New Year Sponsored slim

THANK YOU to everyone who has supported the North Devon Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal and our Christmas Wishing upon a Star, Christmas raffles and Christmas Jumper Day.  So far we have raised an amazing £310,000 – we are now on our way to reaching our £1.5m target.

Carole Manley’s Retirement Present to the Charity

Carole Manley recently retired from the Marks and Spencer’s store in Barnstaple after an amazing 16 years service.  Instead of a retirement gift she asked her colleagues if they would instead donate £1 to her retirement gift, which she would donate to the North Devon Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal.  The response was fantastic and they raised £205.  With an added £95 donation, Carole donated a phenomenal £300 to the hospital charity, “Over and Above”.

Carole said “The staff at Marks and Spencer are very special to me.  I am overwhelmed with their kind donation to me.  I had a wonderful retirement party at the end of November and last week I enjoyed a night out with the M&S girls.

Fundraiser Julie Whitton said Carole and the M&S team were phenomenal fundraisers, and had raised over £20,000 towards the building of the Seamoor Unit Chemotherapy & Day Treatment Unit which opened three years ago.  We cannot thank Carole enough for supporting our new Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal, which will be built as soon as we raise the £1.5 million needed to make it a reality.

L-R Carole Manley with the Seamoor Chemotherapy & Day Treatment Centre staff – Ward Clerk Holly Conway, Health Care Assistant Melanie Burrows, Staff Nurse Andrea Maier, Carole Manley, Margaret Smale and Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton

L-R : M&S store staff– Jai Moore, Store Manager Stephen Deacon, Sarah Edwards, Carole Manley, Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton

 

Christmas Quilts for Children’s Ward

Project Linus Co-ordinator Jane Kite from Parkham visited the Caroline Thorpe children’s Ward and the Special Care Baby  Unit at North Devon District Hospital with 55 home sewn quilts.  Once a month a group of around 20 ladies from Parkham, Parkham Ash and Woolsery meet up and spend a day making quilts.  Jane said “We all enjoy quilting, and having a day to ourselves every month is great.  It also gives an opportunity to get together for a coffee and a chat.”

Children Play Specialist Fran Greenaway said “We are absolutely delighted to receive these wonderful quilts, and I know that every child will be delighted to receive one on the ward over the festive season.”

Over and Above fundraiser Julie Whitton said “The quilts are beautiful, and it was lovely to see two children accept their quilts on the day Jane brought them onto the ward.  Their faces lit up, and it made their day a little bit better.   The Project Linus group have now made 75 quilts for the children on our wards this year, and we can’t thank Jane and the Project Linus Group enough – they are amazing.”

Photograph L-R :  Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton, Caroline Thorpe Ward Play Specialist Fran Greenaway, North Devon Project Linus Co-ordinator Jane Kite, SCBU Senior Nurse Alicia Rogers and kneeling at the front Paediatric Health Care Assistant Gemma Ashton

CHRISTMAS HAS COME EARLY

TESCO DONATE CHRISTMAS TOYS FOR CHILDREN’S WARD AND HAMPERS FOR CANCER APPEAL

CHRISTMAS HAS COME EARLY FOR NORTH DEVON DISTRICT HOSPITAL when Tesco staff visited the hospital on Friday with gifts galore.

On Friday morning Tesco Store staff from Barnstaple Taw View Extra store delivered three sacks of Christmas toys to the children’s Caroline Thorpe Ward.

Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “We are absolutely delighted to receive these toys for the children who will be spending Christmas in hospital. No one wants to be in hospital at Christmas time and this act of kindness will bring lots of special smiles on the day and make their day feel much better.

”Tesco’s stores across North Devon have also once again donated five Christmas Hampers to the hospital charity – this year they have donated them for the Cancer and Wellbeing Appeal Christmas raffle.

Tesco Taw View Extra and Tesco Rose Lane Superstore in Barnstaple, Tesco Bideford Superstore, Tesco Braunton Superstore and Ilfracombe Superstore have all taken part.

Every year Rose Lane Tesco Manager Dan Fowler encourages all the stores across North Devon to support the hospital charity, and every year each store excels by donating a fantastic hamper which they wrap and tinsel.

This year the luxury hampers include two children’s toy hampers stacked full of toys – one for a boy and one for a girl, a luxury gift hamper, sweet hamper and an alcohol packed hamper full of every drink you can think of to celebrate the festive season.

Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “The Tesco stores in North Devon are wonderful.  They have been extremely supportive to Over and Above charity.  With Tesco’s generous donations and prizes, Over and Above has raised almost £53,000, which has supported the new Seamoor Chemotherapy & Day Treatment Unit, our Special Care Baby Unit and our new Cancer and Wellbeing Appeal.  As their saying goes “Every little helps”, and for the hospital charity North Devon Tesco stores really are making a difference.

Tesco Christmas 2017 raffle tickets can be purchased for £1 on weekdays from the Over and Above’s hospital fundraising team volunteers in the North Devon District Hospital foyer, and at Barnstaple’s late night shopping evenings outside Costa in the High Street on Thursday 14 and 21st December.

If you would like to give your support to the hospital charity Over and Above, or want to find out more please visit www.overandabove.org.uk, the charity’s facebook page or contact the Over and Above Fundraising Team on 01271 311772 /  email ndht.charity@nhs.net

Photographs:

 

Christmas 2017 Raffle L-R:

Tesco Braunton Superstore Natalie Levitt, Tesco Rose Lane Superstore in Barnstaple – Dan Fowler, Ilfracombe Superstore – Peter Hawes, Tesco Taw View Extra – Paddy Williams, Over and Above Fundraising Manager Ian Roome, Kneeling on floor:  Over and Above Fundraising Fundraiser Julie Whitton

Donation of toys on Caroline Thorpe Ward L-R

Over and Above fundraiser Julie Whitton, Tesco Taw view Extra staff Matt Harding, Ward Clerk Gemma Ashton, Staff Nurse Jessica Appleby, Play Specialist Fran Greenaway, Staff Nurse Jan Williams, Staff Nurse Claire Tanner, Staff Nurse Tina Mook, Tesco Taw view Extra staff member Nick Muge

 

Wish Upon a Star

The Wish upon a Star campaign, offers an easy alternative to sending Christmas cards.

Just download a poster here Wish upon a star message poster A3 2017 put it on your wall and ask friends and colleagues to write a Christmas message on one of the stars.

For every wish you write, put a donation in a pot and send it to the fundraising team.

“We hope the idea will be of particular interest to local businesses and staff, but it’s suitable for individuals as well, and some of our hospital staff have already started writing their Christmas wishes” said Julie Whitton, Over and Above’s fundraising officer.

“Not only will your money go to a fantastic cause, it could also save you many hours of writing cards and help protect the environment.

“Posters can be downloaded and printed in A3 or A4 as many times as you like, or contact us and we’ll send you a copy.”

Julie said “The Christmas Wish upon a Star campaign will boost the Appeal and help us make the new North Devon Cancer and Wellbeing Centre a reality.”

All Christmas Wish upon a Star donations should be sent to the Fundraising Office, Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB.

Link above for high quality pdf version

ASDA donates £500 to Day Surgery Unit

The ASDA Supermarket in Bideford has donated £500 to the Day Surgery Unit.  Former Day Surgery Staff Nurse Caroline Reed approached ASDA Community Manager Peter Wilcox  earlier in the year to ask for support towards her fundraising to paint a children’s mural and purchase toys for our young patients.  ASDA were overwhelmingly supportive and put the Day Surgery project forward in their community  token programme “Chosen by you”.  In addition to the £500 kindly donated by  ASDA, Caroline also raised a further £1,138 through sponsorship for her run in last year’s London marathon, cake sales and much more.  Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “The Day Surgery staff are extremely pleased that Caroline and ASDA have raised such a fantastic amount to improve their waiting room as it will particularly help our younger patients feel more relaxed when they visit the hospital for their operation.”

L-R   Caroline Reed, ASDA Community Manager Pete Wilcox, ASDA Store Manager Steve Uden and Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton

Spooktacular Halloween Ball to raise funds for Cancer and Wellbeing centre

What a night for a fright – celebrate Halloween in style at Over and Above’s Spooktacular Charity Halloween Ball this October.

This year’s ball is taking place at the Royal and Fortescue Hotel in Barnstaple on Saturday 28th October at 7pm. The evening includes a delicious three-course meal, which includes a carvery and trio of desserts, DJ and disco, an auction and lots of fun.

Julie Whitton, fundraising officer, said: “We can’t wait for our popular Halloween Ball. It gives us all a great opportunity to dress to impress with a subtly spooky twist. Fancy dress is encouraged and it would be great to see some spooktacular costumes at the event. Whether you want to be glam or ghoulish, celebrate Halloween with us to raise funds for our new Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal.”

Tickets are just £35 and can be purchased by visiting eventbrite or through the Over and Above fundraising team on 01271 311772 or email ndht.charity@nhs.net.

The funds raised from this event will be used to support the hospital charity’s new appeal. Over and Above is aiming to raise £1.5million to build a Cancer and Wellbeing Centre at North Devon District Hospital. The centre will be a dedicated space available to anyone affected by cancer and other illnesses at any stage of their illness, offering a wide range of information and support services, all within a comfortable and welcoming environment. The centre will also include a relatives’ accommodation wing for family and other loved ones.

Over and Above Fundraising Team Becky Down (painted face), Ian Roome and Julie Whitton

South West Military challenge – pledge two pounds

This weekend a Trust team are taking part in the South West Military challenge. They’ll be led by captain Lucy Bates and are asking staff to pledge two pounds to raise money for the North Devon Cancer and Wellbeing Centre appeal.

Deputy team captain Sarah Winfield-Davies is looking forward to the challenge and raising money for such a worthy cause.

Sarah says: “Last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I have no doubt that this centre would have been of great support to me and my family.

“I  ask you all to pitch in two pounds now. Let’s get the ball rolling for this amazing new service in North Devon. Any one of us could be diagnosed with cancer and it’s not until you face it that you fully appreciate the value of such a service.”

You can donate at Just Giving here

The full Trust team: Lucy Bates, Gillian Bryan, Jorge Dafonseca, Ashley McClean, Nick McGuirk, Neil Sparkes, Megan Hughes, Julie Cann, Joanne Wilton, Hayley Miller, Sarah Winfield-Davies, Christy Ford and Leigh Skelton.