Hospice Care Week underway in Scarborough

Martin House cares for children with life-limiting conditions

People across Yorkshire are being called on to '˜Heart My Hospice' as St. Catherine's Hospice and Martin House Hospice Care for Children and Young People celebrate Hospice Care Week.

The week got underway today, and the hospices are joining with others across the UK by asking people to show their support in whatever way they can – by donating, volunteering or showing they care on social media – during the week, which runs from 8th to 14th October.

Many hospices are holding various activities across the week, with St. Catherine's holding a volunteer's open day tomorrow (October 9) from 10am to 6pm, where people can go to the hospice to learn more about how they could help out.

The theme for this year’s Hospice Care Week – which is led by national charity Hospice UK – is ‘Heart my Hospice’.

Clair Holdsworth, director of care at Martin House, said: “There’s a lot of love for Martin House among our supporters, who appreciate the importance of the work we do – we want to encourage them to spread the word and encourage more people to give us their support.

“The children and young people we care for often have complex needs, and our care extends to the whole family – often for many years. Our staff do an amazing job in providing this vital support to families across our region, but we can’t do it without the public’s support.”

Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of Hospice UK, 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.

“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.”