You may be surprised to learn that it costs a staggering £11,500 to run St Catherine’s Hospice – every single day.

That covers the 19-bed inpatient unit, Day Therapy at the hospice, and the Clinical Nurse Specialists who care for people with life-shortening illnesses in their own homes and out in the community.

That’s more than £5m every year, and we have to raise £3.7m of that through charitable work. It’s a huge fundraising  effort, which relies on the support of our communities, local businesses, volunteers, staff and more.

The majority of donations come from gifts left to St Catherine’s in wills, which pays for one in five of our patients.

Other ways in which money is raised is through the hospice’s promotions and lottery department, which includes our annual Christmas raffle and weekly lottery, which you can join for just £1 a week for the chance to win the £2,000 jackpot.

Fundraising events are perhaps the most significant means in which we generate vital funds for the hospice, because not only do they bring in thousands of pounds every year; they also help people connect with St Catherine’s as they are welcomed into the hospice grounds to get involved on a personal level.

There are our fun events such as the upcoming Christmas Festival weekend and sponsored Santa Dash (December 3 and 4), as well as our more poignant and meaningful occasions, such as the Light up a Life appeal.

This allows people to pay tribute to those special to them through dedicating a light in our grounds in their memory. The campaign runs throughout the festive season and into the New Year, and a special ceremony is held in our grounds on the evening of November 29.

Our shops, grants, and people carrying out fundraising for us also generate much-needed cash to continue providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care.

And there’s our social enterprise project, The Mill café and community hub, from which profits are ploughed back to the hospice. The café itself and the upstairs function rooms are available to hire for family, business, or community use, and therapies such as yoga and art sessions are also hosted there. It’s also a lovely place to call in for breakfast, lunch, coffee and a cake, or an Autumn Afternoon Tea, whilst knowing you’re doing your bit for a worthy cause.