to support St Columba’s – for more info, visit www.edinburgh-marathon.com

arT FrienDS

5 – 7 June 2015

This year will see the 29th Annual Exhibition from the Art Friends of St Columba’s Hospice! This free event will be held between Friday 5th June and Sunday 7th June in our Hospice Education Centre and will display various art works from some of Scotland’s most renowned artists.

ForTh BriDge roTarY aBSeil challenge

7 June 2015

Abseil 165ft from the Forth Rail Bridge onto the beach below in aid of St Columba’s! organised each year by The Rotary Club of South Queensferry, this charity abseil is suitable for anyone over 16 and is the ultimate adrenaline rush! No experience necessary – see www.rcsqsales.org.uk/abseil/ to sign up!

a Walk To reMeMBer

13 June 2015

Remember a loved one by joining us on A Walk to Remember. Two distances are available (13 miles from Balerno and five miles from Murrayfield) both culminating at leith links. Entry fee for individuals is £10, and we ask that each participants raises £50 sponsorship. Teams or families’ entry fee is £8 and are asked to raise £200 collectively. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and dogs on leads are welcome!

The puSh / The nuDge

19 September 2015

Experience the Pentland Hills as you’ve never seen them before! our Gold, Silver and Bronze routes (25 miles, 20 miles and 14 miles respectively) and family friendly Nudge ensure there is a walk for all ages and abilities. The scenery is amazing – and wait till you try the Hog Roast! Registration costs £75 (early bird rate of £60 available till 31st March). Participants are asked to raise £325 sponsorship. Register now by visiting pentlandspush.com, emailing push@stcolumbashospice.org.uk or calling 0131 551 1381.

DIARY | 23

for more information about any of our events, visit www.stcolumbashospicefundraising.org.uk call 0131 551 1381 or email

fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

WeeklyPrize Draw

win £1,000Each week!

This is a fantastic way to support St Columba’s Hospice and every week a lucky winner receives a cheque for £1,000!

We can promise you excellent odds and at only £1 per week, we think it’s a bit of a bargain. If you haven’t already signed up, please do think about it. It costs so little and makes such a difference.

If you are already a member, you know what a great way this is to support us. So why not take one of our leaflets and give it to a friend or neighbour and encourage them to join too?

Thank you for your support. We couldn’ t do it without you!