Huge Sweet Hamper Raises Cash for Nightingale House

Big hearted residents from two care homes joined forces to raise money for a hospice in Wrexham.

The cash for Nightingale House was presented to local AM Lesley Griffiths of opened the annual Autumn Fair at the Gwern Alyn and Hillbury homes.

The £250 was raised by raffling prizes donated by residents, relatives and staff, including a huge hamper of sweets donated by resident Tom Wynn, 88.

Nightingale House provides specialist palliative care services to patients and their families. The hospice serves a wide area stretching from Wrexham, Flintshire and East Denbighshire to Barmouth and the border towns including Oswestry and Whitchurch.

Their free services include a 16-bed inpatient ward, a 15-patient day-care unit, an outpatient clinic, a specialist lymphodema unit, occupational therapy, complementary therapies, physiotherapy including a hydrotherapy pool and an ambulance service.

They also offer a range of bereavement support services including a specialist service for children and young adults.

Lesley Griffiths, who is also the Welsh Health Minister, was delighted to officially open the event at the homes which are part of the Pendine Park care organisation.

She said: “It’s always a pleasure to visit Gwern Alyn and Hillbury care homes and I always see so many contented, happy residents.

“Pendine Park is a much respected care organisation which we are very fortunate to have based here in our town.”

She added: “I’m also thrilled to accept on behalf of Nightingale House Hospice a cheque for £250. Nightingale House is a much-loved Wrexham facility.

“I think it’s wonderful that staff and residents of Gwern Alyn came together to raise such an impressive amount and to show they continue to always think of others.”

Mildred Heyward, the Manager of Gwern Alyn, said: “I have known Lesley for many years and it is always a pleasure to welcome her here.

“Residents, their families and our own staff have been very generous in donating items such as cakes, wine, sweets and bric-a-brac which we are able to sell and of course we are holding a big raffle.”

“I have to say a big thank you to our resident Tom Wynn who donated the lovely basket of sweets which we raffled to raise the £250 which has been donated to Nightingale House. It really was a wonderful gesture by a lovely man.”

Managers Mildred Heywood and Cindy Clutton serve from the barbeque to Lynne Williams, Sophie Moran. 6, Anita Bassett, Steven Lunt with Callum, 2 and Cherie Whitbread with Emma-Leigh, 6 months.

Cindy Clutton, the manager of Hillbury, added: “It’s turning out to be a wonderful event. We have been blessed with glorious weather and plenty of residents, their relatives and off duty staff have come along to support us.

“So many people have donated prizes for the raffle and put a lot of hard work into putting the event on. It really has been an impressive effort by all concerned.”

Gwern Alyn resident Tom Wynn said: “The basket was a gift from my daughters. However, if I started eating them now I’d still be at it this time next year so I thought someone else might make better use of them.

“I’m happy the sweets raised such a big amount for Nightingale House Hospice. I know lots of people support the hospice which is a good thing.

“I have settled into life here and enjoy living here. Everyone is really helpful and caring and I want for nothing – save a cure for rheumatoid arthritis!”