Scarborough's Saint Catherine’s gets ‘into the spirit’ for Hospice Care Week

Hospice UK has announced that last year, for the first time ever, UK shoppers spent more in hospice charity shops than hospices received from the Government/NHS, highlighting how critical the retail offering is.

Saint Catherine’s has 11 shops across a 1,600 square mile area and they are not only a lifeline in terms of providing funds to keep the charity running, but they are also ‘windows’ into local communities to enable the hospice to tell supporters about the services and events on offer.

Head of Income Generation for Saint Catherine’s, Anna Jackson, said: “Whilst we have a team of paid managers in our shops, the biggest time contribution in keeping them open and stocked with goods comes from our wonderful volunteers who dedicate almost 3,000 hours a month.

“Besides the fabulous volunteers without whom we could not operate, we are also dependant on our supportive communities to donate the majority of the goods we sell in the shops.

“Alongside the vast range of donated items we receive, including clothing, furniture, gifts and more, we do also sell new goods such as greetings cards and calendars and we are absolutely delighted to be launching in Hospice Care Week our 2025 Saint Catherine’s Calendar which features stunning local images taken by our supporters as well as vintage images and facts and figures from our 40 year history and an exciting first for the hospice - a brand new range of Saint Catherine’s spirits!”

Working with local producers Wicstun Distillery, Saint Catherine’s can now boast their own Scarborough Gin – made using local seaweed and heather tips, a spiced rum and a toffee vodka.

Bottles of the spirits will be on sale in Flavours Bistro at Saint Catherine’s, where you can also try a tipple with a meal and also via Wicstun Distillery’s website – with 17.5% of these sale proceeds being donated to the hospice.

Ms Jackson added: “We are always looking for new ways to raise funds to maintain our service and bringing new supporters on board to help achieve this.

“The word hospice harks back originally to the Latin ‘hospes’ meaning both guest and host and ‘hospitium’ meaning a place of rest and hospitality, so I guess we are going ‘back to our roots’ with this drinks range!”

The drinks are on sale now and there will be a tasting opportunity in Flavours bistro at the charity’s Fire Walk event this Saturday night, October 12, between 5pm and 9pm.

The calendars are on sale for £6.50 in all Saint Catherine’s charity shops and online at https://www.saintcatherines.org.uk/online-shop/