Kay Smith Fund - A Night with Friends

The Kay Smith Fund have supported Hartlepool & District Hospice for some years now, most recently with the agreement to fund the 'Kay Smith Counsellor' post within the Hospice's Bereavement Team.

Why not go along and join the Kay Smith Fund for a "Night with Friends" - details below.

Community Bereavement Service Given Welcome Boost

Hartlepool & District Hospice’s Community Bereavement Service has been able to expand with the recruitment of a new Bereavement Counsellor thanks to the generosity of the Trustees of the Kay Smith Fund.

Following the announcement, in February 2012, of the vital funding which will see the new role secured for the next five years, Angela Connor was recruited into the role of Kay Smith Counsellor working three days each week.

Angela will have a key role in working with children and young people aged from five years upwards.  She brings with her a wealth of experience in counselling children and young people dealing with many issues including bereavement and anticipatory grief.

The Hospice Bereavement Service is the only specialist Bereavement Service in the area offering bereavement support and counselling to children, young people and families within the communities of Hartlepool and East Durham and the Kay Smith Fund have supported this service for the last five years.  Throughout this time the Fund has been very generous, donating over £67,000 to support the work of the Hospice’s Community Bereavement Service.

The Kay Smith Fund was formed as tribute to the life of local woman, Kay Smith, who died from cancer in January 2006 at the age of 37.  Mick Sumpter, Trustee of the Kay Smith Fund, said “The Kay Smith Fund members are immensely proud that we have been able to play a significant part in improving Hartlepool & District Hospice’s Community Bereavement Service.  The introduction of the “Kay Smith Counsellor” is a fantastic achievement for the members and would like to take this opportunity in wishing Angela all the best in her new role.” 

Mick continued, “The next five years will be exciting and rewarding, but also challenging for the Kay Smith Fund members. We have to accept the challenge and make sure the ‘Kay Smith Counsellor’ remains an integral part of the Hospice Bereavement Service.”  

“The members would like to reach out to all those people who have helped and supported the fund over the years. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have achieved what we have today.   Kay has been, and always will be the ‘key ingredient’ to the success of The Kay Smith Fund.  She is the reason why the Kay Smith Fund started and will always be the reason why the fund goes on!”

Jan Grocott, Head of Counselling and Support Services said, “I am delighted to welcome Angela to our team.  Being able to recruit another Counsellor and have the security of knowing that this post will be in place for 5 years means that we can continue to deliver and further develop this vital service providing flexible, long or short term counselling or time limited group work.”

It's a Knockout

OLYMPIC IT'S A KNOCKOUT - JULY 21st

As a warm up to this year's London Olympic Games, we are launching Hartlepool's first ever Olympic It's a Knockout which will be held at Hartlepool Old Boys R.F.C.  This is the live action version of the classic TV game show and the Hospice are looking for teams of 10 to take part.  Entry is £10 per team member and there is a sponsorship target of £50 per team member.  Entries are invited from local businesses or groups, so if you would like to get involved and have a great day out then contact us for more information.

Click here to book your team online

Walk of Thoughts

20 MAY - WALK OF THOUGHTS

Come together with friends of the Hospice for a serene Sunday morning stroll, starting from the Heugh Gun Battery on Hartlepool's Historic Headland to reflect on the lives of lost loved ones.

The walk is approximately 2 miles long and starts from the Heugh Gun Battery, going along the sea front to the end of Marine Drive and back. 

All walkers will receive a commemorative card from this event, in tribute to the people in their thoughts.