City corporates to Go Pink! for hospice’s fortieth anniversary.
Big-hearted businesses will be turning Birmingham pink on Wednesday 10th July, to help celebrate a local hospice’s fortieth anniversary.
Broad Street’s Jury’s Inn, engineering firm AECOM, and recruitment firm Morgan Hunt are just a few of the big businesses who will be showing their support for Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice by hosting pink-themed parties and encouraging staff to wear pink on the day.
The iconic Library of Birmingham is also joining in the celebrations by lighting its building a bright shade of fuchsia on the day, while the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce will be turning its social media banners pink.
The much-loved charity is asking city corporates to Go Pink! to help commemorate the day it was officially opened by Princess Alexandra in 1979.
Lucy Watkins, head of fundraising at the hospice, said: “Whether it’s having a dress pink day at work, baking pink cakes for the team or hosting your own pink-themed party, Go Pink! is a really simple way for local businesses to show their support for the Hospice. This year is a really special year for Birmingham St Mary’s, so we’re really keen to welcome as many corporates to celebrate this momentous milestone with us.
“It will cost £8.3 million this year to keep the Hospice’s crucial services running, most of which needs to be raised through the generosity of local people and businesses. By turning the city pink this July, we hope to make our communities more aware of what hospice care is and help raise the money needed to continue to provide it.”
Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice opened its doors in 1979, after it was founded by former NHS matron Monica Pearce. At the time, it was the first independent hospice in the Midlands and only the seventh nationwide.
Forty years on and Birmingham St Mary’s remains the city’s largest hospice. It is caring for more people than ever before – over 400 people every day – and it can provide support in people’s homes, in the community and at the Hospice.
One of those people is Merdella, who is currently receiving care from the Hospice’s Support at Home service – a volunteer-led initiative which provides practical, social and emotional support in individual’s homes. Merdella is backing the Go Pink! campaign as a way of showing her support for the charity.
She said: “Happy isn’t a word I thought I would use to describe my time at a hospice but that’s how I always feel, happy. The nurses and volunteers are so kind and empathetic – they understand what I’m going through and help me to be as comfortable as I can be. They remind you that life is about living and always encourage you to live as well as you can.”
Lucy added: “Whilst Go Pink! is a really fun way for businesses to show their support for the Hospice, it’s also an opportunity to highlight how vital our care is for people just like Merdella. Demand for palliative and end of life care is growing at a significant pace – well beyond the £8.3 million needed to meet current needs – so funds raised from campaigns like this ensure that we can continue to provide our care to people now and for another forty years to come.”
Go Pink! is taking place on Wednesday 10th July across the city. To find out more about the campaign and how your workplace can get involved, visit: Go Pink