Have a heart for your local Hospice, say MK Dons

Posted 24th September 2018

Willen Hospice has teamed up with the MK Dons football team to appeal to local people to show them some love this October, as they prepare to take part in national Hospice Care Week.

The theme of the week is ‘Heart my Hospice’ and the charity is looking for volunteers to help them by holding bucket collections across MK and surrounding areas between 8 – 14 October.

Slots are available for just an hour and half in various easily accessible locations including Central Milton Keynes, Newport Pagnell, Stony Stratford, Olney, Kingston, Leighton Buzzard and Bletchley.

Dean Lewington from MK Dons said: “We are all aware of the fantastic care that Willen Hospice provides to people in and around Milton Keynes. We never know when someone close to us might one day need that care and that’s why we’re backing their campaign and asking people to hold a bucket collection.”

Nikki Poole from the Hospice’s Community Fundraising Team said: “Our bucket collections are a great way for us to get out and about to meet the community, tell them about what we do at Willen, and raise those extra pennies that will make a real difference to the end-of-life care we provide.

“The support of local people is so important to us. We simply couldn’t do what we do without their help.”

Hospice Care Week is being led by national palliative care charity, Hospice UK. It’s Chief Executive Tracey Bleakley, said: “Hospices have a special place in people’s hearts, especially for those who have seen first-hand the incredible care they provide to loved ones.

“Like other charities, hospices are operating in a difficult economic environment so, it has never been more important for people to support their local hospice.

“We hope that during Hospice Care Week the public will take up the opportunity to show their affection for hospices whole-heartedly and demonstrate their support in practical ways whether donating, volunteering or spreading the word about hospice care on social media.”

For more information about how to support Willen Hospice and to book a collection time and location, please visit www.willen-hospice.org.uk/hospicecareweek

Willen Hospice needs to raise £4.7M a year, that’s £9 a minute, to continue to provide specialist end of life care to patients and their families in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas.