As Nottinghamshire Hospice prepares to open its doors to patients again this month, it has launched its ‘Forget Us Not’ appeal to raise funds to meet a significant rise in demand on its services.

After the pandemic hit last year the hospice closed its doors to visitors but extended its outreach services, doubling the number of referrals it responded to.

Now, as the charity prepares to reopen therapy and wellbeing services at the hospice, it hopes to raise core funds from donations and sales of handcrafted Forget Me Not flowers.

Tori Harrison, individual giving fundraiser for Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “During the last 12 months we’ve closed the hospice doors but we’ve been busier than ever providing care in patients’ homes.

“Now as Covid restrictions ease and we get ready to welcome patients once again to the hospice building, we are appealing to our local communities to help us meet this growing demand for our services.

“A gift in tribute to a loved one or even to memorialise our national loss will help us continue to be there for patients at the end of their lives and their families when they need it most.”

Marjorie Barnes (<strong>pictured</strong>) bought a flower in memory of her mum who came to Day Therapy at the hospice before she passed away. Marjorie said: “Mum absolutely loved going to the hospice. The work they do there is amazing. Everyone’s so warm and friendly. Just walking in you get a warm feeling.

“I love my flower. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of Mum and the amazing care she received at the hospice.”

The hospice is asking people to support the appeal through one of these ways:

Making a donation
Setting up a regular gift
Purchasing a flower in memory of someone special
Hosting a family reunion fundraiser with a tribute fund in memory of a loved one.

For more details go to <a href=”https://www.nottshospice.org/forget-us-not/”>https://www.nottshospice.org/forget-us-not/</a>