Hospice marks anniversary with service of thanks
A hospice has marked an important anniversary with a church service.
The Mary Stevens Hospice in Oldswinford has been working at the heart of the community for 30 years, providing free, specialist, end of life care.
As part of a year of celebrations for 30 years, staff at the hospice hosted a celebration evening at St Mary’s Church, Oldswinford.
The evening was an opportunity to celebrate the work of the hospice over the last 30 years and to hear about some of their plans for the future.
In the spotlight were two aspects of the hospice’s work that are undergoing significant development, the day services unit and bereavement support.
Hospice CEO and matron Claire Towns also gave an update about the future of the hospice alongside displays to illustrate the life and work of the Hospice over recent times.
She said: "The hospice has served the community for 30 years.
"It was important to us that we take time to recognise the impact that the hospice has made on so many lives over this time.
"To pause after this busy year and take the time to thank the staff that have worked at the hospice.
"The hospice isn’t just a building, it is the staff that make it so very special and support families in their times of most need.
"It is a time to look to the future and think about how we plan to expand our care and deliver our care to more people during the next 30 years."
The celebration featured music from the Mary Stevens Hospice Choir, who were joined by young soloist Emily Carew-Gibbs.
Keith Judson, spiritual care coordinator at Mary Stevens Hospice said: “We’ve held a remembrance service at St Mary’s for many years but wanted to do something different for our 30th Anniversary.
"It was a great opportunity to celebrate the work of the Mary Stevens Hospice and hear about some of our plans for the future.
"There was an opportunity for folk to remember loved ones and we also wanted to mark the loss of so many lives in the pandemic.
"However, our hope is that this will be an uplifting and inspiring occasion for all who come."
To find out about more activities planned to celebrate the Hospice's 30th anniversary, go to marystevenshospice.co.uk
