Strathcarron Hospice

17/11/2025

The death of a loved one can bring a range of emotions for children and young people which can be very overwhelming.

A child's grief might look quite different from an adults and this can be confusing.

ℹ️As part of Children’s Grief Awareness Week 17-23 November, Becca our Children’s Bereavement Worker Becca shares the following advice for supporting a young person experiencing grief:

1. Encourage them to express their feelings.
2. Support them to say goodbye.
3. Find ways to celebrate the person.
4. Spend quality time together.
5. Encourage them to keep doing activities they enjoy.
6. Talk about the person they've lost.
7. Reach out to their school.
8. Keep to normal routines as much as you can.
9. While its natural to try to shield a child from some of your own grief, allowing them to see some of your emotions is quite okay and shows them how they might be feeling is normal too.

ℹ️ Our team is happy to offer support and guidance to carers, parents and teachers both for pre- and post-bereavement of those with family members who have been within the care of Strathcarron, even if you do not feel your child needs professional input.

If you would like to speak to our team, please ask for Becca Munday in the Patient and Family Support Team on 01324 826222, or speak to Hospice staff about making a referral.

Further resources can be found at➡️ https://buff.ly/S7oNnX4

15/11/2025

🤩 Check out this week's Saturday hot retail picks!

🎄With Christmas approaching our shops have put together wonderful windows and displays in order to showcase the amazing donations we have that would make perfect gifts!

😍 Which is your favourite? Winter jumpers....or working watches?

💨 They are out on our shop floors today - be fast before they are gone!

☎️ Please contact the store directly for availability and any further info about the items.

👗 We have a fantastic range of quality preloved and new with tags items in our Strathcarron Shops.

❤️ By shopping with us, you help us to continue our vital work - every pound makes a difference.

Tag us in a photo if you buy one of our hot picks we would love to see how you dress them.

14/11/2025

Brilliant news! 🎉

Our Compassionate Communities Team is celebrating an award of £167,547 from The National Lottery Community Fund to expand its work in Slamannan and Bainsford Langlees, with wider work across Falkirk and Forth Valley.

The money will support the Hospice to work with local people to develop compassionate communities where people support one another through illness, death and grief. It will use the skills and strengths of people in the communities where we have established similar projects, like Fallin and Callander, to inspire people in other new areas.

The award has been recognised by Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank who visited the hospice today with Paul Godzik MSP candidate for Falkirk West.

Euan has tabled an Early Day Motion in the UK Parliament highlighting the exceptional palliative care work of the hospice, commending its dedication to dignity and compassion.

Thank you to Lynsey Hansford from CVS Falkirk and District for this ongoing partnership working.

14/11/2025

⭐ A huge THANK YOU to The Rotary Club of Grangemouth and the generosity of McDonald’s Community Foundation for their recent £5000 donation.

The local Rotary Club nominated us to receive the donation as part of their ongoing community retail and fundraising partnership with Strathcarron.

The £5,000 donation comes from proceeds of the McDonald’s in the Community Foundation’s 10p paper bag charge, collected in the Grangemouth Restaurant.

💙 The generous donation will help us to continue our vital work providing specialist end-of-life care and support to people and their families across Forth Valley, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.

The Rotary and Hospice partnership events include popular fashion shows featuring pre-loved designer goods from Strathcarron’s charity shops to encourage community, sustainability, the circular economy and the joy of shopping second-hand, all while supporting hospice care.

Elliot Jardine, Franchisee McDonald’s Restaurant, Grangemouth, said: “Strathcarron Hospice is a local charity close out our hearts and we give when we can. It is wonderful that every 10p paper bag purchased by our customers over the past year has generated an amazing £5,000. That this money will go direct to caring for people when they need it the most, supporting the vital work Strathcarron Hospice across our local communities, is incredible."

Fiona Hannah, Deputy Retail Manager at Strathcarron Hospice, said: “We are so grateful to the customers and team at McDonald’s Restaurant in Grangemouth and for the ongoing support of The Rotary Club of Grangemouth for keeping Strathcarron in their thoughts.

"As a Hospice charity, Strathcarron must raise £19,452 every day to continue providing all our specialist end-of-life care services free of charge across the communities it serves. This charity nomination is thanks to the customers who shop and dine at McDonald’s Restaurant in Grangemouth, so that this money will go directly to their local Hospice to care for local people when they need us most is a wonderful gift."

Stuart Comrie, Spokesperson for The Rotary Club of Grangemouth said: “This latest fundraising effort is part of an ongoing community partnership with Strathcarron Hospice. As two local charitable organisations, we have come together to create inclusive, community-focused events that connect people, promote sustainability and raise awareness of the great work of the Rotary and Strathcarron, as well as raising money to ensure that our local Hospice can continue to deliver their vital services for many years to come."

🎅 SANTA'S GROTTO

Upcoming fundraising plans for The Rotary group for the hospice includes a brand-new drop in Santa’s Grotto in Falkirk Howgate Shopping Centre which opens on Saturday 29 November (£5 per child - no booking required).

13/11/2025

A GOOD DEAL TO DO A GOOD DEED....

Sign up for our 2026 Firewalk or Falkirk Wheel Abseil and enjoy £5 off your entry fee with our special Black Friday offer 🤩

Offer will run until Sunday 30th November or until events sell out.

Make this your Black Friday deal to remember 🖤

https://buff.ly/9StSKYu

We're offering a special Black Friday Deal with £5 off entry fees to our 2026 Events - Firewalk and Falkirk Wheel Abseil.

12/11/2025

💙 Join us in the Hospice grounds on Tuesday 2 December at 7pm for a special Candlelight Celebration Service, to celebrate the lives of those we love and remember.

We invite you to come together for a time of remembrance and reflection led by Hospice Chaplain Stuart, accompanied by music from Dunblane Cathedral Handbell Ringers and Strathcarron Singers pianist Clare Richardson and soloist Clare McGarr.

To attend please pre-register by Sunday 30 November➡️ https://buff.ly/HrJTEMq

The event is free to attend but donations would be welcomed.

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🚗 Parking on the Night

• Please note that due to the volume of attendees expected, parking at the Hospice will be for disabled Blue Badge holders and current patient families only. We ask that all other attendees please use the park and ride bus service at Denny High School.
• A free park and ride bus service will be in operation-running from Denny High School car park from 6.15pm.
• Return shuttle buses will leave from the Hospice after the service with the last bus departing at 8pm.

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☕ Refreshments

Refreshments will be served prior and during the service.

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💻 Facebook Live

For anyone unable to attend the service in person, the event will be streamed via Facebook live.

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⭐ Strathcarron Stars

Dedicate a virtual 'Strathcarron Star' in memory of a loved one or celebrate someone that is very special to you by leaving your own special message and see your Star 'sparkle' in our virtual sky ➡️ https://buff.ly/l6IGSsN

💙 Thank you for your continued support

11/11/2025

Last week, we welcomed some of our amazing volunteer community can collectors for a cuppa and catch-up! ☕💙

Recently we let you know through their efforts and your spare change we raised an incredible £40,000 in the past year to support Strathcarron Hospice. 🌟

We’re currently looking for new volunteer community can collectors to join our amazing team!

If you’d like to get involved and make a difference in your local community, we’d love to hear from you.

📧 Get in touch: fundraising@strathcarronhospice.net

10/11/2025

⭐ Congratulations to our clinical staff who have been praised for their work supporting resident doctors in training by NHS Education for Scotland (NES).

👏 Areas lauded by the NES Deanery Quality Review Panels and Good Practice Review Panel were:

• Clinical supervision
• Educational environment & teaching
• Team culture
• Wellbeing and support
• Equality & inclusivity

Feedback came from newly qualified foundation doctors, GP registrars who will become GPs and specialty registrars who will become palliative medicine consultants of the future.

Thank you for your wonderful feedback for our exceptional Strathcarron team!

Read the full story ➡️ buff.ly/i602EDk

09/11/2025

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

'For the Fallen' Poem by Laurence Binyon

08/11/2025

Thank you to everyone who came along to our Strathcarron Hospice Vintage Fair today in Bridge of Allan!

Lots of you popped along to browse and buy some fabulous retro items. Your entry donations and purchases today will go towards the vital work we do supporting patients and their loved ones.

We need £19,452 a day to provide our charity services, so by shopping with Strathcarron you are supporting your local hospice and others within your community 💙

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who helped us with the event ⭐️

08/11/2025

🤩 Check out this week's Saturday hot retail picks!

😍 Which is your favourite? Designer jacket ....or lambswool jumper?

💨 They are out on our shop floors today - be fast before they are gone!

☎️ Please contact the store directly for availability and any further info about the items.

👗 We have a fantastic range of quality preloved and new with tags items in our Strathcarron Shops.

👘 Our vintage fair in Bridge of Allan is on today! Join us for an amazing selection of stalls including vintage clothing and vinyl, giving vintage items a new home and raising valuable funds for your local hospice.

❤️ By shopping with us, you help us to continue our vital work - every pound makes a difference.

Tag us in a photo if you buy one of our hot picks we would love to see how you dress them!

07/11/2025

105-year-old Marion lives in a residential care home and was experiencing loneliness and isolation as she didn’t have many visitors.

Although fairly content with watching the birds and squirrels from her bedroom window, she was keen for company she could chat to, as she was struggling to connect with the residents in her home who have dementia and Alzheimer’s.

💙 As part of our Strathcarron Hospice Compassionate Neighbours befriending initiative, one of our volunteers Lesley started visiting Marion.

Marion can still recount childhood memories from growing up in the Braes, as well as stories about working in the local explosives factory in WWII.

📖 On some of her visits, Lesley has been taking books from the local library containing photographs and history so they can look through them together.

In preparation for VE Day celebrations earlier this year, Lesley also painted Marion’s nails for her and helped her dress up for the occasion!

🍰 The friends have discovered a mutual love of baking and shared some home-made cake together for Marion’s 105th birthday.

ℹ️ If you would like to volunteer your time to provide friendship for someone in your local community like Marion and Lesley fill in a form here https://www.strathcarronhospice.net/apply-for-volunteering or for further info email fv.compassionatecommunities@nhs.scot