St Clare Hospice

15/04/2026

15/04/2026

Today, St Clare Hospice is supporting the Hospice UK Day of Action, please read a statement from our CEO, Sarah Thompson.

13/04/2026

Over £45,000 raised for St Clare, all thanks to you! 🩵

Yesterday we welcomed 533 runners to reach their personal best at our annual St Clare 10k - all in aid of hospice care 🎽👟

Their fantastic efforts have raised enough money to help pay for the cost of running our Community Palliative Care team for 15 days, who visit patients and families at home to help them manage complex symptoms, and avoid unecessary hospital admissions.

Thank you to everyone who joined us whether you ran, wheeled, walked, cheered from the sidelines or volunteered your time - we could not have done it without you 👏

And a special thank you to...

HTS Group
Jewson
The Wedding Brothers
Whiskful Baking Essex
Harlow Running & Tri Club
SV Sports Therapy
Steve's Ices
Harlow Garden Centre, part of Blue Diamond Garden Centres
Races Online
St John's Ambulance
Bents Plant Hire
& our fantastic volunteers!

Feeling inspired? Challenge yourself to run with purpose & take on a marathon in aid of hospice care: https://stclarehospice.org.uk/running-challenges/

Photo credit: Nigel & Jennifer Otter

11/04/2026

'She grew up in a coal mining village in the North East of England, where her father cared for pit ponies. Horses were part of her story from the very beginning.

'Later in life, she became an art teacher and an educational psychologist, someone who always made time for others, who loved gardens and flowers, and who could name plants by their Latin names. Even as dementia took hold, those deep-rooted memories stayed with her.'

Last year, Wyn was admitted to the St Clare Hospice Inpatient Unit after a fall.

Jen, her daughter, said: 'The difference from being in hospital was immediate. There were gardens with birdsong and calm, dignity and a sense of being truly seen. But it's not just the environment that makes hospice care so special, it's the way staff take time to understand what matters most.'

Soon after Wyn's arrival, her family were asked what mattered most to her. They spoke about her lifelong love of horses - not imagining what would follow.

And that's how Pebbles arrived in the Hospice garden on a sunny afternoon.

'Mum was taken outside, surrounded by flowers and fresh air. As Pebbles gently lowered his silky nose towards her, something changed. Memories unlocked, emotions surfaced and joy appeared. In that moment, she wasn't a patient nearing the end of her life - she was a little girl again, remembering the pit ponies of her childhood.

'That moment became an anchor for us. Amid loss and heartbreak, it gave us something beautiful to hold onto. Hospice care creates these moments because it understands that memories still matter - and that even at the end of life, new ones can still be made.

'That's why Forever Flowers mean so much to me. Like memories, they hold meaning, bring comfort and live on for those left behind,' Jen added.

This spring, plant hope for families like Wyn's by purchasing a handmade yellow Forever Flower for a suggested donation of £28 🌼

A Forever Flower is something you can return to year after year – whether you place it in your garden, by a loved one’s resting place or somewhere else that’s special to you.

Shop now: https://bit.ly/4c4rQqh

Each donation helps St Clare Hospice continue to create moments of comfort, dignity and meaning that stay with families forever.

10/04/2026

As a clinician, some conversations stay with you long after you've finished your working day.

You may be left wondering if you got it right, or if you could have done better 💭

When you are an experienced clinician, these conversations are part of the job - complex, sensitive and often emotionally heavy 😔

St Clare Hospice’s Advanced Communication Skills Training is designed for experienced clinicians who face these moments - and want to feel more confident and supported when they do.

• Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th April 2026 - 1 SPACE LEFT!

• Wednesday 1st & Tuesday 2nd July 2026 - LIMITED AVAILABILITY!

• Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th September 2026 - LIMITED AVAILABILITY!

Book now to avoid disappointment: https://bit.ly/41qubWh

10/04/2026

The countdown is on to the St Clare 10K this Sunday - and we can’t wait to cheer you on! 🏃

To help runners feel their best on the day, SV Sports Therapy will be on hand offering pre‑ and post‑run sports massages -perfect for getting race‑ready and supporting recovery.

Even better, 100% of SV Sports Therapy’s takings on the day are donated straight back to St Clare, so racers can enjoy a well-deserved sports massage knowing it’s supporting local hospice care.

Thank you SV Sports 💙

08/04/2026

St Clare Hospice is at the heart of Harlow, and we loved seeing our Scarlet, Vintage & Retro shop manager Tracey's mural come to life in MurWalls' LIVE event last month 🎨

"It was such an honour to be asked to be a part of MurWalls LIVE and to represent St Clare. Scarlet Vintage and Retro has a loyal customer following with regular customers that travel to shop with us and to support St Clare.

"On the Saturday when Abraham had started the artwork, I had customers come into the shop and ask if it was me being painted. They recognised me straight away just from Abraham's sketch. I didn't realise I looked that distinctive!

"This made me so excited to see the artwork as I knew it must be so realistic and accurate for our customers to notice. The whole energy around Harlow Town centre was amazing that day, all of our customers were excited about all the artwork as there were around 30 street artists working that day along with a DJ and street dancers. For St Clare, Scarlet Vintage and Retro to be a part of that was just so special," Tracey shared.

Reflecting on Harlow's upcoming redevelopment, Tracey added: "I was born in Harlow and have lived in Harlow all my life. I am proud of Harlow, we have lots of lovely green spaces, with the Town Park, River Stort, numerous sculptures, and a great creative community. I am so excited for the future of Harlow with the redevelopment of Harlow Town centre which Scarlet Vintage and Retro will be in the middle of.

"With the Lions on the Loose sculpture trail coming to Harlow in July, this fits in so well with the MurWalls street art installation. I can't wait for the Lions on the Loose trail, to see the excitement over the MurWalls event has shown me how amazing our Lion sculpture trail will become."

Check out Abraham's incredible portrait of Tracey below 👇

Your Harlow.Com Harlow Star

07/04/2026

'This year’s 10K feels especially meaningful. I’ve done it before, but with hospices under so much financial pressure at the moment, I really wanted to do something practical for the service I work in. When you care deeply about where you work, you naturally ask yourself, “What can I do to help?”'

This Sunday, Nicky, one of our wonderful Clinical Nurse Specialists, is taking on the St Clare 10k 🎽👟

Nicky shared: 'My role is all about supporting patients and families at an incredibly vulnerable time. Often, I’m visiting people at home to carry out a full assessment when they may be feeling frightened, uncertain or quite lost -especially if they’ve just been discharged from oncology services and don’t know what happens next.

'What I love is being able to reassure them that hospice care is about support, symptom management, and helping them live as well as possible for however much time they have. You can often see a real change in people during that first visit, when they start to feel safer, more informed and more supported. That’s incredibly rewarding.'

Looking ahead, Nicky said: 'I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere and seeing the people who come together for the event. It will be lovely to see relatives of patients we’ve supported, and hopefully some familiar faces from previous years as well. That sense of connection and community makes the day feel really special.'

St Clare care wouldn’t be what it is without the passionate, skilled and kind people behind it - people like Nicky 🩵

We’re incredibly proud of her and excited to cheer her on this weekend 👏🎉

Help Nicky reach her goal of raising £500 and leave her a good luck message here: https://bit.ly/3QpIuIc

05/04/2026

When Alan came home from hospital, distressed, exhausted and desperate to be somewhere familiar, it was the St Clare Hospice team who made that transition feel seamless. Alan had been diagnosed with a brain tumour last year and had been admitted to hospital after a fall.

The hospice worked hand in hand with hospital staff, district nurses, carers and the GP surgery to make sure everything was in place before Alan even reached the front door. What could have felt overwhelming instead became manageable.

Maureen says, “I don’t know where we’d be without St Clare. They’ve been amazing, so genuine, compassionate and kind. The hospice is special… it doesn’t bear thinking about life without them.”

Alan died at home on Saturday 28 March, with Maureen holding his hand.

Maureen knows Alan would have wanted to thank everyone at St Clare Hospice. As a small gesture of gratitude from Alan and the whole family, Maureen gifted Easter eggs to all the staff who came into Alan’s life. She feels they are a small way to say thank you for the dignity, comfort and humanity the team brought to such a difficult time.

We’d like to thank Maureen and Alan's family for this touching gift, and for kindly sharing their story with us to help show the impact St Clare Hospice has on local families 💛

Read more of Alan and Maureen’s story here: https://bit.ly/486b3AA

02/04/2026

📢 Announcement - Hastingwood Bereavement Café open Friday 3rd April

Our wonderful Hastingwood Bereavement Café volunteers will be at the hospice as usual, warmly welcoming you to the Café on Good Friday (3rd April).

If you're keen to meet and connect with other bereaved people, please do come along for a warm, supportive space to spend time with others who understand 🩵

31/03/2026

Pedal with purpose this September 🚴 Ready for an unforgettable challenge? Grab your bike and take on the legendary 55-mile London to Brighton cycle ride - all while helping to fund vital hospice care 💙

• Saturday 13th September 2026
• Clapham Common ➡️ Brighton Seafront
• Raise £100 to earn your exclusive St Clare cycling vest 🎽

Feel the thrill of the open road, tackle the climbs, and cross that finish line knowing you’ve pushed yourself for an incredible cause.

Join Team St Clare today - spaces are limited, so sign up now to avoid missing out: https://bit.ly/4bjIMsw

Know someone who’d love this challenge? Tag them below 👇

Skyline Events

30/03/2026

This National Doctors Day, we wanted to spotlight one of our wonderful specialist doctors - Dr Enam 🩺

Dr Enam's palliative care journey began when he took on a placement at St Clare as a GP trainee in 2008.

"That placement led me to change my mind about being a GP and I chose a career in palliative care. I went on to do a post-graduate diploma in palliative medicine at Cardiff University and became a specialist in palliative medicine in 2023."

When asked about what he enjoys most about his job, Enam said: "I can spend time with the patient and family members and get to know them as people - not just their symptoms, but their stories, their fears, their hopes.

"For me, this work is far more than just a job. It’s a kind of vocation. It’s my passion. And my patients teach me constantly. I learn on a daily basis from my patients. For me, every patient is a book… you try to open and read them, and you learn from them.

"Palliative medicine brings together so many dimensions of life. It’s a combination of medicine, philosophy, and spirituality. Here at St Clare you can feel and touch compassion… it becomes very tangible to you."

When asked about a patient who he'll always remember, Enam shared: "I remember caring for a young woman in 2009, and it stayed with me. She was understandably frightened. When she arrived, she was independent and walked into the Unit. One of the first things she asked me was whether anything could cure her cancer. She was only 26 with young boys and it showed just how much hope and fear she was carrying at the same time.

"My supervisor, Professor Qamar, and I sat with her and had an open, honest conversation. We listened to what she was really asking, explored what she was hoping for, and tried to make sure she felt heard at a moment that was overwhelming for her.

"Looking back, that experience shaped a lot of my approach to palliative care. It taught me the importance of taking time, communicating gently and clearly, and supporting people not just with their symptoms but with the emotional and psychological burdens they are carrying too."

Palliative medicine at St Clare is rooted not just in clinical expertise, but in people. Dr Enam embodies this blend of skill, time and compassion and we couldn't be more grateful that he is part of Team St Clare 💛