Biz Extra
Published: March 28, 2021 | Updated: 29th March 2021
Remember Hughie Green, Opportunity Knocks and the Clapometer?
Well, Rena Holloway certainly does because she appeared on the show!
In this month’s round-up we meet staff member and receptionist Rena and also Rose-Marie Hammond, a Volunteer Retail Shop Assistant.
We hope you enjoy our monthly round-up of all the latest news from your local charity hospice.
Your support would mean so much to local families, so please head over to the Lewis-Manning website to find out more about the free of charge vital services that we offer.
Just click here.
Read up on what we’ve been doing recently.
As ever we certainly have lots to report on.
Virtual Day Hospice launched to combat loneliness – We’ve launched our Virtual Day Hospice service thanks to a generous grant from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund.
The brand-new service was introduced in response to the restrictions of Covid-19 and aims to offer patients with life-limiting illnesses a chance to really connect with each other and with the hospice’s clinical nursing team.
Read more here.
Eco Sustainable Solutions donate mulch and make us their nominated Charity of the Year – Eco Sustainable Solutions is supporting Lewis-Manning Hospice Care and has donated mulch to enable us to create and enhance our borders in Longfleet Road, Poole.
Eco also named the hospice as its nominated charity partner for 2021.
Read more here.
Patron Harry Redknapp presents Supermarket Sweep cheque – Our Patron Harry Redknapp took part in ITV’s Supermarket Sweep game show and won £500 which he kindly decided to donate to the hospice. Harry visited our new premises, along with his wife Sandra, to present the cheque to CEO, Clare Gallie.
See our story here.
We cannot thank our volunteers enough for their continued support and help.
Each month we turn the spotlight on one of these incredible people who are an integral part of the organisation.
This month we meet Rose-Marie Hammond who is based at the Westbourne shop and has been working there on a weekly basis for the past 12 years.
She works one morning a week, 10am-1pm and will happily do extra shifts if there are any illness or gaps in cover.
She lives a few minutes walk away from the shop so doesn’t need to worry about transport or parking and is happy to help out as much as she can.
What is your role?
Mainly working on the shop floor, dealing with the customers, I love it. The Westbourne shop is a beautiful, large shop that feels like a boutique rather than a charity shop. It has a large basement where all the donations are stored and sorted. I really enjoy seeing and chatting with the customers and all the interaction.
What is the best bit of your volunteer job?
Definitely the interaction with the customers, I enjoy the company and get to see lots of people I know from the local area. It’s so nice to get out each week and meet and talk with people.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of volunteering
Giving back to the community is a great feeling, we receive so many advantages which are free, like education, and it’s just nice to be able to give back and help others. I wish I had volunteered earlier. We didn’t have charity shops in my day and I would have loved to have run my own shop.
Jurassic Coast Trek
In 2021 we are delighted to have launched various challenge events, one of which is the Jurassic Coast Trek.
We would love to have your support in joining in and taking part in this stunning coastal walk.
This is a fantastic experience and a great opportunity for companies to develop team building or friends and families to enjoy a wonderful adventure together, whilst raising vital funds to support your local charity hospice.
To learn more and to register, please visit lewis-manning.org.uk/jurassic-coast-trek/
We’re proud of our dedicated and committed team, especially seeing how everyone has dealt with the challenges and adversities that Covid-19 has presented to the charity during 2020.
This month we wanted to find out more about our Receptionist, Rena Holloway.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Seeing the smile on the patients’ faces, knowing they are going to have a great day. Chatting to clinic patients who may be nervous on their first visit to Lewis-Manning and being able to put them at ease gives me great pleasure.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
Do the job you love to do to the best of your ability and it will never become a chore!
Tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t know.
I once appeared on Opportunity Knocks. I was about 15 years of age, a very long time ago. My sister and I had singing lessons every week with a wonderful singing teacher, Lillian Trodden. Mrs Trodden started a choir and I became part of it. Mrs Trodden applied for us to appear on Opportunity Knocks. We were successful in the audition, which took place in Belfast. Months later we travelled to Scotland, by boat, to do the show with Hughie Green and what an adventure we all had. We had new dresses made for the show so we all looked the same, blue silk, they were lovely with a shamrock embroidered on the lapel. We had a great day and recorded our song, which was the Hallelujah Chorus. We didn’t win on the ‘clapometer’ but none the less a great experience. The show was on television a few months later.
Describe yourself in three words.
Bubbly, friendly and caring.
If you were going to rule the world for the day, what law would you introduce?
I would introduce the law that every person should have a place to call home.
Your best place for a holiday is?
Beautiful Ireland, North, South, East or West.
Our aim is to help as many local people as possible, who are dealing with a life limiting illness, to live their precious lives well.
There is no charge to attend Lewis-Manning Hospice Care.
If you wish to make a donation to support our extraordinary hospice care, please visit lewis-manning.org.uk/donate-online.
If you would like to know more about our vital services, or discuss anything in greater detail, then please contact a member of our team on 01202 708470 or email [email protected]
