Our local Hospice, St Margaret’s, has come to mean a lot to our family over the years. The first time I came across it was years ago when as a very young legal secretary I had to go with my boss to visit a patient. As a keen reader of Victorian novels I had a very clear idea in my mind what it would be like, and what a contrast it was to the dark and gloomy Dickensian picture I had in my head. It was light and airy and the staff smiled and were cheerful; astonishing to a young mind which has never contemplated later life or that the end can come in a happy environment.
Many years later we said farewell to my mother-in-law in the same place. Stalked by progressing cancer over many years, Mary needed to be cared for in her last weeks. The love, support and kindness of the staff there for her and for all the family was wonderful.
None of us knows when it might be our turn to need the help of our local Hospice, but it is not funded by the NHS and is constantly in need of funds to support the great work it does. Over the years we have done many small events from which donations have been made to the Hospice. Sometimes their lovely volunteers come along, to raise funds, like at our annual cider and music festival “Sheppyfest”; one year our cheerful festival goers donated nearly £800! At our annual Wassail in the middle of January volunteers have helped us with parking cars in return for a donation. Over the years with the help of our customers, we have helped to raise thousands of pounds for the Hospice.
This year we are joining with our customers to make a donation to St Margaret’s with the sale of every bottle of our Cider with Raspberry which is sold through the farm shop or online. Each sale generates a 20p donation which is so badly needed at a time when so many of the events at which the Hospice is represented are cancelled or postponed because of COVID-19, and when their charity shops have had to close.
If you like our Cider with Raspberry you can buy one and drink it with the added pleasure of knowing that you have generated another small donation to a wonderful cause which may receive you with a smile one day.
If you would like to make your own personal donation, you can do so by following the link
