Uniformed groups rally for hospices
FREE PRESS REPORTER
CARING members of 2nd Rossendale’s uniformed groups gave generously to bring cheer to hospice patients and staff.
The Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, that would usually meet on a Tuesday evening at the Scout Hall in Burnley Road, Bacup, have switched meetings to online platform Zoom during the lockdown.
An appeal for donations brought lots of goodies, handmade cards, pictures and gifts, which were taken to the East Lancashire Hospice in Blackburn and Rossendale Hospice. The remainder were given to the food group at Trinity Baptist Church, Bacup, to be distributed within emergency food parcels.
Assistant group scout leader Janet Hunt said: “Our young members are always generous and they have excelled themselves. We opened the Scout Hall for a socially distant collection and the amount of items that were donated was amazing. It was a pleasure to be able to hand them over to the different organisations; as
Scouts we always think of others before ourselves.”
The group has an association with the hospices and 2nd Rossendale Scout Group Band plays fundraising concerts for both hospices each year.
Hille Halonen, Rossendale Hospice’s clinical services manager, collected the items from Cub Jacob Booth, nine and said the gifts would be well received by both staff and hospice users.
Head of fundraising Clare Richards said: “I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for your support to the hospice and our nurses during this difficult time.”
At Trinity Baptist Church in Bacup, Minister the Rev Dave Bartram said: “The food group was initially set up by Bacup Family Centre and we have been running it throughout the lockdown.
“Since Covid-19 it has expanded and now it is not just emergency food parcels, but also there is a food group on a Saturday at the church between 12 and 1. We receive referrals and make up emergency food parcels and the donated items will be going into them. We would like to say thank you to the young members of 2nd Rossendale.”
●● 2nd Rossendale’s uniformed groups in Bacup gave generously to bring cheer to hospice patients and staff. Beavers Jack and Charlie Symcox (above) deliver to the East Lancashire Hospice while (below) cub Jacob Booth, nine, delivers goodies to Rossendale Hospice Clinical Services Manager Hille Halonen and (below left) volunteer Steven McGuinness (left) and the Rev David Bartram with the donations from 2nd Rossendale at Trinity Baptist Church.