More Than £4,200 Donated to Christchurch Macmillan Unit After Employee Nomination

A Christchurch hospice has received more than £4,200 in new furniture and equipment following a personal nomination from a member of staff at Haskins Garden Centre.

The donation to the Macmillan Unit in Christchurch came through the Haskins Charitable Fund after employee Beverley Stark-Halliwell nominated the hospice following the care her husband Phil received there at the end of his life.

The money has now been used to make several of the Unit's shared spaces more comfortable and welcoming for patients and their families.

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Improving spaces for patients and families

Part of the donation has funded new furniture for the Macmillan Unit's two counselling rooms.

The rooms are used by the Patient and Family Support Team, which works with patients, bereaved families and children at what can be an incredibly difficult time.

Funding has also paid for new dining furniture in the patient lounge, a jigsaw table for patients and visitors, and new kitchen equipment.

The improvements are intended to make everyday spaces within the Unit feel more comfortable and supportive for people receiving care and those visiting them.

A donation with a personal meaning

For Beverley, the donation has a particularly personal significance.

Her husband Phil received end-of-life care at the Macmillan Unit, and she later chose to nominate the hospice for support through the Haskins Charitable Fund.

Reflecting on the donation, Beverley said the Unit holds a very special place in her heart after experiencing first-hand the care and comfort it provided during an extremely difficult period.

She said being able to give something back and help make the shared spaces warmer and more welcoming meant a great deal to her.

Her hope is that the improvements will provide a sense of peace and respite for other patients and families in the future.

Supporting specialist palliative care in Christchurch

The Macmillan Unit provides specialist palliative care for people living with life-limiting conditions, alongside support for their families.

Around 1,600 patients and their families are supported by the Unit each year.

Alongside clinical care, the service provides emotional and practical support, meaning spaces such as counselling rooms and patient lounges play an important role in the wider experience of people using the hospice.

The new furniture and equipment will therefore support both the practical and emotional side of the care provided there.

Haskins Charitable Fund supports local projects

The Haskins Charitable Fund was established in 2018 to support charities and community projects based close to the company's four garden centres in the south of England.

Projects are nominated by Haskins employees, allowing staff to put forward causes with which they have a personal or local connection.

In this case, Beverley's nomination has helped turn her family's own experience of the Macmillan Unit into practical support for others using the service.

For patients and families spending time at the Christchurch hospice, the donation will help make some of its most frequently used spaces feel a little more comfortable at a time when that can matter enormously.