One of Gogglebox’s most lovable stars, Sandra Martin, is taking part in a city-wide bucket collection this July to help raise vital funds for a local hospice.
The lively TV personality – who featured in the hit reality series from its inception to 2017 – will be joining over a hundred volunteers for Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice’s ‘Big Brum Bucket’ campaign.
The Brixton-born but adopted Brummie will be showing her support for the much-loved charity by ‘bucketeering’ in Birmingham city centre on Friday 5 July. She’ll be encouraging Brummies to dig deep and donate to the Hospice, which provides crucial care to local people living with life-limiting illness.
Sandra – who won over TV viewers’ hearts with her infectious laugh – is passionate that more families who are living with life-limiting illness should have access to free palliative and end of life care whenever they need it. Two-years-ago, her sister Martina was cared for by a London hospice following a dementia diagnosis.
Sandra said: “The care Martina and our family received was just exceptional – they looked after her with so much love and kindness. I want to make sure that more people who are going through something similar to what our family went through are able to use the services of a hospice, as I know they make such a big difference to a person’s quality of life.
“Taking part in Big Brum Bucket is my way of giving back to a hospice and the brilliant Birmingham community. I can’t wait to hit the streets of Brum and get collecting – as you know, I will chat to everyone and anyone so I’m looking forward to spreading the word about hospice care and encouraging people to dig deep and donate their cash.”
Birmingham St Mary’s Big Brum Bucket campaign takes place on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 July at various locations across Birmingham and Sandwell, including New Street Station, Solihull’s Touchwood Centre and Northfield High Street. The appeal aims to bring local people together to show their support for the Selly Park-based charity, whilst raising much-needed funds for its care.
Charlotte Dowling, community fundraising manager at Birmingham St Mary’s, said: “Sandra’s larger-than-life personality made the nation fall in love with her and I’m sure Brummies will do exactly the same when they meet her bucket collecting on Friday 5 July. Sandra is so passionate about making sure everyone who needs hospice care can access it, so we’re thrilled to have her support for this campaign.
“Last year, Big Brum Bucket raised nearly £10,000 for Birmingham St Mary’s enabling us to continue to provide our free, expert care in people’s homes, in the community and at the Hospice. We rely hugely on voluntary donations from local people, so every pound donated really will ensure that we can continue to provide the best hospice care to people living across Birmingham and Sandwell.”
This year, Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is celebrating 40 years of care across Birmingham and Sandwell. When the Hospice first opened in 1979, it could care for 25 people on any given day. Four decades later and the Hospice is supporting over 400 people every day, providing care in people’s homes, in the community, at its Day Hospice facility and at the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit.
The Hospice is still looking for volunteers, just like Sandra, to bucket collect during its Big Brum Bucket weekend. To sign up, visit here.
