OUR YEAR 2018/19 1 | | 2 1 MESSAGE from our CEO

Having a strong set of values is part of being a trustworthy organisation. Last year, we refreshed our Values, and these now guide our work and show you, our always amazing funders and supporters, that your commitment to Keech Hospice Care is well placed. This is so important to us: we know our work is only possible thanks to your Our Values donations in funds, effort and time.

As you read Our Year 2018/19, you will find many examples of our Values in action. We are committed and innovative. The positive comments from our patients and families show they trust and respect us for our professionalism – We deliver better outcomes by working together. for me, every comment is like receiving an award. We take care of each other. We worked together with other organisations, being vocal about what matters locally and We can be trusted and are respected for our professionalism. speaking up on national campaigns.

We were committed and innovative, with our teams leading the way in upskilling local health professionals in our specialist area.

Finally, each statistic and story shows how we take care of each other, something brought home to me when our charity came 18th in The Sunday Times Top 100 list of Best Not-for-Profit Organisations this year.

I hope you will join us as we go forward, helping us continue making the difference when it matters the most.

Kind regards,

Liz Searle, CEO 3 | | 4 We cared for child patients wonderful were cared for We volunteers gave 37% of co-ordinated in our children’s us their time and child patients and in-patient unit. care for expertise. 26% people of adult patients were from our 1,031 (1,262 adults, 374 children, 743 relatives). Black, Asian and adult patients in the Minority Ethnic community, preventing community. Our Independence 333 and Well-being hospital admissions. Service supported We supported 221 patients patients. 204 through 164 OUR YEAR children attended 1,779 day support We provided out-patient attendances at in NUMBERS including 277 335 Keech Palliative Care Centre. attendances at hydrotherapy Tots ‘n’ Toys. sessions to patients in our pool. We provided 706 Our children’s families visits phone nights were spent caring patients and relatives community through 2,093 and 1,291 calls. for patients in our adult received bereavement 1,737sessions of music, art and team supported 367 in-patient unit. support. complementary therapy. 5 | HIGHLIGHTS of the YEAR || 66 “Music therapy really takes my mind We opened up our hospice off all the horrid things.” to everyone with a 360° Zac, 6, star of BBC Children in Need 2018 virtual tour that patients, families and supporters We played a double role in BBC Children in can take anytime, Need 2018. First, Zac (right) told millions of anywhere, via their viewers watching the BBC Children in Need computer or mobile phone. Rocks concert how our music therapy helps him “feel free” after a brain tumour left his It has been viewed 7,455 eyesight permanently damaged. times since launch. www.keech.org.uk/ Then, on appeal night, the cameras caught virtualtour up with Harry, 10, and his sister Sophie, 9, who we cared for. They were featured in BBC Children in Need 2016 when our family support team helped take away Harry’s The BBC’s Great British Bake Off worries around his sister’s illness. “We were from different winner and our local star Nadiya walks of life, with visited us. She made Rocky Road The films showed the difference our local different abilities and treats with our child patients and charity has made to both families. strengths, but all of us took a tour of the hospice. Nadiya had Keech Hospice Care raised awareness of our children’s in our hearts.” services on social media, saying:

Braving four-hour uphill “I’ve never been to a hospice climbs, sheer drops and before and was a little bit nervous a brush with Dracula, coming for the first time. These an intrepid group of children are so full of life, so We cut the ribbon on a new shop in supporters, including happy and have so much to give. Great Denham, . Our 12 of our care staff, Keech Hospice Care hasn’t seen local charity shops contribute over spent a week trekking the last of me, that’s for sure.” Transylvania, raising an £1 million towards funding our work. incredible £52,000. 7 | A LEADING HOSPICE | |8 8

So says the Leading Keech Hospice Care is Care Quality Commission, the chief independent OUTSTANDING regulator for the way health and social at caringat caring.care in England. Education By creating a clinical education team, we spearheaded training and up-skilled local health professionals, from GPs and paramedics to staff in care homes and university medical students.

Taking on the big issues in end-of-life care Research A survey by our clinical education team showed gaps in training for local health and social care professionals when it comes to end-of-life care. Liz Searle, our CEO, helped put the ‘Fairer funding for The resulting report will help local health providers hospices’ campaign on the parliamentary agenda by make improvements in training with the goal of lobbying local MPs and speaking on TV and radio. Her providing patients with the best possible experience efforts were recognised in a letter from Jeremy Hunt, then at the end of life. Health Secretary. Communication We organised and hosted a national Liz also contributed to a national public inquiry looking into conference for rare-neurological conditions, bringing how people gain access to hospice care, with the aim of together experts and health professionals from helping more patients benefit from this specialist care. across the country.

When the nation was saddened by the end-of-life situations We gave children and young adults a voice with a new group called Keech can. Working in partnership with faced by the families of Alfie Evans and Charlie Gard, we Central Bedfordshire Youth Team and the Royal College of Pediatricians and Child Health, the initiative supported took part in national TV reports, raising awareness of the young patients, siblings and the children of patients to tell us their experiences of visiting our hospice. important role children’s hospices play and the support they give families when it matters the most. It has given us new ways of thinking and a greater understanding of how we can meet their needs. 99 || CHILDREN and their FAMILIES | 10

“It’s hard for Abdur-Rahman to make friends and that’s why We supported Keech Hospice Care is fantastic. He’s been able to make friends 374 children there and get involved in the and 213 activities and play.” Sarah, mum to Abdur-Rahman, 4 relatives.

An amazing summer meant families made the most 164 children attended day of our new children’s garden with its super-sized support including 277 outdoor percussion instruments. attendances at Tots ‘n’ Toys.

We cared for 90 children as in-patients for a total of 598 days.

Our children’s community The garden provides a safe place team made 2,093 visits and " 1,291 for children to learn through phone calls. experiences. They can explore new “If we hadn’t gone to 32 children were cared for sounds, smells and textures while at the end of their life by our Keech Hospice Care, Skylar having fun. Families can create in-patient team and our would still be in pain now and memories together." community team. that thought is unbearable.” Elaine, Keech Hospice Care’s Clinical Director Duncan, dad to Skylar, 1 11 | CHILDREN and their FAMILIES TAKING CARE of FAMILIES | 12 We support the whole family Our child patients can push back boundaries thanks to new, donated, state-of-the-art technology, including touchscreen We provided patients and their families with: computers, video-game consoles with adapted controllers, virtual-reality headsets and Eyegaze, which allows people 499 sessions of music therapy 298 patients and their families were 335 sessions of hydrotherapy with limited mobility to control a computer using their eyes. supported by our social work team. 273 sessions of art therapy 706 patients and their families In total, 688 relatives of our child received pre- and post- and adult patients benefitted from 965 complementary therapy treatments bereavement support. our supportive care services.

“I contacted Keech Hospice Care’s bereavement support a few months after my sister Heidi died. Our wonderful children’s Speaking to them really helps me talk about how I feel community team won ’s in a way I can’t always talk to my mum because she’s Best Care in the Community going through her own grief. It’s my time to let go.” Award 2018. Shelley, whose sister Heidi we cared for

We introduced our free children’s advice line so families in Bedfordshire, and We care for the carers Milton Keynes who have a child with a life-limiting Our social work team launched a new way to assess condition can access our support 24/7. The what support an individual carer needs for their relative advice line is also open to GPs and other health professionals needing specialist advice. and themselves. We’re now using it to help carers 0800 035 6497 prioritise their needs. 13 |ADULTS and their FAMILIES || 1414

“When Hazel was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, our lives were chaos. But We cared for My Care Co-ordination Team Keech Hospice Care helped us through it. 1,262 adult cared for 1,031 patients in the Hazel always said she was just able to be patients and community herself at the hospice rather than being seen supported 530 as a patient.” Richard, husband of Hazel, who of their relatives. was supported by Keech Palliative Care Centre and our neurological team

Our adult in-patient unit cared for 154 adults for a total of 1,633 nights.

Keech Palliative Care Centre supported 204 patients through 1,779 out-patient attendances. “I know I will never get “After you’re diagnosed you end up better, that there isn’t a having so many appointments at 94 adults were cared for cure, but Keech Hospice Care different hospitals. When I first came to at the end of their life. showed me I can have a good Keech Hospice Care, I walked into a quality of life, experiencing comfortable room instead of a waiting But people do not just stay so much. Keech made the room. I’ve had complementary therapies at the hospice in their final most brilliant day possible: I few days of life: 44 and they’ve taught me how to deal with got married at the hospice.” in-patients were discharged, Stacey, patient of things when it all becomes too much. to their own homes. Keech Palliative Care Centre And the nurses are all brilliant.” Gavin, and our adult in-patient unit patient of Keech Palliative Care Centre 15 | ADULTS and their FAMILIES OUR SUPPORTERS | 16

We met the needs of our patients by You're making the difference when it matters the most launching a new aquatic therapy service in our A special thank you to all the people who’ve volunteered for us, donated to us, shopped with us, hydrotherapy pool, helping patients improve partnered us and supported us in so many ways. You’re incredible! We couldn’t do it without you. their mobility and increase their independence. Our aquatic therapist supports patients through a personalised programme. 1,500 ‘Bubblers’ of all ages We opened up our garden to our enjoyed the foam at our first- community at our rockin’ ever Bubble Rush event, raising ‘Big Weekender’ festival, debunking around £30,000 for our charity. the myth that hospices are places you only come to die.

Loyal supporter and volunteer Louise won Luton’s Best Fundraiser award in recognition of her amazing 20-year commitment to the Celebrity gardener hospice charity which cared for her son Sam. Adam Frost shared his memories at our first ‘Gifts in Wills’ event at the hospice. The sky’s the limit thanks to Our award-winning around £128,000 of funding raised My Care Co-ordination Team from our two-year partnership with Luton Town FC fan An amazing 800 hours London . – which supports patients Madison, 12, won Junior were donated by volunteer to stay in their own homes Fundraiser of the Year teams from our corporate – celebrated reaching an at BBC Three Counties supporters including 3,000 amazing referrals. Radio People’s Awards Lloyds Bank, TUI, 333 They helped avoid after sitting on all 10,200 David Lloyd Gyms, Costa, admissions to hospital. seats in the stadium. ABinBev and Highways England. 17 | HOW we are FUNDED Keech Hospice Care Where we As a charity, around 70% of funding for our care services comes from the local community and supporters. Our provide care work is only made possible thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors and volunteers. Making the difference when it matters the most NHS/statutory funding and grants help towards some of the support we provide, and we work in partnership with BEDFORDBedford five Clinical Commissioning Groups across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. We are the children’s hospice for Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes, and the adult hospice for Luton and south Bedfordshire. Milton MIKeynesLTON How you gave your help (£,000*) Focus of spend on charitable activities KEYNES We are one of the very few hospice charities in the UK which supports and cares for both children and Hitchin Legacies 664 LUTON This is a Children's adults, and their families. Luton Stevenage simplified community team STEVENAGE Donations 2,338 summary of financial Our care is not just provided at the hospice itself but Children’s information 10% Welwyn Lottery in the family home, hospital, school or care home - service Garden City 554 from our Hertford audited annual wherever support is needed the most. Hemel Hempstead NHS/statutory income 1,918 report and Adult and ST StALBANS Albans accounts for Adult services and 2018/19. The in-patient unit We need to raise around £6 million every year to children’s Other 275 full report is continue our specialist care for children and adults, service Watford available on Children's in-patient WATFORD our website. unit and day support 31% and their families. We also rely on over 1,400 Total 5,749 volunteers, including 940 retail volunteers. *In addition, Retail Net Income from our charity shops 27% generated over £1 million towards our work.

Like us on Facebook If you have any questions or facebook.com/keechhospicecare would like to find out more Whether it’s funding or time, about getting involved, we’re enormously grateful for Follow us on Twitter email us at: [email protected]. 12% @KeechHospice Thank you to all Supportive care for 14% whatever you can do or give. Keech Palliative children and adults our amazing donors 6% Care Centre Visit our website Educating and Watch us on YouTube www.keech.org.uk and volunteers. communicating youtube.com/keechhospicecare Our Mission is to lead the way in providing excellent care, supporting children and adults with life-limiting conditions and those affected by death and dying, helping them to live well and make every day count.

Keech Hospice Care, Great Lane, Luton LU3 3NT.

Tel: 01582 707940 [email protected] Registered Charity No. 1035089 www.keech.org.uk