A supporter whose teenage daughter was cared for by St Elizabeth Hospice has been invited to open the charity’s new shop in Manningtree.
Ronnie Dawson, of Brantham, has helped raise more than £20,000 for the Hospice since her daughter Carla was cared for by its doctors and nurses.
St Elizabeth Hospice opened its 20th shop – its first in Essex – in High Street, Manningtree on Friday January 4 at 10am.
Mrs Dawson was invited to cut the ribbon as a thank you for all the support she has given the charity over the years.
Jason Rudderham, of St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Mrs Dawson has fundraised and volunteered for us over the last nine years and has also helped raise awareness of St Elizabeth Hospice services. We are so grateful for everything she has done for the Hospice and we are pleased she agreed to be a part of the opening of her new local St Elizabeth Hospice shop.”
Mrs Dawson, who has helped organise the annual Brantham Garage sale for to raise money for St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Carla died in the Hospice’s inpatient unit in Ipswich with me by her side on December 8 2003. The staff and volunteers were very good to us both. I had a lot of help after her death with a bereavement counsellor who came to my home on a regular basis. Because of the help we received, I have helped as a volunteer at the hospice since 2006 and have set up a St Elizabeth Tribute fund in Carla’s name – which now has over £20,000 in it.”
St Elizabeth Hospice costs £8.7m a year to run and provides local Hospice care for local people living with a progressive illness. Patients in the Manningtree area and their families can choose to access the full range of St Elizabeth Hospice services.
The Hospice is appealing for volunteers who can spare a few hours a week or month to help in the new shop – and would also welcome donations of unwanted goods.
If you would like to donate stock – such as unwanted Christmas presents, secondhand clothes, books and bric-a-brac – you can drop them off at the shop between 9.30am-4.30pm.
If you would like to find out more about volunteering please call 01473 707016 or email volunteer@stelizabethhospice.org.uk.