Like all of you we are coming to terms with the impact of the global Coronavirus on our personal and working lives.
Here at the Hospice we have had to make some tough decisions over the last week or so, including limiting visitors to our Inpatient Unit, closing our wellbeing day service the Oak Centre and suspending all but the most essential counselling and bereavement services.
We also had to take the heart-breaking decision to close all 13 of our shops until further notice as well as suspend online sales. We cannot continue to collect our door to door lottery subscriptions and we expect that we will not be able to carry out our usual fundraising events. As a charity which receives less than a third of its income from Government this will have a devastating impact upon our finances.
This is why we are asking you for help. It is needed now more than it ever has been in the 37 years we have been caring for the people of Wigan and Leigh.
Vulnerable people
We are determined to carry on supporting our patients and their loved ones. Our community nurses are still visiting patients across our Borough. Where our nurses cannot visit they are providing support and advice by both video consultation and over the telephone 24/7 to make sure the most vulnerable people in our towns get the hospice care they need. Our inpatient unit remains open to ensure those patients at the end of life or with complex palliative needs can still access the care they require and deserve.
Frontline staff
Our frontline staff continue to care for patients in spite of the risk and their courage and dedication is nothing short of remarkable.
Many of you have been getting in touch to ask how you can help.
This is how.
Can’t Spend it – Send it!
Through our Can’t Spend it? Send It! campaign YOU can help to provide essential Hospice care. You can’t spend £40 a month on gym membership any more but you can send this money to help Hospice patients. You can’t spend £25 to get your eyebrows done but you can send it to help pay for a community nurse to visit a patient. You can’t buy a drink at the pub but you can send £5 towards providing a meal for an inpatient.
Please visit: www.wlh.org.uk/support-us/send-it to find out more about the campaign and how you can support your Hospice.
We are still here. We are still caring but we can’t do this on our own – YOU make this happen. Please continue to do so.
Thank You
For the latest updates on services and visits to the Hospice please see: https://www.wlh.org.uk/about/coronavirus/
To donate please see: https://www.wlh.org.uk/donate/