Christmas comes early to Hospiscare!

Exeter charity Hospiscare is celebrating after receiving an early Christmas present - the £3,540 left outside one if its city shops last month.

Today (Thurs) local police officially handed over the cash found outside the Hospiscare Cowick Street shop as the identity of the donor remains a mystery. No one came forward to claim the cash, the police are satisfied it was a genuine donation and Hospiscare has now banked the used £20 notes left in two carrier bags outside the shop window on November 10th.

Glynis Atherton, Hospiscare chief executive said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to our mystery donor. We are overwhelmed by your generosity and kindness. We respect your wish to remain anonymous but want you to know that your gift will help us to provide much needed special care to local people and their families.”

Mandy Harding, shop manager, was delighted to receive the cash. “Everywhere I go people stop and ask me if we’ve got the cash! It’s created a huge amount of interest, we’ve had a lot of people coming into the shop and it has improved our takings. We are so grateful for this amazing gift.”

The cash will pay for someone to stay at the hospice for six days, receiving expert help from nurses and doctors. Alternatively it would allow 24 people to attend Hospiscare’s popular day therapy centres, in Exeter, Seaton and Tiverton.

This year it will cost Hospiscare £5m to offer its services, with  £1.2m contributed by the NHS and the remaining funded through legacies, grants,  Hospiscare’s 19 shops and retail services as well as significant community fundraising. 

Hospiscare provides personalised, comprehensive care for people with terminal or life-limiting conditions that supports their physical, emotional, social, practical and spiritual needs and also supports their families.