Pendleside Hospice extends a heartfelt thanks to its community, as it reflects on an incredible year of care, support, and achievements.

As 2024 comes to an end, we take pride in honouring the profound impact of our services while looking forward to another year of working with the people of Burnley and Pendle.

This year, we cared for more than 2,000 people through our wide range of services, including the Inpatient Unit, Hospice at Home, Day Services within the Health, Wellbeing, and Rehabilitation Department, and Family Support and Bereavement Services, as well as delivering more than 100 meals per day through our Meals on Wheels service. 

For many, Pendleside is a lifeline—­providing not only exceptional clinical care but also emotional and practical support to patients, service users, carers and families, during life’s most challenging moments.

Chief Executive, Helen McVey, shared her reflections on the past year, “This year marked my 20th year at Pendleside, and I am incredibly proud of the milestones we’ve achieved together. Being rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission was a tremendous honour and a testament to the dedication, compassion, and expertise of our staff and volunteers. It’s an acknowledgement of the exceptional care and support we strive to provide every day.”

Other notable achievements for our Hospice include being awarded the Not For Profit Award at the Pendle Business Awards, being shortlisted for the Employer of Year and Health & Wellbeing Awards at the Red Rose Awards, and undergoing a brand refresh that has revitalised Pendleside’s image and retail shops. 

"These accolades are wonderful and certainly worth celebrating amongst the team, but what I’m most proud of is our people—the staff, volunteers, and supporters who consistently go above and beyond for Pendleside." added Helen. “This year, we welcomed over 4,000 new individuals to our family of supporters, who have joined our mission in various ways, be it through attending our events, donating preloved goods to our shops, donating in memory of a loved one, and so much more.”

A most recent highlight of the year was our Christmas Thank-a-Thon, spearheaded by Louisa Mayor, Head of Income Generation, alongside Lisa Clarke, Volunteer Coordinator. Designed as a way to personally thank our supporters, the Thank-a-Thon saw staff and volunteers across various departments—­including fundraising, clinical, administration, senior management, and retail—come together to make over 550 phone calls to our supporters. Louisa described the event as a resounding success, “This was the first year running a Christmas Thank-a-Thon and the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive! If we could have called all of our supporters, we absolutely would have. Our Hospice wouldn’t be where it is today without the incredible backing of our community.” 

Our supporters expressed their appreciation on social media, describing the calls as a delightful surprise that brightened up their day.

Sandra Bignell, who both accesses Pendleside’s services and supports the Hospice, was among those who received a call, “Marvellous people and service!” she exclaimed. “I had a call thanking me for my support over the years, but really, I’m thanking Pendleside for the support and kindness they offer to anyone who walks through their door.” 

Supporter Denise Mulrooney added, “The call was a lovely surprise and very much appreciated. It made me smile, my heart warm, and even made me a little emotional, thank you! I support the lottery and any other way I can.”

We rely on the generosity of our supporters, to continue providing vital services, and the community’s contributions come in many forms. “Whether you’ve been with us since our founding 36 years ago or just joined us this year, your support is invaluable,” said Louisa Mayor. “It’s amazing to see the many ways people choose to get involved, and as we move into 2025, we need that support now more than ever. It costs over £6 million to keep Pendleside running, and we need to generate more than £4.9 million in charitable income. Your generosity and compassion is what keeps Pendleside going, and we’re so grateful to have you by our side.” 

There are countless ways for individuals and groups to get involved and make a difference to Pendleside for 2025. Whether it's volunteering your time, fundraising for our essential services, donating items to Pendleside Hospice’s charity shops, or simply spreading the word about the care we provide, every contribution counts.

If you wish to get involved, please get in touch on 01282 440 100 or email [email protected].