News
The Prince of Wales officially opened Cotswold Care Hospice’s new home.
 In front of more than 200 guests, staff, volunteers and patients, the Prince praised the work of the hospice.
“I have been coming here in one way or another for 20 years now and I am so pleased to be here today,” the Prince said.
“There is so much effort and hard work that has made it possible to build this care hospice here. If I may just say that I do realise how much effort goes into all of this. I want to congratulate all those involved.
“This care building has made a great difference to all the people here. The staff here makes a huge difference to all the patients that come in. It is pleasing this remarkable service can be provided in this part of the county.
“It gives me the greatest pleasure then to declare this new hospice open.”
 The new £2.8 million building was completed in May. It is on the site of the old hospice, a 1940s renovated house, which was demolished to make way for the purpose-built complex.
The hospice now has the facilities to support those suffering from a life-limiting illness from diagnosis onwards. With the new building, it can care for up to 100 patients per week.
It offers day therapy, counselling and bereavement services, a wide range of complementary therapies, support to families and carers as well as a number of other treatments and clinics. It also runs “Hospice at Home”, a support service that enables patients with terminal conditions to die in their own home. Anyone in Gloucestershire can apply for help from the Hospice. All services are provided free of charge.
The Prince supported the charity’s commitment to provide an inpatient unit at the hospice.
“I can now hope it will be possible to include the inpatient unit that is so badly needed. I look forward to seeing it. I know how great the need is,” said His Royal Highness.
Cotswold Care’s board of trustees is committed to providing one, but must first address the serious financial implications which such a facility would generate.
The Prince is patron of Cotswold Care. His involvement with the independent charity dates back to 1990, when His Royal Highness officially opened the first premises of the Hospice.
Recording courtesy of BBC Radio Gloucestershire
Click here to see a short film showing the work of His Royal Highness with Cotswold Care Hospice from the Royal Channel. This clip features footage from a reception at Highgrove for Cotswold Care Hospice
 Carers can enjoy a day of pampering at Cotswold Care Hospice on February 24, 2009.
The day is free of charge and open to anyone who is a carer in Gloucestershire. They do not have to have a connection with the hospice to attend.
Among the treatments on offer will be manicures, massage, facial, reiki, arts therapy and reflexology. Lunch and refreshments will also be served.
To enjoy the event, which runs from 10.30am to 3.30pm, at Cotswold Care in Burleigh Lane, Minchinhampton, please phone 01453 886868 to book a place.
Want to look stylish during the credit crunch without spending a packet?
Cotswold Care Hospice has the answer - check out their nine charity shops.
To show that high street fashion doesn’t have to cost the Earth, the charity challenged five fashionistas to check out the charity’s newest branch in Cheltenham and see what they could find.
Since charity shops depend on donations to keep its shelves stocked, it also asked the group to also come bring along some clothes they were willing to donate.
The fashionable five from Fitness First in The Brewery Cheltenham took up and the shopping gauntlet.
With their finds in hand they went to Ashley Paul Hairdressing in College Court, Gloucester, where salon owner Ashley Paul and stylists Joy Maith and Chris Long, worked their magic.
 Here is the end result following a fashion shoot at FilmPhoto.co.uk at Arle Court Film Studios.
The charity has just opened its first shop in Cheltenham at 174 Bath Road, Leckhampton, which is open seven days a week.
Donations of clothing can be dropped off at any of the charity’s shops in Cirencester, Cheltenham, Nailsworth, Stroud, Minchinhampton, Dursley and Wotton-under-edge.
Cotswold Care Hospice, based in Minchinhampton, cares and supports people with life-limiting illness from diagnosis onwards. All its services are provided free. The charity needs to raise £1.4 million a year to operate.
A bin bag of second hand clothes can be worth £50 to the charity. The charity urgently needs donations and can arrange collections from companies or from groups.
Why not have a clear out and see what you can uncover! Please visit our shops page to find out where you can donate any unwanted saleable items!
December Newsletter
Download the hospice’s December newsletter.
Employees at a Cheltenham company are giving the shirts off their back – literally - for a good cause.
 The 17 staff at Montpellier PR, cleared out their wardrobes and collected bags of clothes.
Their cast-offs will help stock Cotswold Care Hospice’s new charity shop in Leckhampton.
Every year the hospice helps more than 350 people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. All the services are provided free and the hospice helps anyone from Gloucestershire.
The new shop in Bath Road opened in December. The charity, which is based in Minchinhampton and provides care for people across the county of Gloucestershire, is appealing for donations of clothes and bric-a-brac.
Group chief executive Guy Woodcock said “We are thrilled to be supporting one of Gloucestershire’s most deserving and progressive charities. People often have a preconception about things in life, and speaking personally I certainly did about hospices.
"That was before I learned about what Cotswold Care Hospice provides. I was quite taken aback and I honestly can’t think of a better cause for Montpellier to be involved with this autumn.”
A team of UCAS staff got wet and dirty – all in the name of team building and for a good cause.
 More than 30 people from the Programme Unit took part in the work at Cotswold Care Hospice in Minchinhampton.
The team braved the weather to carry out a host of tasks in the hospice’s new garden. They cleared a pond, painted benches, weeded, dug and planted a tree.
Christina Rixon, test analyst at UCAS, said: “We had recently had several new starters in the unit and our Managers were keen that we all get to know each other better, so that the mix of project managers, business analysts and testers work efficiently in the future.”
Cotswold Care Hospice provides care and support for people with life-limiting illnesses, from diagnosis onwards.
Its new £2.8 million state-of-the-art complex will be officially opened later this month. The old hospice, a 1940s building, was demolished to make way for the new building. All its gardens have been completely revamped.
The UCAS team has visited the hospice three times to work on the new gardens.
“The day was a huge success and we would recommend it to anyone,” said Christina. “The team worked well together and all have a sense of achievement and hope we have made alliances for many years to come. Since the day, we’ve been working closer as a team so it was definitely worth the day out of the office!”
The team has also donated plants and plan to return to the hospice next year for more projects.
Three Sector Match works across Gloucestershire to encourage businesses to help voluntary organizations and charities by offering their skills and experience – for free. Businesses provide their time on a pro-bono basis to help support specific projects needing expertise in, for example, business planning, project management, website design, marketing or legal guidance.
Landscape gardener Michael Gamble is saying farewell to his 25-year career with flowers.
He is creating two special flower beds at Cotswold Care Hospice in Minchinhampton.
But he needs support to turn his swansong into a sweet-smelling reality.
Michael, who lives in Painswick, has recently opened his own funeral directing business in Stroud.
But he wanted to do something special to mark the end of his landscaping career.
When he learned that the hospice in Burleigh Lane had a new £2.8 million building and was creating new landscaping, he knew it was the perfect project.
So he is creating two beds at the entrance to the hospice.
“I wanted to create a really beautiful entrance way here. We’ve chosen plants like cotton lavender and Helebores which will flower at different times of year,” he said.
Costs have been kept to a minimum by employing a young garden design student Ed Cleere, who trained at Pershore College, to draw up the plans and sourcing the plants direct from wholesalers sympathetic to the charity.
All the planting has been done by Michael with the help of hospice volunteers and workers from Stroud’s Nelson Trust.
The trust is based in Brimscombe Hill and supports people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Part of that rehabilitation is to get people out in the community working and volunteering on local projects such as the Cotswold Care garden which gives them a sense of fulfillment and self worth.
Just a £5 donation would pay for a shrub such as a choisya or hydrangea, he said.
“If people would like to buy a specific plant and dedicate it to somebody special we can do that too.”
Donations can be made via the Michael Gamble Funeral Directors at 4 London Road, Stroud, or ring them on 01453 790900
Chelsea Building Society employees are top drawer when it comes to good deeds.
 They are raising money for Cotswold Care Hospice and doing their bit to save the planet, all in one go.
The 700 employees at the society’s headquarters are donating unwanted clothes and bric-a-brac.
It will be used to stock Cotswold Care Hospice’s new shop in Cheltenham.
Sally Davies, Chelsea’s Community Support Consultant, said: “Everyone has things that are too good to throw away and most people don’t have time to take them to a charity shop.
“Acting as a collection point for our staff means the new Cotswold Care Hospice shop in Bath Road will be fully stocked ready for its opening and makes life easier for our staff. We’re really pleased to be able to help out and hope the new shop raises lots of vital funds for the charity.”
A bin bag of secondhand clothes is worth £50 to the charity. One bag would cover the cost of a therapy treatment. Two bags would help to pay for a patient’s visit to the day hospice.
Light up a Life, Cotswold Care Hospice’s Christmas campaign, raised a record amount.
 The appeal encourages people to remember loved ones at Christmas and raise funds for a good cause.
For a small donation, people can dedicate a light on our special Christmas trees.
Their names are recorded in special books of remembrance which are kept at the hospice.
The highlight of the appeal were four services with carols, readings and music. More than 400 people attended the services.
This year the appeal so far has raised £21,500.
Stroud business, BJB Life & Pension Ltd, sponsored the Stroud service.
Actress Maureen Lipman backed the campaign.
 Ms Lipman knows about the support hospice staff provide patients and their families.
Her husband, dramatist Jack Rosenthal, died in 2004, aged 72, from cancer.
Ms Lipman, best known as Beattie in the BT commercials, said: “Only those of us who know the utter relief and security of finding oneself in the Hospice environment can communicate to the rest of mankind that the Hospice movement way to live it.
“Please support Cotswold Care Hospice.
“I supported my local hospice, never thinking for one minute that it would ultimately embrace my husband in its warm loving glow and ease his passing for the rest of his family.”
Cotswold Care Hospice Shop Opens Doors in Cheltenham
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| Picture, courtesy of Gloucestershire Media. Copyright, Gloucestershire Media |
Cotswold Care Hospice’s newest shop has opened — and set a record.
It had the best takings for a first day, in the hospice’s history.
The shop, in 174/174a Bath Road, is the also the first one the charity has opened in Cheltenham.
The charity’s retail manager, Joe Feeley, shop manager Clare Eccles and deputy Leisa Orford were thrilled with the results.
Panto stars from the Everyman Theatre and a special eight-year-old girl officially opened the shop last month.
Youngster Amy Baker, from Cirencester, only has half a heart that works.
Her mum Angie wanted her to have a bit of star treatment and Cotswold Care has come to the rescue.
Amy’s grandad, John Baker, was a patient at the hospice four years ago.
To make sure Amy arrived at the opening in style, Chris Macey, from 21st Limousines in Cheltenham, kindly offered to drive Amy to the shop in his white stretch limo.
The shop still needs an army of volunteers to help Claire and Leisa and stacks of donations to keep the shelves well-stocked.
“We have already had quite a few people come forward but we need loads more,” said Joe.
The shop is open seven days a week. To volunteer, contact Joe on 01242 574101 or email joe.feeley@cotswoldcare.org.uk
We deserve the right to die with dignity . . .
The following analysis was written by Cotswold Care Hospice chief executive Marcus Green and published in the Western Daily Press. It was in response to a report by the National Audit Office on the End of Life Strategy.
Death – it comes to us all yet few want to talk about it. If we could choose how we spent our final days on Earth, what would our answers be?
Would it be to die at home in our own bed, surrounded by people we love? In a bed on a busy shared hospital ward? Or in a hospice, surrounded by caring staff and loving family in a peaceful, dignified environment?
The aim of the Government's End of Life strategy is to give everyone that choice.
Sadly, that choice in Gloucestershire – and almost certainly the rest of Britain, too – is somewhat limited.
The End of Life strategy is good in theory, but it falls down in practice. A report by watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) demonstrates the urgent need for implementation of the strategy.
The NAO report states that the majority of people would prefer not to die in hospital but that the lack of NHS and social care support services means that many people do so, even though there is no medical reason.
Why does this happen? In a word, money. The amount that health authorities, the primary care trusts (PCTs), spend on palliative care services does not match the need. The NAO report reveals that the amount can vary from £154 to £1,684 per death.
Yet it is short-term gain. If there were more options and support, it would reduce the amount of time people approaching end of life have to spend in hospital. The NAO estimates that caring for cancer patients in the last year of their life costs some £1.8 billion.
It believes that £104 million could be redistributed to meet people's preferences. In return, that would reduce emergency hospital admissions by 10 per cent. If people had alternative care they could access, it would reduce their hospital stay by about 25 per cent.
So the redistributed funds are not wasted. They would release hospital resources for other purposes and allow the terminally ill to choose how they die.
Yet the PCTs have only so much money to spend – their hands are tied by allocations from central government .
In Gloucestershire, it is believed that 20 per cent of people die in their homes. Yet a report by the National Council for Palliative Care estimates that at least 50 per cent of people would choose to die at home.
Research by the Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust showed that, in 2007, 3,453 people died in the county of cancer or circulatory disease. Of those, 1,903 died in hospital, 122 died in a hospice and 870 died at home.
The GPCT has a specialist palliative care team and has made strides with improving palliative care in the county but, as the NAO report shows, there is much still to be done. As the NAO states, independent hospices have an important role in providing end- of-life care. Independent hospices provide about 2,150 in-patient beds compared with 450 provided by NHS hospices.
Looking after terminally ill patients is a highly specialised profession. Palliative comes from the Latin word "to cloak".
In palliative care, the patient cannot be healed. Instead, the role of the health carer is to comfort the patient and manage their pain, whether physical or emotional, and the ethos of a hospice is to provide care for the "whole person" not just the illness.
Cotswold Care Hospice offers counselling – for patients and carers – spiritual guidance and therapies along with the clinical care. It provides day services and clinics for patients and palliative care training for the professionals.
Many, including Cotswold Care Hospice, provide a hospice-at- home service which is a 24-hour on-call service providing medical support for patients choosing to die at home.
That can take the form of a caring voice at the end of the phone or a nurse spending the night at a house, allowing carers to get much-needed rest. All these services are provided free of charge, yet hospices receive limited Government funding and must depend on fundraising to provide the bulk of their revenue. The rest must be raised through charitable activities, and most of it is raised by the general public.
Cotswold Care Hospice, at present, does not have a bedded unit. Its board of trustees is committed to providing one, but must first address the serious financial implications which such a facility would generate.
The charity must be able to run the in-patient unit with little or no NHS support. To provide the services, it must raise £1.4 million a year. To support a bedded unit, itwould have to raise more than double that amount. It receives less than 12 per cent in Government funding.
 In Gloucestershire, there are only 16 hospice beds available – at the one hospice – for a population of 584,000. A 10-bed unit can cost more than £2 million a year to run.
Depending on the support of the local primary care trust, the funding can vary from zero to 30 per cent.
Cotswold Care Hospice welcomes the NAO report and applauds its recommendations. Yet, until the Government is willing to deliver the strategy, little will change. Every person deserves the right to die with dignity and to have their say, as much as possible, on how they leave this life.
In order for that to happen, we must be willing to talk about death and lobby those who hold the purse strings.
Marcus Green is chief executive of Cotswold Care Hospice at Minchinhampton, Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Nailsworth Olympic Heroes presented with cards of congratulations
Olympians Dan Robinson and Peter Reed received a heroes welcome when they returned to their hometown of Nailsworth at the weekend.
After an open top bus ride through the town there was a reception hosted at Forest Green Rovers attended by the Mayor and also two hospice volunteers Jill Dyer and Jenny Russell
Turns out that Jill, who volunteers in the CCH shop in Nailsworth was once babysitter to Gold Medalist Peter Reed when he was a lad!
Dan and Peter were presented with the cards of congratulations that had been gathering signatures from people from across the county who visited the shop in August.
Hospice volunteer wins Community Pride Award!
We are delighted to announce that Doug Gregory has been awarded a Community Pride Award by Stroud District Council to recognise and celebrate the efforts he has made in the community by helping others on a voluntary basis.
Doug has been a voulunteer at CCH since the early days of the organisation and assists in driving patients and also with the upkeep of our wonderful gardens.
Well done Doug ! Your service and commitment to the hospice and that of all our volunteers is much appreciated by al who benefit from the care that we provide.
New shop open for business in Cirencester
Cotswold Care Hospice is delighted to announce the opening of a brand new Charity Shop selling quality second hand goods in Cirencester.
The official opening will took place on Monday 21st July at 10am when Lady Apsley who is a Vice President of the charity formally declares the shop open for business.
The shop which is located at 43 Dyer Street opposite Gardiners will be selling quality items of clothes, bric-a-brac, books and much more.
Peter Rowbottom, Head of Fundraising at the hospice has been looking forward to opening premises in Cirencester for some time and commented “The hospice cares for many patients and there families from Cirencester and the surrounding villages and we also have a thriving Friends Group based in the town that organises events throughout the year on our behalf. We pride ourselves on running charity shops that stock quality goods that are presented immaculately which always keep our customers satisfied and coming back for more!”
Cotswold Care are still on the hunt for volunteers who can help run the shop and also for any unwanted good quality items that can be donated - please visit the premises between the hours of 9am and 4pm Monday to Saturday.
If you would like to get in touch by phone then please call Joe Feeley, Retail Manager on 01285 652 245.
Teddy provides windfall for Wotton shop
A teddy bear raised a fantastic sum of £620 when it was auctioned at Wotton Auction rooms on behalf of Cotswold Care Hospice. The bear which was donated to the charity shop in Wotton was an rare red colour and fetched bids and interest all the way from across the pond in the United States! Makes you wonder just what you might have stored away gathering dust in your attic? Why not have a clear out and see what you can uncover! Please visit our shops page to find out where you can donate any unwanted saleable items!
Gloucestershire Northern Senior League supoprts Cotswold Care
Bill Phillips, Chairman of the Northern Senior League management committee presented a cheque to the hospice for £300 at a visit to the hospice in July. The donation came from proceeds of the league cup competition played during the early part of the 2007/2008 season. Many thanks to all involved in helping to raise this money which will be used to help pay for the essential care that the hospice provides to hundreds of patients and their families each and every year from across Gloucestershire.
No Hospice Fete this year.
This year we will not be holding our Summer Fete. This is due to the ongoing demolition and building work at the Hospice. Whilst the building is complete, the grounds need to be landscaped and the parts of the old hospice building are still to be demolished.
The good news, however, is that we will be back with a bigger and and better Summer Fete in 2009 and we hope that you will be able to join us!
First ever Midnight Walk a phenomenal success!
OVER 1,200 women put their best foot forward for a midnight walk in Cirencester Park on Friday to raise money for Cotswold Care Hospice.
Bond girl Fiona Fullerton was joined by actress Helen Worth who plays Gail in Coronation Street and Lady Apsley, who is vice president of the hospice, for the first ten-mile walk of its kind.
Organisers hailed the event a success as some women were so keen they headed off before the official start.
Head of the hospice's fundraising Peter Rowbottom said: "Midnight came and the ladies were off but we were still registering the last few ladies, leaving Bond girl Fiona Fullerton, who was meant to be starting the race behind. That's girl power for you."
Before the ten-mile walk got underway staff from the Cotswold Academy were on hand to offer massages and soothe limbs at the end.
Women joined in from Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Swindon and Stroud.
Event Manager Vicki Hayward said "The atmosphere was unbelievable, people were meeting old friends, walking as families and raising huge sums for the hospice."
The midnight walk raised over £100,000 for the hospice which has surpassed any previous fundraising events.
Chief executive Marcus Green thanked the walkers, the TA, Cirencester Park, Cirencester College, the Red Cross, police and all the volunteers who helped out.
First to finish was mother and daughter Sarah and Emma Curtis from Cirencester who were in a team from Powells School.
Emma said: "We had a wonderful time helping Cotswold Care in the Midnight Walk. It's a brilliant charity to support for the whole county."
At the end of the evening the ladies were treated to a continental breakfast and a richly deserved massage.
To view pictures of the event please visit our Flickr website at: www.flickr.com/photos/28162402@N04/
Great Glos Raft Regatta
NEARLY 40 teams took part in this year's Great Gloucestershire Raft Regatta to raise cash for the Cotswold Care Hospice.
The event, at Saul Junction on the Gloucester-Sharpness canal, attracted hundreds of visitors and organisers, are hoping to raise at least £5,000.
Stroud Army Cadets came first, with a time of around four minutes, closely followed by a team of students from Downfield Sixth Form, who aptly named themselves A Levels Over Soon.
"There was just 10 seconds between them," said organiser Mike Doughty.
"Competitors either built rafts themselves or one was provided - some of them were rather fast.
"The secret is to make them long and narrow with lots of people on and it helps if they're strong.There were also prizes for the best constructed raft, the fastest female team and the best fancy dress.
"I would like to thank all those who supported us,including British Waterways, Cotswold Canal Trust and SARA" said Mike
Link for new hospice magazine
Our new hospice magazine is out now! Please follow the following link to view on line.
NEWSLETTER
Open Afternoon at Cotswold Care
Cotswold Care will be holding an open afternoon for those working within the Health and Social Care Sector on 17 September 2008 from 2.00pm - 4.00pm and 9 December 2008 2.00pm - 4.00pm. Come along and learn about the : Services we provide; the Referral process; Patient Experience; Tour of the New Hospice.
If you wish to book a place please contact diane.ponting@cotswoldcare.org.uk
Cotswold Care receives a boost from Building Society
Customers at the Stroud and Swindon Building Society have not only been earning interest on their savings, they have also been helping Cotswold Care as well.
A special Cotswold Care Hospice Branch Instant Savings account porvides savers with the same interest rate as a normal account, but also means that the Society pays 1% of the average overall montly balance in the account at the year end to the Hospice. This has resulted in a cheque for a fantastic £2,926.00 being presented to the Hospice.
Thank you to everyone who has taken out an Affinity Account for Cotswold Care Hospice. For further information on how to set up a Stroud and Swindon Affinity Account, please pop into your local Branch of the Stroud and Swindon Building Society.
CCH shop in Dursley wins Easter Window Competition!
Great news from Dursley where our charity shop has won first prize in the Easter Window Competition held by the Dursley and District Chamber of Commerce.
Well done to the staff and volunteers for their stirling efforts in achieveing this.
Second prize went to the Mind Shop and third to Hewetts.
Thanksgiving and Celebration – Marking the move from the Old Hospice to the New Hospice.
Friday April 25th 2008 at 2pm -3pm in Education Room
As the date for moving to the New Hospice Building approaches we intend to formally acknowledge what the Old Hospice building has meant to so many.
Before the formal dedication of the New Building in Spring 2009 this is an opportunity for an informal gathering of staff and volunteers to reminisce over a cup of tea and to look ahead to future exciting times in the life of Cotswold Care Hospice.
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