Members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church from across Suffolk recently joined efforts to support St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich.
St Elizabeth Hospice supports more than 4,000 patients each year throughout the county, providing specialist care and support for individuals and families facing progressive and life-limiting illnesses.
Volunteers from the Rapid Relief Team (RRT), a volunteer organisation operated by Plymouth Brethren members, hosted a special event for hospice staff, serving coffees and cakes to nurses and care teams as a gesture of thanks for the compassion and dedication they show to patients and families every day.
The event reflected the Church community’s desire to support organisations that make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, particularly those caring for people during some of life’s most challenging moments.
Alongside the event, The Grace Trust, a grant-making charity supported by members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, donated £15,000 towards the purchase of a Cuddle Bed for the hospice’s Inpatient Unit.
These specially designed beds allow patients and loved ones to spend precious time together in greater comfort during end-of-life care.
The event and donation reflect the Plymouth Brethren community’s commitment to supporting local organisations and recognising those whose work brings care, comfort and hope to others.
Highlighting the importance of the hospice’s work, Guy Bush, RRT Local Team Leader, said:
“Our volunteers loved hosting this appreciation event for the incredible staff at St Elizabeth Hospice. At the RRT, we are all about putting compassion into action, and our community was touched by the exceptional care and kindness shown by the hospice team.
“We were keen to show our gratitude to the staff and were pleased to also facilitate an introduction to The Grace Trust, which further supported the hospice through this meaningful donation.”
Chris Birch, Trust Liaison Manager at The Grace Trust, said:
“We were delighted to be introduced to St Elizabeth Hospice by the RRT and be able to support the hospice to purchase a new Cuddle Bed, which is known to have a significant impact in end-of-life care. We hope this donation will help provide additional comfort and precious moments for patients and their families during very difficult times.”