Discover Community Corner: your regular round-up featuring a vibrant mix of updates and stories both at Nightingale House Hospice and throughout the local community.
Special patient birthday
A special birthday party was the icing on the cake for wellbeing patient Maureen.
Maureen celebrated her 84th birthday today by dressing as her favourite Disney princess, Elsa, and enjoyed a special afternoon tea, party games and cake.
Wellbeing patients and staff donned tiaras and enjoyed the party atmosphere.
Maureen said: “It been the best birthday I’ve ever had. Everyone was so lovely, and the chef made us wonderful afternoon tea.
“I have been in the wellbeing sessions for five weeks now and there is so much going on, from games, talks and helpful advice sessions. They are wonderful.”
Wellbeing Centre Lead Nurse Carolyn James said: “Maureen has had a great day and it was lovely to see everyone smiling and enjoying the party atmosphere.”
Gill and Margaret
Recently Gill and Margaret walked 84 miles
Gill said: “Well, we did it! It was hard work, but we had a good time, and at least we are still talking to one another.
“We met people from all over the world and saw some wonderful scenery along the way. The varied terrain, heat, and humidity made some of the days quite challenging, but doing it for Nightingale House helped get us to the end. Walking along the Quay into Newcastle was a great experience, with lots of local people encouraging us and knowing that Keith and Jim were waiting to meet us at the finish.”
For now, Margaret has swapped her walking boots for her running shoes, preparing for 3 half marathons in the autumn, and Gill has swapped her walking boots for her slippers for the foreseeable future.
Open garden event raises over £800
Thank you so much to the amazing Rene Smith for organising her Open Garden event, which will be followed by tea, cakes, and a prize raffle at the Cymau Community Centre on Saturday. The event raised a massive £819! It really is such a beautiful garden, with so much thought and effort gone into it over the years. Well done!
Collection of thank you cards
There is a beautiful display of our Inpatient Unit cards expressing gratitude to the wonderful clinical staff at the hospice.
Ward Manager Laura Hughes said:
“It’s always lovely to see the kind words from patients and family members thanking the incredible team we have here at Nightingale House. It shows what a difference we make to those we care for. It’s so heartwarming that people take the time to write such lovely letters and cards.”
Oswestry Balloon Carnival raised an incredible £37,000 for Nightingale House Hospice
The two-day event last weekend, held in association with Oswestry Town Council, Elevate Balloon Flights and supported by Oswestry BID, was free to attend with a suggested donation to Nightingale House Hospice on arrival. Thousands of you dug deep into your pockets to raise this incredible amount for patient care here at the hospice.
In addition to the vast array of balloons on display—including the Nightingale House balloon and, of course, crowd favourite Sonic the Hedgehog—there was a host of fun on offer for families, including dancing, a Punch and Judy show, and circus workshops.
Nightingale House’s Events Fundraiser Lowri Sadler said: “Thanks to the incredible support from our community and partners, we are thrilled to announce that the Oswestry Balloon Carnival 2024 has raised an amazing £37,000 for Nightingale House Hospice.
“It was a wonderful weekend filled with balloon activity, entertainment, fun, and laughter.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended and everyone involved – our dedicated volunteers, hardworking staff, talented entertainers, enthusiastic stallholders, and, of course, our invaluable partners from Oswestry Town Council, Oswestry BID, and Elevate Balloons.
“Your contributions have made a significant difference, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”
Photograph by High Pixel Photography
