Business Recovery Response to COVID-19: Cynthia Spencer Hospice

Tell us about Cynthia Spencer Hospice and what your role is.

Cynthia Spencer is a hospice for the care of adults suffering from a life-limiting illness and provides inpatient and community care and a wellbeing service. I am the Fundraising Manager for the charity that raises money to fund and expand the hospice’s services.

What challenges have the hospice faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and what challenges have your supporters faced as a result?

Our main challenge has been how we generate income when many events throughout the year, both those generated by our charity, nationally run challenges and activities taking place in the community, have been cancelled and our shops have been closed.

How have you overcome these challenges?

Where we are able, we have adapted our events so they can take place virtually and we have encouraged our supporters to raise money virtually at home, by giving them suggestions of fundraising activities or we have asked them to pledge support at a time when they are able.

What difficulties do you foresee now we are coming out of lockdown and what support could help?

Our main difficulty will be keeping our volunteers, customers and supporters safe while we begin to interact with them again to encourage fundraising.

What message would you pass on to others?

When you work as a team, communicate well and consider the needs and priorities of your stakeholders you can overcome the most challenging circumstances.

John Helm, Fundraising Manager at Cynthia Spencer Hospice| T: 01604 973342 | E: john@cynthiaspencer.co.uk