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News

Oakhaven Neighbours celebrates 10th birthday

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Oakhaven Neighbour volunteer with patient sitting in garden

10 years of our volunteer-led, community-based neighbours scheme

The Oakhaven Neighbours scheme was created ten years ago to provide Oakhaven’s patients with non-clinical and companionship support at home. Over the past decade, this volunteer programme has flourished, now with over fifty volunteers generously giving a few hours a week.

In 2013 it was identified that many of Oakhaven’s patients were suffering from loneliness and isolation at home. Sometimes people facing end of life can feel lonely even when there are family members and carers around. Forming a friendship with someone outside of their illness can make a huge difference to a person’s well-being.

Oakhaven Neighbours was created in response to this need; a team of trained volunteers now each generously give several hours a week to support people in their own homes.

The ‘Neighbours’ help with everyday tasks that can sometimes seem overwhelming; going out for a chat over coffee or sometimes sitting with them so that their carer can get out for a much-needed break safe in the knowledge that their loved one is in capable hands.

In just the last year alone, Neighbours have supported 120 people across the New Forest, Totton and Waterside areas and given a total of 4,400 hours!

Oakhaven Neighbours team
Oakhaven Neighbour with patient
Oakhaven Neighbour volunteer with patient

The amazing difference is evident in Theresa’s story, she became a Neighbour to a lady who hadn’t left her flat for six years. As Theresa said, “I took my lady out in a wheelchair lent by Oakhaven; it was the first time she had been out in six years, except for within an ambulance! We went for a stroll around her neighbourhood; she absolutely loved it and was so happy feeling the breeze on her cheeks!! I left a happy lady, and we look forward to going further afield next time.

Another Oakhaven Neighbour explained: “Being a hospice neighbour is so varied and enjoyable. It’s humbling to know how much giving up a small amount of time to support others can mean to them, whether it be doing their shopping, taking them shopping, gardening, walking the dog, going out for a drive around the New Forest or to a garden centre or setting the world to rights over a coffee and bacon and egg sandwich in a local cafe. It is a very valuable, worthwhile use of free time, developing friendships with people with different or very interesting life histories; I so love a good chat.”

Volunteer and be a part of something special!

A friendly team of volunteers, Oakhaven Neighbours welcome new volunteers throughout the year. Full training is provided, along with ongoing support. Become an Oakhaven Neighbour and you’ll make a real difference to the quality of someone’s life and be a part of a dedicated and valued team.

If you have a little time to pop in and visit someone locally, Oakhaven would love to hear from you.  To find out more about the scheme and becoming an Oakhaven Neighbour, please contact Sara at neighbours@oakhavenhospice.co.uk leaving a contact telephone number.

Click here to find out more about Oakhaven Neighbours

Oakhaven Neighbours volunteer with patient in wheelchair, outside
Oakhaven Neighbours volunteer with patient, laughing
Oakhaven Neighbour volunteer with patient enjoying coffee together in the garden

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Voices for Hospice Choir

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Voices for Hospice Choir - crowd of people in front of the stage

Voices for Hospices Choir Concert in aid of Hampshire's Hospices

The Voices for Hospices Choir is delighted to announce that after a wonderful concert held at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens on 2nd September 2023, raised an amazing £26,000 for Hampshire’s Hospices, including Oakhaven Hospice.

On a lovely sunny and warm day, around 700 singers met in the Gardens for the only rehearsal, for the evening performance of “The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace” by Sir Karl Jenkins.

Singers were joined by friends and family for a lively picnic at the top of the performance arena before the concert start at 7.00pm. All were invited to visit our Hospice Village, where all eight of our Hospices had a presence.

The CEO of both Mountbatten Hospices, Nigel Hartley, spoke movingly of the need for Hospice care and the necessary preparedness of friends and family, which together with our VfH Choir Chaplain, the Rev Marion Dodd, and a message read out from Sir Karl, combined together to start a moving and exciting concert.

John Sutton conducted the VfH Sinfonia, a small group of virtuoso instrumentalists, who accompanied sensitively and with great excitement for the various movements in the work. Together with our four soloists, they all achieved a standard not normally associated with a “Come and Sing” performance.

As daylight turned to dusk and then to dark, the singers switched on their mobile phones and torches, which together with the purple up lit trees and bushes made the whole experience magical for all present.

“Spine tingling” “Gave me goosebumps” “So moving” “An amazing sing” are just a few comments from the hundreds of emails received by VfH Choir.

Thank you all for your presence and contributions to this amazing cause.

The official handover of the money raised will be at midday on the 1st December at the Mountbatten Hampshire charity chalet at Winchester Christmas Market. Do come and see it, and visit the market as well!

VfH Choir.

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Oakhaven to welcome MP as a part of Hospice Care Week

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Oakhaven clinical staff in the garden

Hospice Care Week visit

The community nursing team at Oakhaven Hospice is looking forward to a visit by the Rt Hon Sir Desmond Swayne TD, on Friday 24th November.

The MP for New Forest West will be visiting Oakhaven as part of a Hospice Care Week initiative by Hospice UK to raise awareness of the important work carried out at charitable hospices across the UK.

Over 40,000 people work in hospices in the UK, providing care and specialist support to 300,000 people every year. Their work providing essential palliative and end of life care reduces the pressure on the NHS, yet hospice workers are often not included in national and system-level workforce policy.

The Rt Hon Sir Desmond Swayne TD MP said, “Oakhaven Hospice fully deserves the tremendous reputation it has for its care, together with the gratitude and affection and support of people throughout the New Forest, Totton and Waterside.

“I am really looking forward to my visit to Oakhaven to meet some of their magnificent team and to gain a better understanding of the care and support provided to patients and their loved ones.”

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Book now for Storytime with Santa at our Christmas Fayre!

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Holly Jolly Christmas Fayre

Join the festive fun at our Holly Jolly Christmas Fayre!

A Holly Jolly Time!

On Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th November, everyone is welcome at our Holly Jolly Christmas Fayre, taking place at the Coates Centre.

A wide selection of stalls and festive delights will await you, including: a Grand Raffle, baked goods, Christmas gifts, Christmas decorations, hampers, plants, crafts, clothing and much more...

Storytime with Santa

NEW this year will be the Elves' Toy Factory for the young and young at heart, with new and second-hand toys, a Christmas craft table, and much more. On Sunday 26th November, Santa will be holding a series of special 'Storytime with Santa' sessions - tickets are on sale now for £5 per child and include a Christmas snack, drink, story with Santa and a gift. Please be aware when booking there will be up to 8 children in your time slot.

Tickets for Storytime with Santa are now available - click here to book now!

Could you help us raise funds at the Fayre?

There are many ways you could help us raise funds at the Holly Jolly Christmas Fayre:

  • Could you spare some ingredients and bake a cake?
  • Could you donate any unwanted gifts, bottles, prizes or other items?
  • Could you put an extra treat in your trolley that we could use at the Fayre - such as chocolate, Christmas biscuits, bottles?

All donations will be gratefully received and can be dropped into the Elves Christmas boxes located at the Day Hospice Reception and the Coates Centre Hub. For cakes, please list the ingredients to ensure we can advise anyone with allergies and bring them during the week leading up to the Fayre.

Click here for full details of our Holly Jolly Christmas Fayre!

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Our new Oakhaven charity shop opens in Hythe

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Mel Kendall with Oakhaven's shop team from Hythe

Ladieswear, menswear, homeware and children's departments

On Wednesday 18th October, our new retail charity shop in Hythe was opened by Melville Kendal, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Andrew Ryde, Chief Executive Officer of Oakhaven Hospice.

The new store at 1 and 2 Marsh Parade in Hythe town centre replaces the previous Oakhaven shop along the same road. With four times more floor space, the newly relocated shop stocks ladieswear, menswear, homeware and an extensive children’s department including clothing, accessories and toys.

The new retail store is our biggest high street charity shop and complements the Oakhaven Home shop in Hythe’s Fairview Parade, where shoppers can buy furniture and other homewares including electrical items.

Volunteers welcome!

The friendly Hythe team has been looking forward to the opening of the new shop and welcomes volunteers to join them, working in the shop or in the stock areas sorting out donations. For more information, please drop into the shop for an informal chat.

Andrew Ryde said: “Our charity shops are an important source of income. Each year the income from Oakhaven’s charity shops in Hythe, Totton, Lymington and New Milton, plus the online shop at oakhavenhospice.co.uk/shop, covers 25% of the hospice’s costs.

“Every item purchased in one of our shops directly funds specialist care and support to Oakhaven’s patients and their families, both in the Lymington hospice and in patients’ homes throughout Totton, Waterside and the New Forest.”

Shop donations

Each of Oakhaven’s shops is an Aladdin’s cave filled with real treasures and the ultimate in recycling! Donations of clothes, toys and homeware are always gratefully received in-store and furniture collection is available for larger items. Not everything can be resold, due to Health and Safety regulations or a lack of public demand, therefore do check online before donating at oakhavenhospice.co.uk/shop-donations.

Find more information about our retail shops
The new Oakhaven charity shop in Hythe
Buy Oakhaven Christmas Cards online now!
Children's department at the new Oakhaven charity shop in Hythe

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Help Oakhaven today to secure its future for tomorrow

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Your local hospice is experiencing an increase in demand and a shortfall in income - can you help?

Oakhaven Hospice is proud to be part of your community, supporting local people and their loved ones as they face end of life, completely free of charge.

Four nurses walking through a corridor at Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington
Oakhaven's clinical team cared for around 1,400 patients and their families last year, with 3,200 people benefitting from wellbeing support.

The demand for Oakhaven’s services has increased over the last few years and the charity has strived to be as responsive to that need as possible. But this expansion of our services means additional income is required, this is difficult given the cost-of-living crisis we all are facing.

“We expected this year to be challenging, and the first four months of the financial year have confirmed this, said Andrew Ryde, CEO of Oakhaven Hospice. “Oakhaven is currently at a shortfall of £100,000 against expected income and we anticipate the year to become even tougher.

“The cost-of-living crisis means our funds are not stretching as far as they used to. Pair that with decreased income along with the increased demand for our services, and the future will be very challenging indeed for Oakhaven.

A challenging time for the hospice

Only 11% of Oakhaven’s annual costs are covered by governmental “statutory income.” The remaining 89% of costs for the charitable trust must be met by the funds raised by donations, gifts in Wills, Oakhaven’s shops, investments, and of course, by fundraising events and activities. The profits from the wholly-owned subsidiary, Oakhaven Care Ltd, which provides paid-for domiciliary care in the local area, also help fund the running of the Hospice.

Oakhaven’s situation is by no means unique. According to Hospice UK, similar income deficits have been reported at hospices throughout the UK and the prediction is for a deficit of nearly £150 million across the hospice sector by the end of the year. With the difficulties being experienced across the NHS, it is unlikely that any further hospice funding will be forthcoming from government sources.

Community support is vital for our future

"It is the community's generous support that has always enabled the hospice to grow, to flourish and to provide end-of-life care for everyone in our catchment area, free of charge to those who need it. This is why we ask you to donate whatever you can today. Oakhaven Hospice is your local hospice and even a small donation can help to provide all the vital services needed to ease suffering and restore dignity to death.

“The need for our services doesn’t and will not stop. We are so proud and determined to continue providing all our services free of charge to patients and their loved ones at their most difficult of times.

“Our In-Patient Unit will remain a safe haven, managing symptoms and pain, providing emotional support and end-of-life care to local people with life-limiting illnesses. Our community nurses will continue their home visits, providing care to people in their own homes. Our Day Hospice and Wellbeing Centre will provide ongoing support to the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of our community.

“But all this can only happen with the help and generosity of people like you. We respect and understand that there is less money in people’s pockets right now, but if you can help please do. Please support your hospice in whichever way you can, whether it is a kind donation today or becoming a regular giver to the hospice to spread your gift across the year.

“We are managing our costs as effectively as we can, and we ask that you consider what support you can show Oakhaven at this difficult time."

Thank you to our community of supporters, fundraisers, volunteers and staff

Melville Kendal, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, added: "We are incredibly grateful to our community of wonderful supporters, fundraisers and volunteers. Through their gifts of time, money and dedication they ensure the excellent standard of care which our consultants, doctors, nurses and wider team provide daily to our patients and their loved ones whilst they are living with an illness, at end of life and into bereavement. Every year we care for around 1,400 patients and their families, both in the hospice and in homes throughout the New Forest, Totton and Waterside community.”

Click here to make a donation to Oakhaven Hospice or to find out about giving a regular gift.

Bench around tree at Oakhaven inscribed with the words Rest a While

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