Run The Virgin London Marathon 2012 for St Mary's!

Be a part of one the most popular sporting events and run through many famous London districts and past many landmarks, including the Cutty Sark and the Tower of London. Also, be proud to know that your personal challenge can help raise vital funds for a local charity, with sponsorship being used to help provide care to adults with life-limiting illnesses.

Despite the ballot now being closed, Help the Hospices still has plenty of charity places available. For the chance to join their large and supportive marathon team you can apply online now. Places will be allocated later in the year.

When you join the Help the Hospices team you will receive all the support you need to make your marathon experience unforgettable. You can also choose to raise your sponsorship for your local hospice.

"I will always remember how my legs miraculously came back to life when I saw the cheering point at mile 25! An incredible memory. You made me feel special and part of a team"

For further information please visit the Help the Hospices website.

Daybreak: Donate a Day Campaign 23-27 May 2011

Pictured: Steve gives up a couple of afternoons a week to help run the Cafe area at St Mary's.

St Mary's Hospice will be taking part in Daybreak's Donate a Day campaign.

ITV's Daybreak is running a week-long campaign called Donate a Day during the last week of May, urging viewers to volunteer for a charity.

Each of Daybreak's main presenters will spend a day volunteering at a charity of their choice. Dr Hilary Jones will be volunteering at Hospiscare in Exeter, where he will join in alongside regular volunteers and show the country what fantastic work hospices do.

All week, Daybreak will encourage viewers to donate their time to a local charity by volunteering. Daybreak will feature 24 charities on their website during the week - including Help the Hospices, which will include links to hospices across the UK, including St Mary's Hospice.

Volunteers at St Mary’s are a valued and essential part of all the services that we provide. Their contribution not only enhances and supplements the work of the multi professional team, but helps us to give an additional form of care by breaking down barriers, and providing a warm and friendly atmosphere to help families and patients make the most of each day.

We are asking the South Lakes community to back the Daybreak campaign which is an opportunity to engage the general public with the hospice cause, reaching potential volunteers, supporters and beneficiaries across the UK. We are asking locals to consider volunteering for St Mary's Hospice and giving it a go.

There are many different opportunities available on your doorstep, for all skills and age groups. Your hours as a volunteer can be arranged to fit in with your other commitments. A few hours a week makes a huge difference to the care given to people with life-threatening illnesses, their families and carers, and helps keep St Mary’s functioning. Volunteering for St Mary’s is rewarding, however you may choose to help.

For further information about volunteering opportunities, call the Hospice to speak to Catherine or Zoe on 01229 580305 or visit our website.

Charity Concert raises £1306!

A Charity Concert featuring the Elwy Singers and Dean Fawcett & friends recently raised £1306 for St Mary's Hospice. Organisers William Edmonds and Fred Davies presented the cheque to new Hospice Director Sue McGraw who was delighted with their fundraising efforts.

Fundraising events help to raise awareness about the care that St Mary's Hospice provides, as well as raising much needed funds. If you would like to find out more about organising your own event, please visit http://www.stmaryshospice.org/events/hostanevent.php

Tour de Furness Fun

On the first Sunday of September, hundreds of cyclists once again saddled up for the biggest cycling event in South Cumbria. It could easily be the peloton in the Tour de France, until you realise that many in the field are under four feet tall or riding on the back of dad’s bike. This is the Tour de Furness – not so much the world’s toughest cycle race, but more a nice leisurely ride for all the family.

Since the first event was organised in 1995 by local cyclist Bill Bartlett, the charity ride has raised thousands for St Mary’s and other good causes. Each year it has grown, and more than 400 riders lined up at Roose Conservative Club, in Barrow, on September 5 for this year’s event.

£7500 was raised for St Mary's Hospice at this year’s event. This fantastic amount was presented to Zoe Guest, Funding & Operations Manager, by members of the Furness Rotary who are the race organisers. A very big thank you goes out to Event coordinator Bill Nickson, and the team from the Rotary Club of Furness. It has become a major event and St Mary’s cannot thank them enough for all their support.

Dougie Burrows Tribute Night raises £2623!

St Mary's Hospice would like to thank everyone who supported the Dougie Burrows Fundraising Night at the Netherfield Cricket Club in Kendal on the 26th March 2011. The grand total raised on the night was £2623!

Supporter of the fundraiser Steve Cullen would like to say: "A big thank you goes out all of the Netherfield Cricket Club staff involved and the Committee. Also to everyone who donated prizes, supported the raffle, bid on the auction and contributed to all the other fundraising that went on. We had a fabulous night of entertainment, provided by Kevin Fryer and Revival, and everyone who attended a packed house donated in one way or another to support St Mary's."

"A final thank you goes to Dot and all of the extended family for organising the event in tribute to Dougie who was a very popular and well loved character. I'm sure that wherever he was that night he had his feet tapping to 'Loch Lomond'."

Tara's Fundraising night raises £742!

Tara Bird (pictured) has raised £742 for St Mary's Hospice by organising a fundraising night at the Albion pub, Barrow-in-Furness, which took place on 19th February. Along with her darts team, Tara wished to repay the kindness that was shown to a relative as they were cared for by the nurses of St Mary's.

Tara put a great deal of effort into organising the event and managed to obtain 80 raffle prizes by approaching retailers in Barrow to ask for their support. Being a big Barrow Raiders fan, Tara also took a St Mary's collection box to a game and collected donations from the fans. Tara would like to thank all of the Raiders fans for their donations.

Thanks also go out to Landlady of The Albion, Lynda Potter who arranged and kindly paid for a DJ for the event, and to brave Martin Boylan who raised sponsorship on the night by having his head shaved and his legs waxed!

St Mary's would like to thank all of those involved in the Fundraising night. The help we receive from the local 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.

Priory raise £400 with Grand Raffle

Zoe Guest, Funding & Operations Manager at St Mary's, was delighted to be presented with £400 by Wendy and Kelly from the Priory Hairdressers in Duke Street, Barrow.

The money was raised by staff and customers who bought tickets in their grand Christmas raffle. St Mary’s really appreciates all the support it receives from the local community and would like to thank everyone involved for their generosity.