I was first introduced to the hospice 3 years ago by one of their volunteers Jim Boyle, who invited me to look around the Sensory Room in Jigsaw which needed new flooring which I offered to do for them. When I visited the hospice I realised that they needed our help after setting the importance of what they did.

Following my first visit to Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw my fundraising began and in the last 3 years I have completed a range of fundraising and help with various projects. This includes the Ride the Lights in Blackpool, helping Carlisle United to send a family to the Winter Wonderland in London and helping to create a pharmacy room and office in Jigsaw as well as re-laying the carpets in their Butterfly Room.

Back in March I was made aware of the financial position the hospice is in and I want to help raise money to protect the future of the hospice. I am calling on the people of Cumbria to help and support in any way that they can.

Coronavirus has had a devastating impact across the county, with no area left untouched. As a specialist healthcare provider, Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw have treated local people with the virus, ensuring every family receives end of life care filled with compassion and dignity.

At a time when fundraising activities have topped and our charity shops are beginning to re-open, the hospice is in the unfortunate situation whereby the need for specialist, compassionate care is increasing but
charitable income has taken a drastic downturn.

At a time when the hospice is still in great need of funding to secure the future of the hospice, you support will help our vital care today, tomorrow and for many years to come.

The care provided at the hospice is completely free of charge for those who need to access it – families, friends, neighbours, colleagues. However, it costs over £450 per hour to deliver this care, and as a local charity, we have to fund the first £350.

The hospice’s income was severely affected by the closure of all our shops in March, with only half our shops currently re-opened. Many of
the hospices event and fundraising in the local community have been cancelled, postponed or scaled back compared to previous years and there are questions about whether 2021 will be much the same.

The hospice is needed more than every by the local community and in 2021 Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw will be celebrating 30 years of care in the local community.

A Jigsaw Family explained, " Having a child with profound and complex needs is hard on the whole family, its hard to hear your child is eligible for hospice care. From the moment we stepped into Jigsaw we felt a sense of relief, we had found somewhere we fitted, somewhere Holly could have fun, be so well cared for and make memories."

An Eden Valley Hospice Family added, "My Dad was admitted into the hospice, it was like someone had put a massive pair of loving arms around our family. Everyday his needs were met from the most compassion staff to the end of his life.

"The care, love and compassion given to Dad, from all the staff at Eden Valley Hospice, at this sad time was amazing. It's such a lovely place, they do such fantastic work looking after their patients' families. We will be forever grateful to Eden Valley Hospice."

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