Category Archives: Derian News

MONDAY 21^st  

• Sensory Story Time will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30 – 3:00pm for Derian families.

• We’ve got a new Kickstarter starting with us today. Bradley will be working in our Horwich store.

• Vantage training starts today and will be running throughout the week.

TUESDAY 22^nd

• Derian Playgroup will take place for our toddlers in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

• Individual Music Therapy sessions with Martha will take place in The Snug from 2:00pm.

WEDNESDAY 23^rd

• It will be the first meeting of the Volunteer Forum today.

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• Our Derian Voices will be meeting in the Seaside Room from 12:00 – 1:00pm. You’re very welcome to attend, no matter your singing ability!

• Store managers and directors of local Morrisons branches will be visiting Derian House for a tour and presentation. Their partnership with Together for Short Lives will continue for the next three years, and in that time, local stores will be working closely with Derian House.

• Referral Panel will take place today. Please speak to Michelle Blackett (Team Leader) if you’re interested in attending.

• Derian Dads group will be held in the Conference Room from 6:30pm tonight.

THURSDAY 24^th

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• The Trustee board meeting will take place this evening.

• The first of our drop-in sessions for any members of staff who are feeling overwhelmed by the current climate and just need a safe place to voice how they are feeling and to explore coping techniques will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:00 – 3:00pm with our Family Counsellors John and Fazila.

• Our Lodgers will be off to the Regional Boccia Finals in Liverpool today! Best of luck #TeamDerian!

FRIDAY 25^th  

• Friday Night Club for our over 18’s will take place in the Lodge from 6:30pm tonight.

• Culture and Values sessions re-commence today. Expect an email if you haven’t already attended.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

We all have incredible resilience at Derian House which is testimony to our ability to cope. However, sometimes our resolve is tested to such a significant level that cracks appear in our thinking and emotions. Sometimes, no matter how strong we try to be we just can’t seem to drain out some of the emotional sludge that blocks our wellbeing and happiness. This is certainly becoming even more noticeable of late due to the financial and unpredictable global pressures being covered in the media on a daily basis.

With this in mind we have decided to create drop-in sessions for any members of staff who are feeling overwhelmed by the current climate and just need a safe place to voice how they are feeling and to explore coping techniques.

Please see the dates and locations below for the sessions below. We will be running this service from 1pm till 3pm.

Many thank,

John & Fazila

March 24^th –  Seaside Room

March 31^st   –  Seaside Room

April 7^th –  Seaside Room

April 14^th – Lodge Conference Room

April 21^st –  Lodge Conference Room

April 28^th   – Seaside Room

April 14^th – Lodge Conference

May 5^th – Seaside Room

May 12^th – Seaside Room

May 19^th – Seaside Room

May 26^th – Seaside Room

Good afternoon everyone,

In light of the recent happenings in Ukraine, we have decided to help contribute by donating vital items to those affected.

Downstairs in Vinten Place, you will find three boxes:

• One for hats, gloves, scarves and socks
• One for toiletries, including sanitary products
• One for baby milk, baby food, dried food and tins

Please could we kindly ask that you don’t donate any clothing. The people of Ukraine been overwhelmed with clothes from strangers worldwide, but are in desperate need of the other items listed.

If you have any further information about how these donations will be used and how they’ll get there, please speak to Dawn Andrews (Family and Young People Services Manager), who will be more than happy to answer any questions.

Let’s fill these boxes!

On Sunday 3rd April, we’ll be opening the gardens at Derian House once again, giving members of the public the rare opportunity to visit our colourful and vibrant outdoor spaces as part of the National Garden Scheme.

Our gardener Gareth and his trusty team of green-fingered volunteers have been out in full force to ensure our grounds are looking sharp for a whole host of visitors at the first of this year’s event.

• Tour our gardens
• Pirate-themed crafts and games
• eBublio Magical Bubbles
• Leyland Morris Men
• Face Painting
• Meet our Pets as Therapy dogs
• Much, much more!

Entry is £3 per person (free for children) and pre-booking is essential. Spread the word with your family and friends and book your tickets via the link below.

 https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/38092

MONDAY 14^th

• Sensory Story Time will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30 – 3:00pm for Derian families.

TUESDAY 15^th  

• We are Derian forum will be held in the Seaside Room from 2:00pm. Please email Jacquie (Executive Assistant) if you’d like to attend.

• Derian Playgroup will take place for our toddlers in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

• Individual Music Therapy sessions with Martha will take place in The Snug from 2:00pm.

• All Care Team staff are welcome to come along to Dawn (Family and Young People Services Manager) and Sue (ACP)’s drop-in session in the House Lounge from 11:30am – 12:30pm today. Please come and discuss any clinical or professional issues you may have.

WEDNESDAY 16^th

• Happy Giant Panda Bear Day everyone! How will you be celebrating?! Our youngsters will be taking part in themed-arts and crafts this morning in the Messy PlayZone.

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• Warm up your vocal chords for the return of the Derian Voices! Our singing teacher Rachel has relaunched her fun and inclusive choir, welcoming members of all abilities. It doesn’t matter if you read music or not, or if you think you can sing or not. It’s about doing something different and enjoying yourself. The group will be meeting in the Seaside Room from 12:00 – 1:00pm.

• Referral Panel will take place in the Conference Room this afternoon. Please speak with Michelle (Team Leader) should you wish to attend.

• The Audit & Risk Sub-Committee will be held this morning in the Conference Room. Trustees will be on site to attend.

• Together for Short Lives and Morrisons recently announced their exciting three-year partnership, which will directly impact funding we receive at Derian House in an extremely positive way! Over the next 36 months, Morrisons stores around the country will be aiming to raise as much money as possible for their local children’s hospice. Today, store managers and directors of local Morrisons branches will be visiting Derian House for a tour and to see the fantastic work we do.

THURSDAY 17^th

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• Top o’ the mornin’ to ya! Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all who celebrate. We’ll be making some yummy Guinness cake to take home in Danni’s Diner this afternoon. Don’t miss out on Irish dancing in the Messy PlayZone this morning, too!

FRIDAY 18^th

• Friday Night Club for our under 18’s will take place in the Lodge from 6:30pm tonight.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

We are excited to announce that the five EV Charging Stations dotted around the car park are now up and running for staff to use. No apps or payments are necessary, just plug in and go!

Hi Everyone,

Here’s the top stories from this week’s SMT meeting…

Hospice

• The SMT would like to formally thank Jeff and the rest of the catering team for retaining their 5* food hygiene rating – well done!
• Further tree felling is currently taking place so please be aware that there will be some impact with areas being restricted around the hospice and a reduction in some parking spaces.
• The COVID restrictions are to be reviewed on 24 March so we will update everyone on any changes after that.
• Training in IT, Mental Health First Aid, Customer Service and Team Leading Skills is upcoming so if anyone feels they would benefit from any of these courses please speak to your line manager.
• EMIS is to be fully up and running within the next 3 months so training will be taking place shortly.

Finance, Income, Comms and Marketing

• An excellent start to the year financially –being £72k ahead of budget in the month of January.
• A new push on the Great Big House Giveaway is being made to Corporates, so if anyone has contacts who would be happy to spread the word please ask Caroline for the email attachment.

Retail

• It’s all systems go at the new stores in Bury and Accrington, which will both be opening shortly.

Staff news

• Don’t forget to make your staff proposal for consideration at the next SMT meeting in April.
• Please be mindful when opening email attachments as the threat of a cyberattack are currently very high.
• Although as a Charity we are restricted in the help we can provide the people of Ukraine at this very sad time, we are happy to support staff with any fundraising ideas they may have and help facilitate plans, open for further discussion at the upcoming staff forum.

#TeamDerian absolutely smashed their Boccia tournament at Bolton Wanderers in the Community and Panathlon Challenge‘s event held at Bolton Arena last week.

Enola, Charlie, Leyton and Harrison came a very respectable second place after putting up a great fight against the winners!

We couldn’t be more proud of our fantastic four.

In February, we went wild for our new Pets As Therapy dog Tallulah, spent hours upon hours making music here at the hospice, and broadened our social media horizons by finally entering the wacky world of TikTok! #MonthInAMinute

Month in a Minute – February 2022 – YouTube

MONDAY 7^th  

• Our new Clinical Educator Kirsty Blackburn starts at the hospice today.

• Sensory Story Time will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30 – 3:00pm for Derian families.

TUESDAY 8^th 

• The Senior Management and Health & Safety meetings will take place in the Conference Room this morning.

• Derian Playgroup will take place for our toddlers in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

• Individual Music Therapy sessions with Martha will take place in The Snug from 2:00pm.

WEDNESDAY 9^th

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• Warm up your vocal chords for the return of the Derian Voices! Our singing teacher Rachel has relaunched her fun and inclusive choir, welcoming members of all abilities. It doesn’t matter if you read music or not, or if you think you can sing or not. It’s about doing something different and enjoying yourself. The group will be meeting in the Seaside Room from 12:30 – 1:30pm this week.

• Doctor Helena Dunbar of Together for Short Lives is visiting Derian and will be meeting various members of staff.

• Referral Panel will take place in the Conference Room this afternoon. Please speak with Michelle (Team Leader) should you wish to attend.

THURSDAY 10^th

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

FRIDAY 11^th

• We’re taking part in Boccia and Curling fun in the Messy PlayZone this afternoon.

SATURDAY 12^th

• Our monthly drop-in session for bereaved families will take place in the Seaside Room today from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

• We’re celebrating Plant a Flower Day by potting our own plants at the hospice today.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

• £18,532-£20,308 per annum (dependent on experience)
• 36 hours per week – 4 days per week

Are you a retailer with a passion for visual merchandising and making a difference; looking for a new adventure?

Do you want to work in a sector that is not only focused on sustainability and upcycling, but which is also improving the lives of others on a daily basis?

If this is you then third sector charity retail may be for you!!

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Shop Manager to join our Derian House charity retail store in Blackburn.

The role involves assisting with the managing and co-ordinating the daily retail activities for the shop, assisting with all aspects of the operation, including the management of staff, volunteers and vulnerable people, whilst also developing and delivering a high standard of customer service maximising sales and profitability.

The successful candidate will have proven ability to lead & supervise, with the ability to motivate others, and well-developed team building skills.

This role would require working regular weekends and some evenings as required.

For further details about this position or to arrange an informal discussion please contact Andrew Upton-Ford

Please email recruitment@derianhouse.co.uk with a formal statement of why you wish to be considered for the post

Closing date for applications is 9am 14^th March  2022

MONDAY 28^th

• We’ve got LOTS of new starters joining us this morning. John Pilling (Family Counsellor), Karen Switzer (Preston Shop Manager), Sara Bilal (Preston Assistant Shop Manager), and Connor Glass (Kickstart Warehouse Assistant) will all be at the hospice for their induction.

• Sensory Story Time will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30 – 3:00pm for Derian families.

TUESDAY 1^st

• Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus to all who celebrate St David’s Day!

• There’s not one, but TWO celebration days at Derian House today… it’s only flipping Pancake Day! Activities will take place throughout the morning and afternoon across the hospice.

• We’ve got a visit to the hospice from our Great Big House Giveaway partner Kingswood Homes.

• Derian Playgroup will take place for our toddlers in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

WEDNESDAY 2^nd

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• There’s an Excel course running in the Conference Room this morning.

• Warm up your vocal chords for the return of the Derian Voices! Our singing teacher Rachel will be relaunching her fun and inclusive choir, welcoming members of all abilities. It doesn’t matter if you read music or not, or if you think you can sign or not. It’s about doing something different and enjoying yourself. The group will be meeting in the Seaside Room from 12:00 – 1:00pm.

THURSDAY 3^rd

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• The HR Strategic Sub-Committee is being held virtually this afternoon.

FRIDAY 4^th

• Individual Music Therapy sessions with Martha will take place in The Snug from 2:00pm.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

Due to a significant increase in non-reported spillages on hard floors; I must ask everyone to refrain from carrying more than one drink over hard surfaces without a tray. There are trays available in Danni’s Diner which must be taken. It is also essential for these to be returned prior to finishing the drink.

Please report all spillages to the housekeeping or estates team if the hazard cannot be completely eliminated immediately.

MONDAY 21^st         

• Sensory Story Time will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30 – 3:00pm for Derian families.

TUESDAY 22^nd

• Derian Playgroup will take place for our toddlers in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

• The Finance and Income Sub-Committee will meet in Vinten Meeting Room this morning.

WEDNESDAY 23^rd 

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• Our first ever Derian Dads session will take place this evening from 6:30pm in the Conference Room.

• Referral Panel will be held in the Conference Room this afternoon. Please speak with Michelle (Team Leader) if you’d like to attend.

THURSDAY 24^th

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• The fortnightly drop-in session for Care Team staff with Dawn (Family and Young People Services Manager) and Sue (Advanced Clinical Practitioner) will take place in either House Lounge or Flat 5 (tbc) from 1:30 – 2:30pm today.

• For our children and young people staying in-house this week, we’ll be hosting a Boccia Competition this morning in the Messy PlayZone, whilst we cheer on our own Boccia team who will be competing at Bolton Arena from 10:00am – 2:00pm.

FRIDAY 25^th

• Happy Payday!

• Friday Night Club, for our 18+ year-olds, will be held in the Lodge Lounge from 6:30 – 9:30pm.

• Individual Music Therapy sessions with Martha will take place in The Snug from 2:00pm.

• Our older siblings group Chill Out & Chat will be held in the Seaside Room from 7:00pm.

SATURDAY 26^th

• Danni’s Club, for our younger siblings, are meeting today for their monthly meet-up from 2:00pm.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

Meet our brand new Pets As Therapy dog, Tallulah! 

The 5-year-old labradoodle, who also goes by the name Lulu, is the newest volunteer recruit here at Derian House alongside her parents Clare and Steve.

She’s super excited to mooch about the hospice and give kisses and cuddles to our children and young people!

MONDAY 14^th        

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30 – 3:00pm for Derian families.

• Love is in the air! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone – we’ll be doing themed arts and crafts in the Messy PlayZone this morning.

• We’ve got a golden tiiiiiiicket! Our siblings are off to the next best thing to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory… Cadbury’s World!

TUESDAY 15^th

• Derian families will be at the hospice for Family Day Care between 11:00am – 2:30pm.

• Youth Forum will take place this afternoon with Mel (Youth Worker), Shelley (LifeNoW Transition Worker), Lee (LifeNoW Nurse) and Dawn (Family and Young People Services Manager).

• Our umbrella charity Together for Short Lives’ partnership with Morrisons will officially launch today. The new partnership is worth in the region of £10m over the next three years, and it will more than double the funds distributed to children’s hospices each year, including ourselves.

WEDNESDAY 16^th

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• David (CEO) and Lynn (Director of Clinical Services) are attending the GM Hospices Group meeting at Springhill Hospice.

THURSDAY 17^th

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• Half-term wellbeing service ‘School’s Out’ will return for its first session of the year from 11:00am – 3:00pm, with at least three CYP attending.

FRIDAY 18^th

• Some of our young people who are transitioning to the Lodge are off on a trip out to visit local graffiti artists who are hopefully going to come and do some work at Derian House.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• Charlotte (Nurse Associate) has sourced a supplier that can provide navy zip-up hoodies for £20. These will have the Derian House logo on, with our names underneath (similar to the NHS Trust ‘uniform’). The sizes available are S, M, L, XL, 2XL. Orders need to be placed no later than Sunday 20^th February. If you would like one, please email charlotte.tindall@derianhouse.co.uk.

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

In January, work got well under way on the brand new Reflection Garden here at the hospice, little Freddie officially declared the start of the Great Big House Giveaway build in a ceremony held at Green Hills, and we were featured on the news not once, not twice, but THREE times! #MonthInAMinute

Watch on YouTube here.

• £20,925 – £23,291 per annum FTE (dependent on experience)
• 36 hours per week over 4 days

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an eCommerce Manager to join our growing retail network. This role will be based at our store on King William Street in Blackburn.

The Derian House retail network currently consists of 4 locations in Chorley, Preston, Leyland and Horwich; with a new store due to open in Blackburn in June. During the past 12 months we have grown our e-sales business and we are now looking to recruit an individual to manage this new and exciting area of the business.

The role involves managing and co-ordinating the daily retail activities for the eShop(s), managing all aspects of the operation, including the management of staff, volunteers and vulnerable people, whilst also developing and delivering a high standard of customer service to maximise sales and profitability.

The successful candidate will have proven ability to lead & supervise, with the ability to motivate others and well-developed team building skills. A working knowledge of eBay, Facebook Marketplace and other e-sales platforms is essential, as is a proven ability of setting up and maintaining retail processes and procedures.

This role may require working weekends and evenings as required, and will be based primarily in our store on King William Street in Blackburn, but may require travel to other locations as required.

For further details about this position or to arrange an informal discussion please contact Andrew Upton-Ford.

Please email recruitment@derianhouse.co.uk with a formal statement of why you wish to be considered for the post.

Closing date for applications is 5pm 14th February 2022.

WHAT’S ON WEEKLY @ DERIAN HOUSE (February 7^th – February 13^th)

MONDAY 7^th                 

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30 – 3:00pm for Derian families.

• David (CEO), Luke (Head of Facilities & Infrastructure) and Andrew (Head of Income & Online Sales) are on a retail road-trip, checking out possible new shop sites and visiting our new plots at Accrington and Bury.

TUESDAY 8^th

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 3:00 – 5:00pm this afternoon.

• Derian Play Group will take place in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm for our 0-5 year olds and their families.

• The SMT and Health & Safety sub-committee will host their monthly meetings this morning.

WEDNESDAY 9^th

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• David is virtually attending the Together for Short Lives Advisory Council.

• Referral Panel will take place in the Conference Room this morning. Please speak to Michelle Blackett (Care Team Leader) for more details or if you’d like to attend.

THURSDAY 10^th

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• Claire (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will be hosting her weekly session of Music & Movement in the Lodge Lounge this morning.

• All Care staff are welcome to attend the drop-in session hosted by Sue (ACP) and Dawn Andrews (Family and Young People Services Manager) from 1:30 – 2:30pm either in the House Lounge or Flat 5 to discuss and clinical/professional issues you may have.

FRIDAY 11^th

• Members of our Fundraising & Comms teams will be out this morning for the launch of this year’s £50 Business Challenge, starting with a networking breakfast at Charnock Farm. We’re giving businesses £50, and they’ll have to rack their brains to turn it into something more. In 2019, the campaign raised over £50,000 so we’re looking forward to getting businesses on board over a bacon barm!

• Friday Night Club for our Lodgers will take place in the Lodge Lounge between 6:30 – 9:30pm.

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 2:00 – 5:00pm this afternoon.

SATURDAY 12^th

• Our monthly drop-in bereavement group for Derian families will be held in the Seaside Room from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

Please spread the word with family members, friends and those further afield – you may know someone who owns a business, and we’re asking them to take OUR money!

Work bake sale? Sponsored lunchtime walk? Even a golf day with clients and suppliers…

Running from March ’til June, our £50 Challenge will see us hand businesses across the North West fifty quid in return for their pledge to turn it into much more for Derian House.

Last time, the campaign raised almost £40,000 – can your workplace top this year’s leaderboard with its own own unique fundraising idea?

For more information or to sign up, please fill in the enquiry form over on our website, or contact the Fundraising Team on 01257 271271.

 https://www.derianhouse.co.uk/events/50-challenge/

Business are also welcome to come along to our networking breakfast on Friday 11th February for the launch of 2022’s £50 Business Challenge. We would love for your business-y friends to join us for a bacon or sausage barm and hear about how their workplace can get involved in this year’s challenge.

Entry is free but due to space restrictions it will be a ticketed event. Please reserve your space by booking on our website via the link below. There’s NO commitment to take part in the £50 Business Challenge… just come along, get some ideas and join us for breakfast!

 https://www.derianhouse.co.uk/events/50busbreakfast/

Dear Derian House Colleagues,

Writing this on the last day of January allows me to reflect on the start of the year, the challenges we have all faced with the continuing COVID rules and how this impacts on our daily lives. It has been a difficult month, January always feels a long and dark month and as we move in to February we can look forward to lighter evenings and plan for Spring and Summer.

As restrictions ease outside of Derian it is important to remember that as a health care provider we are still maintaining our COVID-Secure procedures. These are reviewed each month at the Senior Management Team meeting and feel that continuing to maintain  this approach until the end of March when we understand that many health care setting restrictions will be eased. I am very aware of the limited seating in Danni’s Diner and thank everyone for the continued support in maintaining the seating rules, we have managed for nearly two years and I am hopeful within a short number of months we can increase capacity and alongside these rules we also continue to apply the face mask and social distancing guidance.

I was hoping to do the Keeping in Touch sessions face to face at the start of the year however, restrictions stopped that happening, I do hope we can move back to those larger group sessions very soon. Below are some key items to keep you up to date with what is happening at the moment  :-

• The Hospice continues to get busier and as we welcome Ruth as our new Hospice Manager I know she is keen to ensure this continues, I would also formally like to welcome Ruth and our other new starters to the Derian family.
• Our Derian at Home colleagues continue to be busy supporting families across the region, winter is always a difficult time and our team provide so much support to families which we know is highly valued.
• We are continuing to increase services within Family Support and Wellbeing and it is great to see activities happening across Derian and beyond.
• We have also seen quite a few new staff commence in January in both the clinical and non-clinical areas, please pop on to the Intranet to check them out, if you see new faces around the Hospice please say hello and welcome them to the team.
• We saw almost 70 team members attend the Culture and Values sessions in the last couple of months of 2021, we hope to continue these sessions again in February to make sure as many people as possible can be part of Year 4.
• The financial situation in 2021 was challenging however, through the excellent work of our fundraising, marketing and communications teams we beat our revised budget. Although we had a deficit in 2021 we were ahead of what we planned to achieve and I thank everyone involved in every aspect of our income for their support and hard work.
• We have lots planned for raising funds in 2022, all our events are back on and we will share these with you shortly. If you want to get involved in fundraising then please pop and see one of the fundraising team.
• Our campaigns have been very successful with the latest telling Isabelle’s Story raising huge amounts. The work to manage these campaigns is massive so thanks to finance (for processing hundreds of donations), marketing and fundraising and of course thank you to Isabelle’s Dad who shared his words and feelings.
• In 2022 the world of CCG’s (clinical commissioning groups) will be changing, this is a massive shake up of the system and Lynn and I are heavily involved in discussions across Lancashire, South Cumbria and Greater Manchester We have quite a way to go but we are positive about the engagement so far and also pleased with the recognition of Derian House and the respect it has within the health and social care sector within the region.
• EMIS project continues and I will ensure we send a more detailed update to everyone very soon.
• Julie Atherton Professional Development Grant applications closed in early December and we were delighted with the response. Successful applicants should have been contacted and many congratulations to those who were successful. The grant programme will open again for applications in September 2022 so please discuss with your Line Manager if you have any areas of interest.
• Our shops had a successful Christmas trading period and we are now focused on growing our current stores and opening new stores in Accrington and Bury within the next few months.

Around and About the Hospice (and beyond)

• Reflection Garden, it is almost finished and I hope you have had chance to pass by and take a quick look. There are still some additional works to be done (canopy covers over two of the benches) and we have to wait a little while for the cement to dry before we can add water to the ponds, we hope this will be in about three weeks’ time. HSBC are coming in this week to help clean and replace the pebbles around the pools and we also have some of the bereaved family group coming in this week to take a look.
• Woodland Suite, this facility is now re-open after being closed whilst we completed the Reflection Garden, we have a few finishing off items of furniture to complete the furnishings but the room is available to book and be used.
• Derian on Holiday, both Ribby Hall and South Lakeland are closed for their annual check and refresh (this happens every year), we will be re-open again in the middle of February offering our Derian families a week’s holiday. If you have not seen these lodges then now is the time to visit as once we re-open we are usually fully booked and it is more difficult to view, if you are interested in visiting please speak to your line manager who can escalate to Luke and myself.
• EV Charging , after a number of delays in setting up the financial side of the machines we are hopeful these will be working at some point in February, Luke will send a message when this happens.

As you can see we have had a busy time and we have great plans for 2022.

Thank you all for your support and commitment and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask me, any member of the senior team or your line manager.

David

MONDAY 31^st                

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30-3:00pm for Derian families.

TUESDAY 1^st

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 3.00-5.00pm this afternoon.

• 新年快乐… Happy Chinese New Year! We’ll be getting up to all sorts of activities throughout the hospice today to celebrate Year of the Tiger!

• Derian Play Group will take place in the Seaside Room from 10:00-12:00 for our 0-5 year olds and their families.

• We have a group of seven volunteers from HSBC coming today to help finish the new Reflection Garden. They’ll be helping with the planting of new plants and washing the memorial pebbles. Shuna and Linda will also be making an appearance from 1:30-2:00pm.

WEDNESDAY 2^nd

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• Derian House GPs Meeting will take place this afternoon.

• Similar to yesterday, we’ll have a group of six volunteers from HSBC visiting us to finish off the Reflection Garden.

THURSDAY 3^rd

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• David (CEO), Dawn (Family and Young People Services Manager), Luke (Head of Facilities and Infrastructure) and Lee Graham (LifeNoW Nurse) are visiting Bolton Hospice this morning.

• A group of our bereaved families will be coming to the hospice to view the new Reflection Garden and lay their child’s pebble this afternoon.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• January is Make a Will Month, so visit our Intranet article for how you can use our free Will facility to write your Will and support Derian House in the process.

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

Within the December temperature check we saw improvements in a number of areas as well as decreases in others. As you will note from the grid, this is common movements but does allow us to reflect on areas that we may need specific focus or discussion. Unfortunately participation has declined and sadly does provide a representative view of all staff and therefore hope that those that did not manage to participate in this survey will in the June Birdsong.

Summary of overall results:

Comparison of engagement figures

All below figures represent the ‘Strongly Agree’ and ‘Agree’ responses.

* Volunteers now have a separate survey and will be reported separately

Review of verbatim comments

Of the 63 respondents 86% believe that since the Birdsong survey effective communication had increased.

We are pleased that the majority feel the communication has improved the senior team are focussed on ensuring that this continues. Please help us by feeding back any other methods of communication that would help you understand what’s happening at Derian.

Summarised points

Participation

The 45% participation figure is disappointing across the organisation. Whilst retail has seen significant improvements, commercial has remained static with reasonable participation and we would like to the participation of our care Team improve dramatically as we saw just 35% which does not give us a true reflection of this vitally important section of our workforce.

Decrease in Trustee and SMT confidence

Confidence in Trustees and Senior Management both decreased. Whilst disappointing we are mindful that we are operating the charity in the ongoing pandemic and cannot always deliver messages that are well received. Both the Trustees and SMT members are committed to providing the upmost support to everyone and if any of feel reduced confidence in us please share your views in order to understand why things happen and support you through these ever changing times. We are delighted that Ruth Islip has now joined us a Hospice Manager and working alongside Dawn and Clare we are confident we have a strong, knowledgeable and effective leadership team working with Lynn and the rest of the Senior Team.

Communication

The increased scores and feedback surrounding communication are excellent. We have noted a verbatim comment about the methods of communication we have utilised throughout the pandemic and the appropriate manager has been made aware of this and is taking steps to ensure everyone is familiar with this method and understand why it is being used.

VOTE FOR US

• Our friends at Chorley Building Society have shortlisted us to be their Charity of the Year for 2022.The vote is open to the public and will close on Friday 29th January, so please share with all your friends and follow the link below to vote.

Vote for our Charity of the Year 2022 | Chorley Building Society (chorleybs.co.uk)

MONDAY 24^th                  

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30-3:00pm for Derian families.

TUESDAY 25^th

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 3.00-5.00pm this afternoon.

• Derian Play Group will take place in the Seaside Room from 10:00-12:00 for our 0-5 year olds and their families.

WEDNESDAY 26^th

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• The QSI Sub-Committee will take place virtually this morning.

• The first spade will be put in the ground at Green Hills, Blackburn, for a ceremony celebrating the start of the Great Big House Giveaway house being built. Freddie Hewitt and his family will be coming along to officially mark the start of the build and be interviewed by ITV Granada Reports.

THURSDAY 27^th

• Our Patron, Kiki DeVille, will be on site to start planning The Keepsake Circle 2022.

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

FRIDAY 28^th

• Mick Croskery (Fundraising Manager) is off to Walney Island to visit our 75-year-old super-grandad Ralph White who’s been walking two miles a day for the past 10 days to mark 10 years of living with cancer… just 10 days after being discharged from the Christie Hospital following major surgery. He’s raised over £3,000 for us and was even featured on BBC’s North West Tonight last week.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• It’s the final week of our January SALE across all five of our stores in Chorley, Preston, Blackburn, Leyland and Horwich, as well as our online store, with up to 75% off every single item!

• January is Make a Will Month, so visit our Intranet article for how you can use our free Will facility to write your Will and support Derian House in the process.

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone 🙂

VOTE FOR US

• Our friends at Chorley Building Society have shortlisted us to be their Charity of the Year for 2022. The vote is open to the public and will close on Friday 29th January, so if you haven’t already then please share with all your friends and follow the link below to vote.

Vote for our Charity of the Year 2022 | Chorley Building Society (chorleybs.co.uk)

MONDAY 17^th                  

• David Robinson (CEO) and Luke Bateson (Head of Facilities and Infrastructure) will be visiting our holiday lodges at Ribby Hall and South Lakeland Leisure Village to carry out annual checks.

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline (Wellbeing & Play Worker) will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30-3:00pm for Derian families.

• The next We Are Derian meeting will be held in the Lodge Conference Room from 2:00pm, with a member from each department attending. If you can’t attend but would like to raise something in the meeting, you’re welcome to log it in the Staff Forum section of the Intranet.

TUESDAY 18^th

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 3.00-5.00pm this afternoon.

• Derian Play Group will take place in the Seaside Room from 10:00-12:00 for our 0-5 year olds and their families.

WEDNESDAY 19^th

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in from 11am for a sing-a-long in The Snug.

• Derian Dads group will restart this week after a break due to COVID. They’ll meet in the Seaside Room from 6:30pm.

• Referral Panel will meet today. For anyone interested in attended, please speak to Michelle Blackett (Care Team Leader) for location and time.

THURSDAY 20^th

• Our two lottery partners will be visiting the hospice today.

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

FRIDAY 21^st

• Our older siblings at Chill Out and Chat will meet in the Seaside Room from 6:30-9:00pm this evening.

SATURDAY 22^nd

• Danni’s Club will be meeting for their first Saturday session of the year from 1:30-4:00pm in the Seaside Room.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• Our January SALE is now on across all five of our stores in Chorley, Preston, Blackburn, Leyland and Horwich, as well as our online store, with up to 75% off every single item!

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone J

It’s that time of year again, as soon as Christmas is over and the New Year has begun, we start to look at making New Year’s resolutions. Here’s why your resolution for 2022 should be to Make a Will…

It might not help you to lose weight, or conquer the half marathon you’ve been talking about for years, but writing a Will is a good way to provide for the future of the loved ones that you have spent time with at Christmas, and support Derian House.

Did you know? Gifts in Wills fund the care of 1 in 5 of our children and young people.

Make A Will Month is an opportunity for us to promote our partnerships with Will writing services as well as starting a conversation with our supporters about the impact of leaving a gift in their Will to Derian House.

Many people consider talking about Wills to be a sad topic as they associate it with dying, but actually writing a Will is encouraged when any important life event occurs for example getting married, buying a house or having a new baby.

Writing a Will should be viewed as an uplifting experience as you are planning for the future, taking care of your loved ones and it’s a wonderful way to support a charity too, leaving behind a legacy.

When we consider our donor journey, a supporter might first become involved with Derian House doing a sponsored run or challenge event, but then go on to donate regularly. By promoting gifts in Wills we hope that when the time is right for them to remember a charity in their Will we will be at the forefront of their mind.

If you have any questions about how to get started with writing your Will or you want to know more about leaving a gift in your Will to Derian House, please email gillian.rabbett@derianhouse.co.uk

MONDAY 10^th                    

• We’ve got FIVE new starters arriving at the hospice today. Ruth Islip, our new Hospice Manager, Derian at Home Nurse Samantha Fisher, Registered Nurses Emma Smith and Lisa Akgunduz, and PR & Communications Officer Rebecca Feeley. Say hello and make yourselves be known to them if you see them!

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30-3:00pm for Derian families.

TUESDAY 11^th

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 3.00-5.00pm this afternoon.

• Derian Play Group will take place in the Seaside Room from 10:00-12:00 for our 0-5 year olds and their families.

• It’s the first Senior Management Team & Health and Safety Meeting of the year this morning in Vinten Meeting Room.

WEDNESDAY 12^th

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in The Snug from 11am for a sing-song.

• There’ll be a visit from HSBC to see updates on the Reflection Garden (previously Memorial Garden) which they are helping to fund.

THURSDAY 13^th

• The HR Strategic Sub-Committee will be meeting virtually this morning.

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

FRIDAY 14^th

• David Robinson (CEO), Lynn Grayson (Director of Clinical Services), Vanessa Spinks (Head of Governance and Compliance) and Dawn Andrews (Family and Young People Services Manager) will be meeting with Bolton Hospice virtually.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• Our January SALE is now on across all five of our stores in Chorley, Preston, Blackburn, Leyland and Horwich, as well as our online store, with up to 75% off every single item!

• Exciting news – the lease has been signed on our newest shop venture in Accrington, with an opening date hopefully in March ’22.

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Have a great week everyone!

We need you! Our friends at Chorley Building Society have shortlisted us to be their Charity of the Year for 2022.

The vote is open to the public and will close on Friday 29th January, so please share with all your friends and follow the link below to vote.

Vote for our Charity of the Year 2022 | Chorley Building Society (chorleybs.co.uk)

In December, we filled Blackburn Cathedral at our annual Lights of Love service, the children and young people enjoyed Christmas visits from Preston North End Football Club and Blackburn Rovers footballers, and our community came together to help support Derian by taking part in an array of fabulous and festive fundraising activities #MonthInAMinute 💚

Your hospice needs you!

As we increase our store count and further improve our own branded product in 2022, we’re looking to create a Retail Focus Group to help generate product ideas.

The first session will be held 10:00 – 12:00 on Friday 7^th January 2022 in the Seaside Room.

If you’re interested in joining the group, please email andrew.uptonford@derianhouse.co.uk expressing both your interest and ideas by Sunday 2^nd January 2022. Andrew will then invite as many members as they can safely accommodate in the Seaside Room, while reviewing all ideas sent. Our intention is to hold these meetings at least quarterly.

MONDAY 20^th                       

• Our children and young people will be planning ahead by making 2022 calendars in the Messy PlayZone.

TUESDAY 21^st

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 3.00-5.00pm this afternoon.

• We’re having a mini party day today throughout the hospice, with plenty of Christmas party games, singing, and music and movement with Claire. Come and join the festive fun!

• Keep your noses open for lots of lovely smells coming from the kitchen – our youngsters will be baking Christmas treats ready for a visit from Santa this afternoon.

• Did someone say ‘Girls Trip’?! Our female lodgers will be out and about getting some last-minute Christmas shopping in the Trafford Centre amongst a whole host of other activities!

WEDNESDAY 22^nd

• Join our music teacher Rachel Toner in The Snug from 11am for a Christmas Sing-a-long.

• Sensory Story Time with Caroline will take place in the Seaside Room from 1:30-3:00pm for Derian families.

THURSDAY 23^rd 

• Claire will be hosting a Christmas-themed musical exercise session of Music & Movement this morning in the Lodge Lounge.

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

• Our second Trees of Love open evening will take place from 4.00-8.00pm this evening, with our supporters who’ve sponsored a tree visiting the hospice for a tour of the magical tree forest.

FRIDAY 24^th

• Christmas-themed sensory story time will take place this morning.

• It’s home time! We better get prepared ready for Santa’s arrival tonight… don’t forget the carrot for Rudolph!

• All our shops will close at 2pm today for Christmas. Blackburn and Preston will reopen on Monday 27^th, with Chorley, Horwich and Leyland reopening on Wednesday 29^th.

SATURDAY 25^th

• MERRY CHRISTMAS! Have an amazing day celebrating with your colleagues, family and friends!

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Ho ho hope you a great week everyone… Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! J

From 12pm – 2pm this Friday 17th December, a complimentary Christmas lunch will be served in Danni’s Diner to all of our staff and volunteers working that day. Please don’t choose lunch on the system, as the baguettes (complete with all the trimmings!) are free of charge.

For our retail teams, lunches will be delivered by Derian’s elves to each of our stores for staff and volunteers.

There will also be veg/ve alternatives available. Please let Jeff the Chef know in advance of any special dietary requirements and if you’ll be having the meat free alternative.

What’s on Weekly emails are back (wooooo don’t all cheer at once!)! Here’s your weekly guide to everything happening at Derian House. If you’ve got something you’d like to add to the weekly bulletin, please drop me an email by Thursday the week before. This can be anything from new starters to in-house activities, external visitors to retirement parties in the Seaside Room! This will also be placed on the Intranet News section J

WHAT’S ON WEEKLY @ DERIAN HOUSE

(December 13^th – December 19^th)

SATURDAY 11^th

• The Rivington Barn Bikers will be back once again after a year out due to COVID. They’ll be arriving at the hospice on their bikes from 5pm to deliver plenty of presents so make sure to say hello if you see them!

MONDAY 13^th                       

• Our children and young people will be taking part in Christmas-themed fun in the Messy PlayZone.

TUESDAY 14^th

• A virtual meeting will take place between Derian House and LifeNoW this morning.

• If you’re taking part in Secret Santa, today is the FINAL DAY to bring your gifts in.

• Individual sessions of Music Therapy with Martha will be taking place in The Snug from 3.00-5.00pm this afternoon.

• We’re having a mini party day today throughout the hospice, with plenty of Christmas party games, singing, and music and movement with Claire. Come and join the festive fun!

• Our lodgers will be visiting the Trafford Centre for an ice show to celebrate the ‘graduation’ of one of our youngsters.

WEDNESDAY 15^th

• Resident music teacher Rachel Toner will be in The Snug from 11am for singing and music.

• Sensory Story Time will take place this morning in the Lodge Lounge.

• A selection of our young people will be visiting Bolton Wanderers Community Trust for a bowling competition this morning – good luck!

THURSDAY 16^th

• CEO at Trinity/Brian House, David Houston, and CEO at Eden Valley, Trish Livesey are visiting the hospice and meeting with David and Lynn this morning.

• Everyone’s favourite Pets as Therapy dog, Shuna, will be arriving at Derian with her human Linda for their weekly visit.

FRIDAY 17^th

• Our Trees of Love open evening will take place from 4.00-8.00pm this evening, with our supporters who’ve sponsored a tree visiting the hospice for a tour of the magical tree forest and a mulled wine! Our Retail Team will also be joining us for a stall at the event. We are looking for some marshals to help monitor various areas around the grounds, so if you’d like to volunteer then please drop our fundraiser Ellie an email!

• There’s a Scavenger Hunt in Astley Park this afternoon – collect your list of items to be found from the Wellbeing and Play Team.

SATURDAY 18^th

• If you’re stuck for things to do this weekend, why not take a tour of the #DerianDeckTheHalls lights? 35 households from 14 towns and villages across Lancashire have gone all out to host light shows in their gardens to support Derian this Christmas, and you can download the map of where they all are here – https://www.derianhouse.co.uk/events/deck-the-halls/

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

• If you would like to share with the rest of Derian what your department is up to in the next 7 days, please send an email to cameron.murray@derianhouse.co.uk before Thursday the week before.

Ho ho hope you a great week everyone! J

Dear Derian House Colleagues,

In light of the government announcements last night the senior team are assessing the information currently available.

CARE

–

As guidance has not changed for care settings we will continue all Hospice operations as normal, if you have any questions then please ask Lynn, Dawn, Rosie or Clare.

We will be reviewing visitor access to the inside of the House, Lodge and Vinten Place, where a visit is deemed non-essential we will postpone these until a later date. Professional visits will still continue with strict access controls at reception, mandatory lateral flows and Hands/Face/Space rules apply as normal.

NON-CLINICAL

The senior team will assess our plans in preparation for the Monday implementation of the new rules and a further message will be sent to everyone tomorrow. These plans will include working from home, room occupancy reviews, assessing the risks around Trees of Love and any other activity.

RETAIL/VANS/WAREHOUSE

Operations will continue as normal with enhanced caution in areas such as PPE and Hands/Face/Space rules.

TRAINING = MENTAL HEALTH AND CULTURE AND VALUES SESSIONS

We have made the decision to cancel these as they were planned with blended teams from inside and outside the building, we will reschedule for the New Year.

As I stated, a full briefing will be issued tomorrow, if you have any specific concerns or questions then please speak to any member of the SMT or your Line Manager, they may not have the immediate answer but they can find out for you.

FINALLY – Your wellbeing is our top priority, if you are struggling with the issues surrounding COVID and need to speak to someone then please remember you have access to free counselling through our SAGE Benefits scheme, details are on the Intranet. We, of course, also have the work related counselling, please see your line manager if you need referring.

Thank you and more information will come tomorrow.

David

Board Meeting

• The Board met and the following four Strategic Ambitions were agreed:

1. Be a centre for children’s specialised palliative care in the North West.
2. Build a Wellbeing Centre.
3. Balance the books.
4. Remain ‘as is’ and maintain Outstanding.

• These ambitions will form the foundations for our Strategic Aims over the next three years.  The Trustees were very supportive and consensus at Board was that 2022 will be a demanding, but truly exciting year for the Hospice.

Human Resources

• Could all Team Members who have not yet, send confirmation of their Vaccination status by 31^st December 2021. The most accurate place to get this information is via your NHS App.
• Please remember that the latest Staff Survey Temperature check is due by close Sunday 12^th Follow the link if you haven’t had your  say yet; https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=L4KxNBc8uk-2fphc2W8kL2p8YNixmbxBmbI38i7OQhNUQ1kzUlFLSTNVUkpGQ1pCTFlGUlM0N0s5UyQlQCN0PWcu
• Festive Fun!  The first set of frivolities will be held this Thursday.  Dates and themes as follows,

All activities will between 14:00 – 15:00 in various rooms and where weather permits, outside.

Please check the Intranet for more details on Fun Activities being held across the Hospice.

Go Green

• Our first big initiative for our Go Green strategy will be launched on January 1^st.  Please send uptonford@derianhouse.co.uk your New Green Resolutions!  These should be small and can be either professional or personal.  For example; eating less meat, printing less paper, walking or cycling more etc.  I’ll be looking at all the small marginal and creative things that we can come up with and creating a Green story on the back of these.

Retail

• Your Hospice needs you!   As we increase our store count and further improve our own branded product, we’re looking to create a Retail Focus Group to help generate product ideas.  The first session will be held 10:00 – 12:00 on Friday 7^th January 2022 in the Seaside Room.  If you’re interested in joining the group, please email uptonford@derianhouse.co.uk expressing both your interest and ideas by Sunday 2^nd January 2022.  I will invite as many members as we can safely accommodate in the Seaside Room, while reviewing all ideas sent.  Our intention is to hold these meetings at least quarterly.

The SMT would like to express their thanks and appreciated to all of our wonderful people for the care, service, support and work they do.

In what has been another challenging year, we all take pride in what we do, and most importantly what we provide. We are all working towards a shared goal based on our Strategic Aims.

With all the daily changes we face, anxiety and confusion around the hospice is a source of tranquillity not just for our children and young people, but for many of us too. Derian House is truly a special place, made even more amazing by you.

Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Back due to popular demand, Festive Fun @ 2pm starts up again this Thursday 9th December!

Drop what you’re doing (well, within reason!) and meet up for a social chinwag with your fellow colleagues and volunteers and celebrate Christmas the Derian way.

Below is the official timetable for all the events happening at 2pm over the next few weeks (locations TBC).

Kicking things off with Snowball Pong are the Fundraising, Comms and Marketing Team this Thursday 9th December from 2pm in the Lodge Conference Room. Make sure to drink responsibly 😉

Secret Santa is back once again for 2021, a chance to treat your colleagues to a £5 gift! The list for participants is on the Art Wall in the Messy PlayZone, and once everyone who wants to has signed up, Tina will draw everyone’s names out of a hat and pass this on to you in an envelope so you know who you’re buying for.