St. Luke’s Hospice aims to provide the highest standards of care for people who have specialist palliative and end of life care needs and live in the districts of Basildon and Thurrock. Care is offered to people living with or affected by cancer and any other advanced life-threatening illness, and is given within the Hospice or at the patients’ homes.

The Hospice aims to provide a caring and homely environment where support for patients and families is provided both during illness and after death, without discrimination. They aim to maintain and enhance the quality of life for patients, caring for each of them as a whole person, offering the right to be treated with dignity, sensitivity, compassion and understanding.

I first learnt of the above when I attended a corporate partner meeting as a representative of Birkett Long. I was soon "volunteered" to take part in an outdoor obstacle course to help raise money towards the £15,000 per day it cost St. Luke’s to run the hospice. However I enjoyed it (and even a second in November) so much I thought I should do something I wouldn’t enjoy, and dancing in front of 250+ people fit that bill nicely.

Between now and March I will be coached by Layan from a complete novice to (hopefully) someone capable of performing the quickstep and paso doble. All of the couples on the night will be awarded points by 4 judges, with the points earnt making up a third of our total score. The other two thirds will come from and audience votes on the night and total sponsorship raised. So the more you donate, the better our chances of winning.

Thank you for reading and please do donate if you are able to.

Simon and Layan

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