Thank You Crawley!

Thank You Crawley!

As the year draws to a close, two good causes want to take the opportunity to thank people across Crawley for their kindness and support to ensure that their work can help even more in the community. Two charities grateful for your support in 2019 are two of Crawley’s best-loved and well-known charities, League of Friends of Crawley Hospitals, and St Catherine’s Hospice.

70 Years Young…

Have you ever found yourself at Crawley Hospital on a Thursday or Friday morning? If so, the chances are, you saw a team of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers organising sales in aid of Crawley’s hospitals’ League of Friends – an organisation, which for the past 70 years has raised money for Crawley’s hospitals with the help of local organisations. As well as the weekly sales, the charity also runs events such as Christmas and Easter Fairs, quiz nights, and street collections.

Lesley Marginson, president of League of Friends of Crawley Hospitals, says: “The League of Friends of Crawley Hospitals (LOFCH) would like to thank all its volunteers – those who help Maria with her good as new stall and also make knitted garments to sell, those who run the book stall and all those who work in the Crawley Community Shop, Worth Road, Pound Hill; all those who help with collections and also the team of gardeners who maintain the Jim Smith memorial garden, the 170 window boxes and the courtyard garden in the urgent treatment centre. Their work is greatly appreciated, and the trustees wish them all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.”

Heartfelt Thanks…

Did you see St Catherine’s 26 stunning heart sculptures which captured the hearts and minds of people in Mid Sussex in late summer and early autumn? One patient from the hospice wanted to share why the support the local community has shown to HeART to Heart has been so important.

Babs visits St Catherine’s each week to express her love for art in the hospice’s art therapy classes, she says: “When I first heard the word hospice I was really nervous, because as far as I was aware St Catherine’s was where people came to die. But once I walked through the door here, it was great. Before coming here I’d never put a brush to canvas, but I’ve loved the art classes. They’re marvellous. I create something over two hours and take it home.’

“St Catherine’s is such a good organisation, but I know the hospice can’t care for everyone. The new hospice at Pease Pottage is going to be superior but there’s a long way to go yet to get the money needed. But to all the people who’ve supported St Catherine’s art trail, or and put their hearts into doing things to raise money, thank you. You deserve a round of applause. You’ve made such a difference to me” Babs adds as the Sussex charity works hard to achieve its new hospice building.