The St Giles Hospice team gearing up for Orange Week

People in Lichfield and Burntwood are being urged to turn their communities orange to help celebrate the 35th anniversary of a local charity.

The St Giles Hospice team gearing up for Orange Week
The St Giles Hospice team gearing up for Orange Week

St Giles Hospice is hosting the week long fundraising drive from July 7 to 14 and is hoping residents will share the fun by taking part in events such as cake sales and car washes.

Emma Hodges, chief executive officer at St Giles Hospice, said the week would be a chance to celebrate 35 years of caring for people in need of the Whittington-based charity’s support.

“Thanks to our amazing supporters we’ve come an incredibly long way since 1983 and we want to use Orange Week to say a big thank you to everyone who’s been a part of that,” she said.

“We’re now one year into our new brand and five-year strategy which aims to build on our successes and help people better understand hospice care.

“We want to show our community that we’re much more than just a building. Eighty per cent of our care is delivered out in the community but many people are still unaware of this.”

St Giles supports more than 7,000 people each year who are facing the challenge of a potentially terminal illness.

But Emma says there are more than 1,000 extra people in the local community who could benefit from their support.

“People can hold hospices at arm’s length and we hear comments like ‘I’m not ready for a hospice yet,’ but early support, even if it is just after diagnosis, can make a big difference,” Emma said.

“Orange Week is a great opportunity to get people talking about the work we do and help us reach those who need us. We know that it takes a community to make a hospice and this is a fantastic way for our local community to get involved, raise awareness and help us raise the funds we need to continue our care.

“We have a range of orange fundraising ideas that people can adapt and we’d love to hear from anyone who wants to get involved.”

Orange Week will end with a 35th birthday celebration at the St Giles Summer Fair being held at the Whittington hopsice on July 14.

For more information or to register for a free fundraising pack visit www.stgileshospice.com/orangeweek or call 01543 432538.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.