Models needed for St Mary's Fashion Show

We are looking for models, male and female, of all shapes and sizes, to take part in our fashion show on Thursday 18^th March 2010 at the Nines, Barrow in Furness.

Models will perform on the catwalk in front of an audience, wearing clothing collections from the St Mary’s shops and local businesses. Models will be treat to hair styling and makeup by local salons and beauticians.

The event starts at 7.30pm but models will be expected to arrive earlier and the show may run until quite late.

Further details of the event will be released soon.

If you are interested please call Hannah on 01229 580305 or email hannah@stmaryshospice.org.uk

Broughton Auction Market raises £750 for St Mary's

We would like to thank Broughton Auction Market for raising a fantastic £750 for St Mary's.

The help we receive from the community is very special and it is what enables St Mary’s to continue to provide comprehensive supportive and palliative care for adults in South Cumbria.

Origional founder member of St Mary's will be sadly missed

Pictured from left to right: Margaret Berry, Clarissa Kavanagh and Reverend Nick Gosswin celebrating 25 years of support for St Mary's Hospice.

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of one of the original founder members of St Mary’s and our dear friend, Margaret Berry. Margaret died suddenly at home on the 14^th January at the age of 81.

Back in 1984 Margaret, the Reverend Nick Gosswin, and Mrs Clarissa Kavanagh came up with the raw idea of a Hospice for the South Cumbria area and worked extremely hard to make their vision a reality.

Mr Gosswin said "We had a vision of a place of peace and tranquility and after a lot of heartache and headaches the Hospice was eventually opened (by Princess Diana) in 1990. It has since built a reputation as the centre of excellence where the treatment and care is unsurpassed."

Margaret worked tirelessly for the charity and after its establishment worked as a volunteer on reception for many years.

Her funeral was held at Thorncliffe Crematorium on Monday 25^th January.

She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

Barrow Marks & Spencer help boost St Mary's funds

Employees at the Marks & Spencer Barrow in Furness store are celebrating after raising £3,800 for St Mary’s Hospice.

Over the last six months customers have been donating generously to the cause, whilst M&S employees’ fundraising activities have ranged from raffles to a sponsored team cycle from Workington to Newcastle that alone generated £1,000.

Andrew McKellar, manager of the M&S Barrow store said, “We’re keen to show our support for St Mary’s Hospice where the dedicated staff provide an invaluable service for our community. We had great fun coming up with ways to raise money and we were particularly touched by the many large donations from our customers.”

Zoe Guest Funding and Operations Manager of St Mary’s commented, “We are delighted by the generosity of the M&S Barrow in Furness store and their customers. All the money raised by M&S will go directly towards supporting St Mary's so that we can keep on providing care and support for patients and families. Maintaining our current services costs around £2.2 million a year, of which the hospice has to raise £1.8 million.We rely heavily on the support, goodwill and generosity of the public and organisations like M&S to maintain our services."

Residents at the Duke of Edinburgh raise funds for St Mary’s

St Mary’s are delighted to announce that the staff at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in Barrow has decided to offer the proceeds from their new DVD library to St Mary’s.

The hotel recently started their DVD library for residents and hire DVD’s to them at £1 per night. The library has become popular amongst the residents of the Duke of Edinburgh in a short time and the hotel now hopes that the scheme will become a great fundraiser for St Mary’s.

Rachel Barker from the Duke said “It was the general consensus of the staff here at the Duke that any money raised should go to the hospice, as it is a local charity that has benefitted friends and relatives of those close to us.”

Zoe Guest, Funding & Operations Manager said “We are delighted that the Duke of Edinburgh has chosen to support St Mary’s. We think that this is a great idea and we hope our working together will be mutually beneficial.”

A Charity Challenge Partnership Celebration Evening and Burns Supper

Friday 29th January 2010
The Nines, Dalkeith Street, Barrow in Furness
7.30pm - late

During the past two years the Charity Challenge partnership between BAE Systems and St Mary's Hospice has raised over £90,000. To acknowledge the success of the campaign, a celebration evening is being held. The event will include a traditional Burns supper, presentations, Ceilidh dancing and a disco.

Tickets are £10 and are available from BAE Systems reception, Bridge Road, Barrow or St Mary's Hospice, Ulverston. Please call 01229 580305 for more information.