Prize Draw Raises over £1,750 for vital Equipment

Over £1,750 has been raised by Leanne Last, her friends and family, to fund an Oxford Journey stand to be used by patients at St Elizabeth Hospice.

Leanne was inspired to raise the funds after seeing the difference an Oxford Journey, temporarily rented by the charity, had made to her Uncle, Mark Wall who lives with motor neurone disease and is a Community Care Unit service user at the hospice.

Held on 1 July the prize draw, on Facebook Live, featured over 120 prizes and saw more than £3,000 raised, combined with other fundraising activities by Leanne’s friends and family, for the hospice and the Suffolk branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, who both provide support to Mark.

“It was pure chance the hospice had an Oxford Journey rented out when my Mark visited, but it made the world of difference to him,” said Leanne, who is from Ipswich.

“Due to his condition, Mark had recently had an incident where his legs gave way, so he wasn’t feeling very positive, but trying out the Oxford Journey gave him a new found confidence.

“Raising enough funds to enable the hospice to buy a permanent Oxford Journey meant the world to Mark and myself, as others who use the hospice can benefit from the Oxford Journey as well.

“Mark really is the kindest guy you could ever wish to meet, with the best sense of humour. Despite his diagnosis he always has a smile on his face, ready to crack a joke and make everyone laugh.

“As a family we are so grateful for the support of St Elizabeth Hospice and we keen to give back as much as we can. A huge ‘thank you’ to everyone and all the local businesses who supported the prize draw, you were all so generous and we really do appreciate every single penny you helped us raise.”

Thanks to Leanne and her family’s fundraising the Oxford Journey stand aid, is now regularly used by Community Care Unit users at St Elizabeth Hospice.

As well as the Facebook Live prize draw, the funds were raised via a cake raffle by Leanne’s sister at Betty Bell’s Bakery and a squat challenge completed by Mark’s Mum, Gwen, and niece, Rachel.

Chloe Whayman, Community Care Unit Healthcare Assistant at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Thank you so much to Leanne, Mark and all their family and friends for this brilliant fundraising and generosity.

“The Oxford Journey will make such a difference to all the patients under our care and has already been well used since we received the equipment, only a few weeks ago.

“The support of the local community, from people like Leanne and Mark, is greatly appreciated and every year the whole hospice team is amazed at the fantastic ways supporters show their love for their local hospice.”

Read Mark Wall’s hospice story in full here www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/stories/marks-community-care-unit-story/

More details about the Community Care Unit can be found at www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/how-we-can-help/hospice-care/community-care-unit.