On Saturday, 5th August, Weston Hospicecare will be hosting its very first Bubble Rush fundraising event in Apex Park. This family-friendly event will see hundreds of people of all ages running, walking, dancing or even toddling their way through seas of four different colours of foamy bubbles.

Although many members of the public will be taking part in the event, some members of staff at the hospice have also signed up. Sue Caddy, the Weston Hospicecare hospice community nurse specialist for the Burnham, Highbridge and Berrow areas, goes out into the community to look after patients who have been affected by life-limiting illnesses as well as their loved ones. Having joined the Weston Hospicecare community team in 2016, Sue said she is excited to have the chance to fundraise for the hospice.

‘I’m looking forward to doing some fundraising and taking part in the Bubble Rush with the rest of my community team colleagues,’ Sue said. ‘In our line of work, it’s so important for us to have that support network with one another. We’re all signing up to take part together, and it’s great to have a fun event where we can have a good laugh together whilst supporting the hospice.’

As the hospice community nurse specialist for the Burnham, Highbridge and Berrow areas, Sue has between 40-45 people who she coordinates care for at any one time. Over the course of a year, Sue looks after more than 150 patients, as well as their families, friends and loved ones.

‘People feel a bit isolated when they come out of hospital and get sent home, or when they’ve been given a palliative diagnosis, so we’re a vital resource that’s still local to them, as we’re only about a 20-minute drive away,’ Sue said. ‘The care and support that we offer in the Burnham-on-Sea area is important.’

In addition to having the In-Patient Unit, which is based in Uphill up by Weston-super-Mare, Weston Hospicecare offers services from the community team, who can visit patients and their loved ones wherever their home might be, whether that’s a care home, a private home or with a family member.

‘We’re here to join up all of the services that are available to people. For example, at Christmas there were many patients whose families wanted to be able to care for them in their own homes. We were able to provide those services and the connections to make that possible, and when the individual developed symptoms that were more difficult to cope with at home, I could easily link them up with our services at our main location in Uphill. But it’s important to note that we don’t just support the patient; we’re here to help the family and their friends as well.’

This free, high-quality end-of-life care is made possible by the fundraising efforts of those in the local community, who take part in events such as the Bubble Rush, host their own fundraising events, donate, support the hospice through the shops or volunteer for the hospice.

‘We’re keen to make sure that more people know about the care we provide in the Burnham area, and we hope the Bubble Rush will help raise awareness of the fact that we support people in and around Burnham, too,’ Sue said.

If you’d like to sign up for the Bubble Rush and help raise funds for the hospice, please visit www.westonhospicecare.org.uk/bubble or call 01934 423 960 for more information. There are a limited number of early bird places available, so those who are interested are advised to book now to avoid disappointment!