Severn Hospice makes ‘support us from your sofa’ appeal

More than £100,000 a week is being lost from income at Severn Hospice as its shops shut, events are cancelled and supporters are confined to their homes in the national fight against COVID-19.

The charity is appealing to the community to ‘support us from your sofa’ with online donations so it can continue to help people living with incurable illness.

“We can’t stop caring,” said hospice Chief Executive Heather Tudor.

“The number of patients we are caring for each week hasn’t changed – it’s probably the only thing COVID-19 hasn’t affected,” she added.

Today that amounts to 241 families in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales who need daily care from the hospice.

“We’re doing what we can to cut our costs and stretch our resources so our essential services remain protected, but I can’t pretend that’s enough to make up what we’ve lost from income,” said Heather.

Shop landlords have been approached for rent waivers, hospice reserves have been diverted into cash, government support packages investigated and the hospice fundraising team are looking at virtual events like quizzes and competitions to plug the gap.

“These are uncertain times for everyone and we’re doing our best to help ourselves but recognise that we are only at the start of this, so we’re asking our wonderful supporters to remember they can still help us, even from their sofas,” added Heather.

She urged the public to help where it could be making donations online via the charity’s website –www.severnhospice.org.uk – by joining its £1-a-week lottery or by considering an automatic monthly donation.

“COVID-19 has not stopped patients being referred to us and we won’t let it beat our commitment to caring for them but we know we will be facing an enormous challenge in the coming weeks. Please do support us if you can, a couple of clicks for us would mean so much to someone else,” said Heather.