Boris receives rapturous reception at Hospice dinner

The dinner was very well attended reflecting not only the growth in the number of Patrons over the past two years but also the popularity of the guest speaker, Boris Johnson. Having had a fairly gruelling week at the Party Conference in Bournemouth, anyone expecting Boris to be a little subdued was in for a big disappointment. He gave a very robust, sometimes cerebral, but very entertaining after dinner speech, evoking lots of laughter and receiving a rapturous reception from the Patrons and their guests.

The Chairman was able to report on the success of the Patrons scheme and how it was on track to top 100 Patrons next year. Patrons now include Paul Merton, the comedian and broadcaster, Tom Chaplin of Keane, Michael Foster M.P. and more recently, Louise Bagshawe, the novelist. He also highlighted how over the past three years the Development Trust had raised over 350,000 for St. Michael's contributing to a multitude of projects ranging from the extension to the Day Care Centre to its ongoing support for the Staff Sanctuary Day scheme, as well as continuing to provide much needed equipment like the new ambulance and specialist baths. In the current year the Trust supported the P.A.C.T. appeal to raise 70,000 for the refurbishment of the In Patient Unit, has provided 8,500 for one of the new washing machines and is currently funding the cost of developing a new website for St. Michael's which will be an important tool for future fundraising.

If you would like details of the Patrons' Scheme please contact Cheryl Davis, Secretary to the Development Trust at St. Michael's Hospice on 01424 201838 or email: [email protected]