End of life charity Marie Curie is calling on residents of the Stokes to support its flagship fundraising campaign, the Great Daffodil Appeal – which has reached its 35th anniversary this month – but has, for the first time, had to cancel all of its iconic public collections.
After an extremely difficult 12 months, the charity is facing a potential loss of over £3 million due to the cancelled collections, but it has a variety of creative ways that people in the Stokes can support the campaign this year, including donning their trainers and ‘stepping up for Marie Curie’ by walking or running in March.
All donations from the Great Daffodil Appeal will ensure that Marie Curie nurses can continue working on the frontline, providing end of life care in people’s homes throughout the South West.
Jane Marshall, Marie Curie volunteer group chairperson of The Five Stokes Fundraising Group, said:
“The Great Daffodil Appeal is so important to the Marie Curie charity. Our fundraising group normally organises collections in the local area and each volunteer raises an average £80 from collecting. This amount would pay for four hours of vital nursing care.”
“This year we are unable to hold any of our collections so we have organised a JustGiving page where people can get involved, donate and find out how we are raising money in other ways: www.justgiving.com/campaign/MCFiveStokes”
“Volunteers from our group are stepping up for Marie Curie in March by walking 10,000 steps every day in the month. You may even see one of us out in our yellow hat!”
“We will also be holding an online Facebook auction, so we’d love to hear from local businesses that are able to donate an item that can be included.”
“The 2nd Stoke Gifford Rainbows have kindly decorated the Stoke Gifford Toy Library for the Great Daffodil Appeal and volunteers have displays outside their homes. See if you can spot any! This year more than ever we need people’s support, so please spread the word.”
Alison Steadman, actor and Marie Curie ambassador, said:
“I have seen first-hand the incredible difference Marie Curie makes and just how important their work is in caring for people with a terminal illness and their families. The loving care they gave my mum when she was dying is something that I’ll never forget. I don’t know how we would have managed as a family without the Marie Curie nurses and doctors and dread to think about what it would mean if they weren’t there for all the families that need them.”
“The work Marie Curie does is needed now more than ever as the Covid pandemic has had a big impact on their ability to fundraise. That is why I’m encouraging people across the whole of the UK to show their support in any way they can in March for this year’s Great Daffodil Appeal. Every donation means that when the time comes, Marie Curie can be there for people and their loved ones when they need it most.”
During the Great Daffodil Appeal, the first annual National Day of Reflection will take place. Since the first lockdown began in 2020, millions of people have been bereaved. Join Marie Curie on 23rd March, the first anniversary of the start of the first UK lockdown, for a day to reflect on and commemorate this tragic loss of life.
For more information, please contact Jane on 07909 966367 or thefivestokesfundraisinggroup@gmail.com, or visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2021 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (on page 23). The magazine is delivered FREE, nine times a year, to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
