A mother and daughter from Axbridge have raised over £1700 for Weston Hospicecare to thank them for the care and support they provided. John Pound was supported by Weston Hospicecare Community Nurse, Wendy Stephens, before his death in August 2016. Since then, his wife, Kate Pound, and daughter, Theresa Body, have organised a variety of events including coffee mornings, a summer fair, and making and selling jars of jam. In total, Kate and Theresa have raised £1772 for Weston Hospicecare.
Theresa said: “My father died last August and it was Wendy Stephens who supported us in his final days. She couldn’t do much as we didn’t have long to prepare for the worst, but she was wonderful in the short time we had. Since he died we have been raising money unofficially to donate a lump sum in my father’s name. We have very much enjoyed our fundraising and would like to thank all those who donated generously to Weston Hospicecare.”
With only 20% of its running costs funded by the NHS, Weston Hospicecare relies on fundraising efforts from the community in order that it can continue to provide its services to the community. The hospice community nursing team supports patients in Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding areas including Axbridge, Cheddar, Clevedon, and Burnham-on-Sea. They work closely with GP’s, district nurses, and other healthcare and social care professionals to ensure patients receive effective pain and symptom relief, emotional and spiritual support, and help with accessing financial or other support as needed. Visiting patients in their own homes, the community nursing team provides support to individuals throughout their illness.
Community Fundraiser Sue Harding, said: “We are extremely grateful to Theresa, Kate, and their whole family for giving up their time and working so hard to raise such a fantastic amount for us. The money they have raised will all go towards ensuring that Weston Hospicecare can continue to provide its services for free across the area.”