Earlier this week, Chief Executive of the Katharine House Hospice, Angharad Orchard popped into Radio Horton’s Live at Three programme on Monday to talk to Liz MacLeod about the Katharine House Hospice and care it provides in the local Banbury community.
Following a successful Santa Fun Run at the beginning of December, which takes place annually to raise funds for the organisation, Angharad told Radio Horton about some of the lesser known services the hospice provides. “Often, what people don’t know is that many of our services are provided outside in the local community. We support 250 patients per week, yet have just ten beds in our outpatient unit”, Orchard said.
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“Our services are not just there to deal with the physical symptoms of a condition, but diagnosis with a life limiting condition could take its toll emotionally, spiritually or psychologically, working with the patient and their family”. The Hospice is increasingly supporting patients with neurological conditions, heart failure or respiratory disease.
Staff and carers from Katharine House Hospice visit residents in their homes, nursing homes and provide a service within the Horton General Hospital, with a specialist nurse and consultants based on site. All services are free to patients, and the hospice receives a third of its funding from the Government, with two thirds of its income provided as a result of fundraising within the local community and its charity shops. “We have to raise £2.5m per year to fund our services”, Angharad told Radio Horton.
The money received from the public goes towards doctors, nursing, hands on care and most importantly the hospice. Katharine House organises many fundraising activities throughout the year, including the recent Santa Fun Run, which took place at Spiceball Park earlier this week. Orchard continued, “We had about 420 Santa’s participate, and that has raised about £20,000 which will pay to keep the hospice open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day – an amazing effort by the public.”
Others include the Katharine House Midnight Walk, and supporter-organised events, of which the hospice has seen more than 200 this year. Sponsored events, wine tasting, running marathons, golf tournaments, car rallies and other creative fundraising activities regularly contribute towards the success of Katharine House.
The hospice has more than 350 regular volunteers, who also assist in a number of methods, ranging from driving, to bathing the patient’s, fundraising events, ward clerks, receptionists and also in shops, saving the organisation over £400,000 per year. A full induction is offered to prospective volunteers including a tour of the hospice and in-field training. Prospective volunteers can visit the Katharine House Hospice website for more information.
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