MASSIVE thanks to all that supported the Quiz Night @ The George & Dragon pub in Ilfracombe. So much fun was had by all and £175.00 was raised. Last night’s quiz was held for Ladies Circle who were raising the funds for Over & Above’s NEW Cancer & Wellbeing Centre Appeal. Quiz master Johnathon Quinn presented the donation to Ladies Circle member and co-incidentally Over and Above’s very own fundraising administrator Michelle Schofield. THANKS FOLKS!!!!

What a year!   Local Tesco stores across North Devon have pulled out all the stops to support the Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal in 2018.

This year, Tesco went for it, guns blazing … our local North Devon Tesco Stores organised football tournaments, family fun days, book sales, a quiz, so many raffles the fundraisers lost count – not just the excellent Easter, Summer and Christmas luxurious hamper raffles which are sold at the hospital, but also raffles in their stores.  They organised in-store collections, the list goes on.  In addition the Bideford Store raised £4,000 from the Tesco Bags for Help Scheme towards counselling equipment, Braunton raised £2,000 for kitchen equipment and Ilfracombe raised £2,000 for sofas and chairs which will go in the new Centre.

AT the end of the year in 2018 their fundraising totalled a FANTASTIC £19,262.18, bringing their overall 5 year to a phenomenal £72,552.85.  Every penny has been used to support local patients in North Devon.  In addition to this, Tesco’s Community Champions offer and man the refreshment stall at the Trust’s regular Health and Wellbeing Days which support around 50 patients and their families.

Over and Above Senior Fundraising Office, Julie Whitton said “Tesco are awesome.  I know I say it over and over, but truly they really do give back to our local community so that we can provide the very care that we can give to our patients in North Devon.  So far the Appeal has raised over £750,000, and we are looking forward to a very busy and exciting year ahead as we push to get the building started this year. We know this centre is needed – I have lost count the number of times I have seen patients looking shocked after a diagnosis.  They often sit in the coffee shop or restaurant, not drinking or eating, just trying to absorb the information they have just been given.  The last thing they want to do at that moment is to get in the car and drive home.   The new Centre’s drop in facility will provide a refuge for those patients; it will give them a place to sit, time to gather their thoughts and a place to talk to a kind and caring volunteer who will listen in a friendly, welcoming environment.  This is the time our patients need our support.  We will have a wide range of leaflets available in the Centre so they can find out more about their condition and we will be able to signpost our patients to local support groups, many of whom will meet in the new Centre.  I truly can’t wait for this new Centre to be built because it will make such a difference to the lives of many.”

“We have been extremely fortunate to have the overwhelming support of our local Tesco stores.  They really have gone ‘OVER AND ABOVE’ for us.  The managers and their community champions have visited the hospital many times and have seen how their fundraising has benefited our patients.  They also know how important this new Cancer Support Centre will be to their customers in North Devon – a sanctuary where our patients can go when they need it most.”

The new Cancer & Wellbeing Centre will be built this year to support all patients living with and beyond cancer.  Services will include a drop in facility, make up and look good sessions which show our patients how to draw on their eyebrows and tie a headscarf so that they feel comfortable in going out the door and continuing to live their lives.  The Centre will offer nutritional advice, counselling and when they need it most a massage in a relaxing non-clinical environment.

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 or the charity’s facebook page. Alternatively you contact the North Devon District Hospital Fundraising Team on 01271 311772 / email ndht.charity@nhs.net

Librarian Peter Clifford took on the challenge of having his beloved beard cut shaved off in aid of Over and Above’s Cancer and Wellbeing Centre. Fundraising Officer Julie Whitton said “Initially I thought I would cut it but when I saw the look of horror on Peter’s face when he saw the shears I thought I’d better get an expert in”. Matt Warren of Matty’s Barber Shop in Silver Street came to the rescue and saved the day. Peter said “I have always had a beard but never more than about 3 inches long at most! Some time back, my wife Jennifer, cut off her hair which was all the way down to the small of her back and donated the money to the Over and Above charity. I thought that was a very nice thing to do so when I told the Over and Above crew that I would cut my beard off for charity they accepted so quickly they almost pulled my beard off there and then! I do hope that you will donate some money to such a good cause.” So far Peter has raised over £200 towards the Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal but there is still time to donate to Peter’s Just Giving Page HERE

We’d love to give a BIG THANKS to Keith Burley of Blue Elephant Childcare Ltd for donating a luxury hamper for us to raffle this month. It’s a fabulous prize and tickets are available to buy from the charity stall in the hospital foyer (opposite shop) or from the fundraising office on level 2, opposite the cafe. Tickets are £1 each and will be drawn on Monday 25th February.

Luxury Hamper Raffle January 2019

21 year old Petroc student Katie Baker is phenomenal… she is running a whopping 24 hour endurance run in Reading for our Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal in June as well as several other runs … AND she is also organising a series of fundraising events.  Her charity quiz night and raffle takes place at the Hunters Inn at Newton Tracey on Wednesday 30^th January at 7.45 pm.  It will be a great quiz and at just £5 pp (max 5 people per team) which includes a light supper, we know you will have a brilliant night.  Booking is essential so book early on 01271 858339.  You will also see Katie shortly in one of our local supermarkets treading the mill.

Katie has already run the Great Bristol Half Marathon and Barnstaple marathon last September and is now training for Brighton marathon on 14th April 2019 and then her awesome 24-hour endurance run in Reading on 15th June.  The 24-hour endurance run is her greatest challenge.

The race takes place over a 5 mile (8 Kilometer) scenic woodland and trail loop in Wasing Woods and through the camping and race village.   Katie will take part in the ultra-challenging Mizuno Endure24 for solo ultra-runners.  It involves her running as many 5 mile laps as she can.  Katie is holding a competition for her supporters to guess how many miles she will run in 24 hours and a luxury food hamper will be given to the winner who guesses correctly.  The record for the event is 135 miles and around 15 runners each year join the 100-mile club.   Who knows, this could be Katie in 2019!

Katie told us “I am supporting the new Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal as my chosen charity as it would have been a great support to my Grampy and our family, and I know it will be a great support to the patients that need it now.  This year I was given a tour of the Seamoor Chemotherapy Unit and I can see how important the new centre will be to the patients treated there.”

Katie is an amazing young person who wants to help others by challenging herself with these runs.  A few years ago she raised an amazing £872.25 by running 20 runs for our Special Care Baby Unit.   She is now focusing on our cancer centre. Katie is also organising a charity quiz night on 30th January at Hunters Inn, Newton Tracey, click here for details.  We know she has the determination to make it happen – she is already a winner to us.  To help us reach the target, please sponsor Katie on: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/runningwithkatie

Write a Christmas Wish upon a Star to boost Cancer and Wellbeing Appeal

Download a Christmas Wish upon a Star poster

THE Cancer and Wellbeing Appeal fundraising team is urging North Devon people and businesses to join its Christmas Wish upon a Star campaign.

The campaign, launched today, offers an easy alternative to sending Christmas cards.

Just download a poster here 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.

For more information about the Appeal, call the fundraising team on 01271 311772 or e-mail ndht.charity@nhs.net

In early 2018 Lloyds Bank employee Rachael Taylor asked her colleagues to choose Over and Above’s Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal as their charity of the year for 2018.  Rachael said “When I was diagnosed with cancer I needed a place that I could just drop in at any time and talk to someone about my cancer.  I needed someone who understood what I was going through and who would listen to me, and help me cope with my feelings.  The Force Centre offers this facility in Exeter as well as counselling, complimentary therapies, hair loss support, financial advice and so much more but it is too far to travel to just drop in.  Having a similar support centre is just what my family and I need.  A sanctuary on our doorstep.  I am thrilled that my colleagues supported Over and Above’s Appeal”.

Rachael’s colleagues at Lloyds Bank raised a magnificent £9,500 from their annual golf tournament through  fundraising and matched funding from the Lloyds TSB Foundation.  Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “I was blown away when Rachael told me how much they had raised.  Her story touched the hearts of her friends and colleagues who went “over and above” to raise such an amazing amount of money towards our Appeal.  We are now almost half way to our target, and we are determined to make the new centre a reality so that we can support our patients like Rachael and their families.”

L-R Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton, Lloyds Bank Area Director Peter Stockman, Rachael Taylor, Kevin O’Neil, Martin Potts, Leo Robins and Jon Cockbain

OVER AND ABOVE’S BIG ADVENT RAFFLE has now been launched with 25 AMAZING prizes to be won and a gorgeous hand sewn advent calendar which will be given to the lucky winner just in time for Christmas.

Appledore sewer Di Blackmore sewed this beautiful calendar, assisted by her daughter Lindsay Stanbury who is the Group Manager for Cancer Care Services at North Devon District Hospital and her sister Denise Cottee, who is a regular volunteer for Over and Above.

Di said “This quilt has been a special labour of love and I spent several weeks making it with my daughter and sister for a charity that is very close to our hearts. Denise was wonderful as she contacted so many different businesses who sponsored the calendar with some wonderful prizes”

The 25 prizes include a night for two people at the Red Lion Hotel in Clovelly, a round of 18 holes of golf for 5 guests at Royal North Devon Golf Club in Westward Ho!, a bottle of champagne, tickets for the Big Sheep, a cut and blow dry at the Oak Room in Barnstaple and so much more.

Tickets are on sale at £2 each from the Over and Above stand in the hospital foyer or to save you coming into the hospital you can purchase tickets by donating online to https://overandabove.org.uk/donate/ . If you decide to pay online, please email ndht.charity@nhs.net with a message stating “Advent calendar”, your name and a contact number and we will write you details on your ticket and will get in touch with you if you win! The tickets will be drawn at the end of November.

Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “You don’t want to miss out on this raffle because the calendar and prizes really are wonderful and we’d like to thank Di, Lindsay, Denise and all the wonderful sponsors involved for helping us raise money the for the Cancer and Wellbeing Centre Appeal.

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 of in-patients who are receiving treatment at North Devon District Hospital.

L-R: Lindsay Stanbury and Denise Cottee

List of prizes:

Big Sheep – Entry tickets

Milky Way – Entry tickets

Quince Honey Farm South Molton – entry tickets

Willow Ladies’ clothes shop in Westward Ho!  – £15.00 Voucher

Kudos – Wash, Cut and Blow-dry with Conditioning Treatment Voucher

The River Rooms, Bideford Salon – Comfort Zone” Essential Cleansing Kit

Durrant House Hotel Nort ham  – Cream Tea for 2

Frank Heard Butchers in Westward Ho! – £12.00 Voucher

Royal North Devon Golf Club – Bearer and up to 4 guests for 18 holes of golf

Light Punk – Handmade Bespoke Lampshade to your specification to the value of £45

The Red Lion Hotel, Clovelly – one night for two people for Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

The Pier House, Westward Ho! – £20.00 Voucher

Goddess Lashes Torrington – Eyelashes and eyebrow treatments

Gelicious Torrington – Gel Manicure

Trinity Suite team – Luxury Food Hamper

Trinity Suite team – Luxury Pampering Hamper

Holly Conway and her amazing family – Christmas Hamper

Diane Blackmore – Handmade Patchwork Lap Quilt

Diane Blackmore – Hand knitted Scandinavian Gnome and tub of chocolates

Banburys of Barnstaple – Makeover by Bare Minerals

Hamper of Mixed Wine – 6 Bottles

Dartington Crystal – Pair cut crystal wine glasses (and we have added a bottle of fizz too!)

Dartington Crystal – Beautiful Purple Vase (and we have added a £10 M&S Voucher for flowers)

The Oak Room – Cut & Blow Dry

Lilicos – Tapas Voucher