Linda’s support for St Teresa’s Hospice started while she was working as a Community Liaison Officer for Barclays Bank. As part of her role, Linda got involved in a fundraising appeal that St Teresa’s Hospice was running and put sunflower-themed merchandise and collection boxes in local Barclays branches in aid of ‘The Sunflower Appeal’.
Through doing this, Linda met the hospice CEO at the time, Jane Bradshaw MBE. At Jane’s invitation, Linda joined the hospice ball committee in 1996 and helped organise the first St Teresa’s Hospice ball, held in 1997. The first ball, which was James Bond themed, was just the start for Linda, who then got involved in every ball up until 2020.
During her time at St Teresa’s Hospice, Linda has been involved with nearly every aspect of fundraising. Working closely with the previous Fundraising Manager, David Jones, Linda recalls particularly enjoying the RAF Dinners, where she would travel to Leeming and help sell raffle tickets during the night. Linda has also been a massive part of the Giving To Life Tree each December, hosted by the Cornmill Centre, Darlington, and will be part of it again this year, it’s 25th year running.
As a member of Darlington Operatic Society (DOS), long-time supporters of the hospice, Linda has been involved in fundraising efforts that have helped raise over £141,000 for St Teresa’s since records began in 1996! Serving as Treasurer for DOS, Linda was involved with a fundraising campaign for one of the first inpatient rooms in 1998. She still holds bucket collections at the theatre, at DOS shows, and the current DOS committee has recently launched a campaign to raise £10, 000 to fund a day of care at St Teresa’s Hospice this year.
As well as taking part in all sorts of fundraising activities, Linda has been volunteering in the hospice Finance Department since she began her journey with St Teresa’s in 1996.
“I enjoy the flexibility of volunteering in the Finance Department. I currently come in for a couple of hours twice a week and it’s easy to fit around my schedule. I like that I’m keeping up with the skills I used when I used to run the till and balance books at the bank.”
“You can’t put a price on the friendships you’ve made here. I feel like I’m not just a volunteer, I’m part of the team.”
Throughout the years, Linda has been an incredible asset to the hospice. Hospice Finance Manager, Kirsty Woods, says, “Linda is a star! She has been a valued member of the Finance team, faithfully supporting the hospice for over 30 years. Every week, Linda dedicates a couple of hours to processing the cash donations we receive. Her previous experience in the banking sector is invaluable, and she approaches every task with great care and attention to detail. We would be lost without her bubbly personality, positive attitude and kind nature. Thank you, Linda, for everything you do.”
Reflecting on her time with the hospice, Linda encourages others to consider volunteering and experience it for themselves.
“If you’re thinking of volunteering at the hospice – just do it! You’ll be pleasantly surprised, you’ll be very welcomed, and there is something for everybody.”
