Skanda Vale Hospice

10/01/2026

We've been busy with a bit of woodwork at Skanda Vale Hospice.

New signs now mark each room—slices of well-seasoned oak, sanded smooth and laser-engraved, installed by a small team of volunteers who enjoyed every stage: cutting, sanding, designing, engraving, fitting. There's something quietly satisfying about seeing a chunk of wood become part of the place.

The reception desk is new too—built from our own beech blockwood—opening up the space and bringing a little more light into the entrance. Practical, simple, and made by hand.

If you like the idea of rolling up your sleeves, working with your hands, and helping keep a place like this running, we'd love to hear from you:

https://www.skandavalehospice.org/hospice-volunteers/maintenance-volunteer/

09/01/2026

"Well, where do I start? From the moment my wife and I walked through the doors of Skanda Vale Hospice during our visit from Scotland to see my sister, we were met with the most warming welcome, full of love and acceptance.

We were quickly swept into the communal area, where we were met with many volunteers who all acknowledged us and welcomed us with their own unique blend of compassion. We were introduced to other patients who were delighted to talk to us and include us in their own life stories, as if we were old friends.

Before I travelled to see my sister, I was filled with dread as she was very unwell, and I was concerned about how I would feel leaving her when we had to return to Scotland. However, after speaking with her and experiencing firsthand the atmosphere created by the environment of Skanda Vale Hospice, these anxieties were soon dissolved.

The absolute compassion emitted by the love of all the staff and volunteers, and hearing first hand the experiences of both my sister, other patients, as well as the staff and volunteers, we returned to Scotland relieved and with an inner peace which is hard to describe.

The love and peace my wife and I felt was reflected in my sister’s own words, saying that she had found such incredible support, love and assisted care during this part of her life journey.

My sister said: “Amongst other things, Skanda Vale Hospice has given me time to think, to organise my thoughts and experience companionship in a way I never thought existed.”

We would love for you to read this letter to your staff and patients to let your volunteers and nursing staff know the difference they are making. Their care extended much further than the hospice and sent my wife and I away reflecting on how ‘care’ can be delivered differently whilst maintaining clinical excellence in an environment conducive to peace, calm and inner spiritual exploration. You are all so inspiring and are making a difference!

I know my sister really benefited and continued to benefit from the love shown.

I would personally like to thank every single person I encountered, especially the patients, for including our family in their lives at this moment in their journey.

Your love and care was truly felt today."

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Beautiful words from Alan Laing - a relative of one of our hospice patients.

06/01/2026

❄️ Snow, ice… and a sparkling hospice! Yesterday, our volunteer cleaning team braved the wintery roads to get the hospice gleaming for next week's respite guests.

Sunshine through the garden’s stained glass, mops, dusters, teamwork, and a big pot of cheesy pasta for lunch.

Fancy helping out a few hours a week? Good company, worthwhile work, and flexible times that fit around your life. Find out more: https://www.skandavalehospice.org/hospice-volunteers/volunteer-cleaner/

02/01/2026

"One of the most beautiful things that we can offer on a hospice respite week is taking patients to the elephant house. It's just something that people can't get anywhere else. It's a completely unique experience.

It's life-changing, and often a really emotional experience for people. Because being in that presence of an elephant is... I mean, it's pretty monumental for most people.

It helps them open up, relax, and shed this armour.

This letting go – it doesn't usually happen on a first, or second or third visit. It can even take some patients a year, if they’re still with us. We’ve had people say, ‘I’m not religious, I’m not spiritual.’ It just takes time for them to relax in the hospice.

And they just see me around, helping feed somebody or helping move somebody, or greeting someone, or just having a chat. And then, bit by bit, they’re like, ‘Oh, this person’s quite nice!’ You know, not this kind of weird, scary nun, or chaplain or something.

That grace, that spiritual essence, is there in the hospice, and you’re just an instrument. You’re helping people to gain a little bit of peace and to be in a better place before they die, which is I think, the greatest service you can offer."

Sister Ally - Spiritual Care Lead

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! 2025 was a full one at Skanda Vale Hospice.

We firewalked (barefoot), got soaked at the London 10K, took patients to meet Valli the elephant, and learned that Santa turns up more reliably on a Harley than in a sleigh.

There were cream teas at sunset, choirs at the Summer Fete, and Derek the pony reminding us that personal space is optional.

This year, more people reached out to us than ever before, more people came through the day hospice, and patient satisfaction stayed exactly where we want it — very high.

In early 2026, we’re increasing respite care from 4 nights and 5 days, to 6 nights and 7 days each month. That matters.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the year what it was.

Onwards!

27/12/2025

Team Skanda Vale Hospice at the Tenby Boxing Day Swim – we had Owain Glyndŵr, the Lady of the Lake, a bunch of leeks and daffodils, Merlin, and one very large Welsh dragon. Probably our coldest swim yet. Definitely our best! All of this for Skanda Vale Hospice – providing unhurried care, completely free of charge, to families living with life-limiting illness. Anything you can give is very gratefully received. https://justgiving.com/campaign/svhseaswim2025

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23/12/2025

The Welsh dragon is rising: Salvaged insulation, expanding foam, two porridge bowls for eyes (and we're still waiting to hear from our insurers about the flamethrower idea 🔥)

Our team are building this beast for the Boxing Day Sea Swim in Tenby, and there’s still time to be part of it. Take a bracing dip alongside a few hundred Shirley Basseys and Tom Joneses, or stay gloriously dry and sponsor the madness from the shore.

📍 Boxing Day, Tenby North Beach, 11:00am

Every sponsorship supports Skanda Vale Hospice – helping us continue offering expert care, free of charge, to those affected by life-limiting illnesses across West Wales.

Whatever you're able to give matters.

https://www.skandavalehospice.org/events/tenby-boxing-day-sea-swim/

22/12/2025

"Skanda Vale Hospice has been a lifeline for me following a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Such earth-shattering news left me adrift and struggling to cope with terrible anxiety. I live alone and am supported by good friends, but they too are dealing with the shock and have their own lives.

I was referred to the hospice by my palliative care nurse specialist and attending day hospice once a fortnight has been a transformative experience. I have been loved, supported and cared for physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

I honestly do not know how I would have got through the last couple of years without the amazing team of mainly volunteers who make the hospice a place where it is safe to be vulnerable. They understand. They know when you need to talk and when you don't. They respect boundaries, but I know I am never alone when I am there.

It is a wonderful reflection of the hospice that the team often say that they get as much out of being there as we do. The atmosphere of the place is like a gentle hug.

One of the many benefits is being able to get to know others in a similar position, as they more than anyone know how it feels. Family, carers and friends can benefit too, having a break from their role and receiving the same loving care and access to therapies and relaxation.

I love that it is entirely down to me as to how the day looks when I attend. I can have a therapy, take part in arts and crafts, be supported to have a bath which I couldn't do at home, wander the stunning, peaceful gardens, sit in the roundhouse and listen to the birds, or just have a nap. There is sometimes music or poetry, and there is always good food!

I feel so very grateful that such an awesome place is available to me and that it never costs a penny for us as users. It is a very sad situation that Skanda Vale Hospice is the only hospice service available in all of West Wales and that it is entirely dependent upon donations to survive.

I feel very strongly that everyone should be able, as their website says, to "live well and die well". The local community is very fortunate to be able to access this service. In fact the broader community is, as Skanda Vale Hospice does not believe that your postcode should dictate whether those with life-limiting illnesses can receive compassionate care to make these days easier to manage.

The support the hospice receives from the local community goes to show how appreciated they are. Fundraisers, fetes, coffee mornings, opportunities to talk about death and dying in a safe space are always so well received and attended."

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Beautiful words from one of our patients (who prefers to remain anonymous)

20/12/2025

Last night, around 100 of us gathered for the sparkly Skanda Vale Hospice Christmas party. It was a genuine treat to have so many of the team in one place — nurses, carers, gardeners, therapists, trustees — (almost) the whole crew. The buffet deserved its own round of applause.

We were also reminded why we’re here. Brother Jakob and Brother Francis spoke with warmth and clarity about how the hospice continues to grow — now supported by over 150 volunteers — and about plans to open extra nights of respite care in the new year.

Then the music took over. A conga snaked its way around the lounge to ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ and Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’, followed by a quiz and a lot of laughter.

It was a great reminder that this hospice is built not just on care and commitment, but on people who genuinely enjoy being together. Thank you to everyone who made it happen, and to everyone who makes the hospice what it is, day in and day out. 💫

19/12/2025

People imagine hospice volunteering as something heavy—a calling for morally advanced individuals who meditate at dawn and never lose their car keys.

At Skanda Vale Hospice, volunteers don’t come to perform heroics. They come to offer time, attention, and a steady, human presence. And that turns out to be quietly transformative — for patients and for the people who show up to help.

Volunteers tell us they leave feeling lighter than they arrived. More grounded. Slightly restored. As if the world makes sense again, at least for an afternoon.

Our new blog explores the real experience of hospice volunteering—what it actually involves, what you need (spoiler: not much), and why volunteers say they receive more than they give.

https://www.skandavalehospice.org/news/why-volunteer-hospice/

14/12/2025

There’s a moment on Boxing Day when you find yourself standing on Tenby North Beach, wrapped up in fancy dress and questionable life choices, staring out at the grey December sea. You ask yourself: “Why am I here?” And then you run. And then you’re in. And suddenly you’re laughing, alive—and you remember exactly why.

This year, the theme is 'All Things Welsh'. Daffodil, leek, miner, bard, or even Tom Jones—turn heads, raise eyebrows, become a legend. You don’t need to be fast, fit, fearless, or even fully awake—just willing to be very cold, very briefly, in the company of hundreds of other joyful lunatics.

We go in together. We come out together. Honestly—the anticipation is much worse than the actual splash. Meet from 11:00am on Tenby North Beach. Splash at 11:30am.

Support our team! It’s cold, it’s chaotic, and it absolutely makes a difference. Every sponsorship supports Skanda Vale Hospice and helps us continue offering expert care, free of charge, to those affected by life-limiting illnesses across West Wales. Whatever you’re able to give matters: https://justgiving.com/campaign/svhseaswim2025

11/12/2025

Yesterday, Santa arrived not in a sleigh, but astride a gleaming “Harley-ish” Kawasaki — 1700cc of festive thunder humming as he (almost) brought the bike right into our living room. Headlights on. Engine ticking over. Boom!

With a big-hearted vibe that followed him like exhaust fumes, Santa handed out biscuits and treats to our patients. The whole team packed in the living room for a big cheer, and Bayari hopped in the saddle for a lovely team photo moment.

A huge thank you to Griff Kawasaki — for lots of smiles. Lots of laughs. Exactly what we needed.