St Elizabeth Hospice Thank-a-Thon brings Blue Monday tonic

Thousands of St Elizabeth Hospice supporters and local businesses have enjoyed a Blue Monday with a difference, courtesy of the independent Suffolk charity’s Thank-a-Thon.

With the third Monday of January being coined as Blue Monday, due to festivities of Christmas and New Year being replaced by gloomier weather and a return to ‘normal’ life, St Elizabeth Hospice’s Thank-a-Thon sought to provide a remedy by thanking the local community for their continued support of the charity.

Every year, St Elizabeth Hospice delivers specialist palliative care to more than 3,000 people living with a progressive or life-limiting illness, and their families, throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

Annually, this service costs £12.9 million to deliver, with 70% of these funds being generated by the local community’s support of the hospice’s income streams such as retail shops, events, individual fundraising as well as gifts in Wills and donations.

As part of Thank-a-Thon, St Elizabeth Hospice staff contacted thousands of supporters via phone calls, email and postcard, as well as visiting over 40 businesses to say ‘thank you’ to supporters for helping the hospice.

Pauline Donkin, Head of Individual Giving and Supporter Care at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Every year the whole hospice team is amazed and extremely grateful for the support we receive from the local community and this year we were keen to do something special to show how thankful we are.

“Blue Monday is traditionally seen as a gloomy day and we wanted to put a smile on people’s faces with our messages of thanks. Put simply, without the incredible support of local businesses and people, the hospice would not be able to deliver its vital care to patients and families who need support when it matters most. Thank you to you all and we wish you all a Happy New Year.”

Taking place from 9am-5pm on Monday 16 January, Thank-a-Thon saw the hospice give messages of thanks to over 3,700 supporters, with each recipient receiving a message of thanks and a certificate as gratitude for their ongoing support.

One business who received a message of thanks as part of Thank-a-Thon was East of England Co-op, which has supported St Elizabeth Hospice for many years.

The East of England Co-op’s Engagement Manager, Lynn Warner, commented: “It’s wonderful to be recognised in St Elizabeth Hospice’s Thank-a-Thon on Blue Monday. The East of England Co-op have been proud to provide support to the hospice in the last year through sponsorships, all of which have seen communities come together, whether that be a remembrance event to celebrate the life of a lost loved one or to enjoy the Big Hoot Ipswich 2022 art trail.”

BBC Radio Suffolk presenter, Sarah Lilley, said: “We are lucky enough to often speak to people who have been touched by St Elizabeth Hospice, so we are more than happy to support them in any way we can and we are proud to receive this message of thanks. The Thank-a-Thon certificate will look lovely in our reception.”

To find out more about St Elizabeth Hospice, call 01473 723600 or visit: https://www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk