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Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice launches 35th year with largest ever corporate donation from the Phoenix Group

14 January 2014

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has announced its largest ever corporate donation after a year-long partnership with the Phoenix Group resulted in over £125,000 being raised.

The city hospice was selected by way of a staff vote.  Three out of every four staff members based at the Wythall site chose the hospice as their 2013 Charity of the Year.  Staff then organised a year-long programme of activities to raise the amount including a corporate car wash, an on-site  tennis tournament,  a summer fete, a fireworks night, a charity shop team challenge and their own version of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’. Additionally, staff signed up for a number of external sponsored events for the hospice such as the Three Peaks challenge, Great Birmingham Run and the London-Paris bike ride.

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice celebrates its 35th Birthday this year. Since opening its doors in 1979 the hospice has provided care, free-of-charge for tens of thousands of people living with terminal illness across Birmingham and Sandwell. The hospice has an in-patient unit and day hospice but predominantly cares for people in their own homes via its Community and Hospice at Home teams. Currently the hospice has to raise £7.4million annually to fund that care. Charity of the year partnerships are a significant part of the hospice’s fundraising activity.

Claire Marshall, Director of Income Generation and Marketing at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice said: ‘This is a phenomenal start to our 35th year and we are delighted. The Phoenix Group has been wonderfully committed to supporting us in so many ways and their team have volunteered both on-site at the Hospice and at numerous events over the year. In addition they have supplied their fantastic conference facilities at Wythall for our Nurses away days and donated equipment for staff and patients.  The money they have raised will make a real difference and allow us to care for more patients and support more families.”

Theresa Meek, Corporate Fundraiser at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice said: “It has been a real joy to work with Phoenix and see their commitment to fundraising and the level of engagement from all their staff. All of our corporate partners make a difference through the work they do, but staff at Phoenix have really gone above and beyond to raise this record-breaking amount for us.”

Helen Shelley, spokesperson from Phoenix Group said:  “We are honoured to have been partnered with Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice during 2013, raising much needed funds and knowing we can help make that all important difference to people’s lives. It has been an exceptional year for us, and the partnership has created a wealth of opportunities, from volunteering our services at the hospice, to instilling an element of healthy team competition and energy in a range of innovative fundraising challenges.  It will certainly be a year to remember for each and every one of us!”

To find out more about supporting Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice through a corporate partnership visit our ‘fundraise at work’ section.