Chicks for Charity

Now in its 15th year, the Easter Chick Campaign has raised an amazing £67,000 since Trinity Hospice hatched the plan in 1999. This year volunteers have knitted over 5,000 adorable little chicks, which will now be stuffed with chocolate eggs donated by local supermarkets and sold at local schools to raise money for the charity. The money raised from selling the cute treat-filled creatures will help Trinity to fund more nurses so that the hospice can reach those who need them. The deadline for knitting the chicks is 6th March so there’s still time to whip out your needles and yarn and get involved!

Trinity’s dedicated nurses provide expert end-of-life care to over 2,000 patients and their families each year in central and south-west London free of charge. As less than a third of their funding comes from the government, Trinity needs to raise a further £7 million each year to continue the excellent work they do. As well as fundraising ventures like the Easter Chick Campaign, Trinity relies on charitable donations and their 23 charity shops to raise vital income.

To give you an idea of where the money goes, last year Trinity Hospice cared for 2,500 people with illnesses such as cancer or cardiac, respiratory, renal and neurological diseases. Of those 2,500 patients, 2,000 were cared for in their own homes and more than 450 at their inpatient centre at Clapham Common. They also offer outpatient services such as physiotherapy, art therapy, therapeutic massage and counselling in Mulberry Place at their base in Clapham. As well as all this, Trinity supports patients’ families and carers through specialist bereavement counselling.

For patterns and more information on how to get involved, email csykes@trinityhospice.org.uk