Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity

18/07/2025

🌟 Huge thanks to George & Carol Dedman, Gareth Offord, and Shona Egan for hosting a fantastic community fundraiser at the Margaret Catchpole pub on 21st June!

🎉 With live music, a bouncy castle, coconut shy, and a sizzling BBQ, it was a brilliant afternoon full of fun and generosity — all in support of Cancer Services at Ipswich Hospital.

💖 Inspired by their own journeys and the care they received, the team raised an amazing £1,000, with an extra £130 kindly donated by Dedman Butchers — taking their total to £2,602 and smashing their target!

🙏 We’re so grateful for their support — and we hear another event might be on the cards. Watch this space!

14/07/2025

In December 2022, Tracey Steward started treatment for Breast Cancer, and was so grateful for the support from Ipswich Hospital's Cancer Services and the Wellbeing Centre🫶

Supported by family and friends through the journey, dear friends Ali Baldry and Kerry Read wanted to help fundraise and so Ali decided to join Tracey and had a head shave back in 2023🫶 raising £4,610.

Continuing their fundraising two years on, Tracey decided arrange a Halloween Night and raffle at the Golden Hind, supported by Ali and Kerry.

They were delighted to see so many enjoy the community event and we're so grateful to Tracey for her donation of £2,940.50! Thank you to all that supported this event and thank you to Tracey, Ali and Kerry for your continued support🩷

Are you planning an event to support Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity? Our Community Fundraising and Events Managers would be delighted to hear from you. Get in touch with us today and they can provide you with helpful fundraising tips and ideas 🤩

colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk

11/07/2025

A big thank you to fundraiser Tina Clack, who organises weekly bingo in the Needham Market area, providing a gathering for the community and enabling her to fundraise for various charities close to their hearts💙

The bingo is attended by her longtime friend and neighbour, Mrs Meadows, who is currently receiving radiotherapy treatment at Ipswich Hospital🏥

Mrs Meadows was keen to give something back in recognition of the care she is receiving and nominated the Radiotherapy Fund at Ipswich Hospital, which received a donation of £800!

Thank you to Mrs Meadows for nominating us and Tina for her commitment to fundraising and her fabulous donation; our Radiotherapy staff were delighted👏

10/07/2025

A huge thank you to everyone who joined our Garden Summer Celebration in the Wellbeing Garden yesterday, and to the RHS Community Outreach team for organising wonderful workshops with and Forest Bathing Practitioner, Nick Rainbird.🌻💛🌼

We hope those who joined found a moment to pause and relax. Our wellbeing garden is there for any patients, families or staff who need a moment away from a clinical environment to rest and recharge.

Keep an eye on our website for upcoming workshops to get involved in: colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk/staff-wellbeing-workshops

09/07/2025

Our Garden Summer Celebration is happening today!

Join us in the Colchester Hospital Wellbeing Garden from 11.30-3pm for free tea, cake and nature workshops to celebrate you🌳🌻

Manage to catch a good picture of the garden? Send it over to wellbeing@esneft.nhs.uk for a chance to win a prize!📸

03/07/2025

🌹A royal moment for Colchester Hospital🌹

We were delighted to receive a visit from Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales to the Wellbeing Garden and the Cancer Wellbeing Centre at Colchester Hospital.

Princess Catherine's visit was as Patron of the RHS and coincided with the donation of 50 ‘Catherine’s Rose’ plants to the garden.

The Princess joined staff, ESNEFT volunteers and those who use these vital services to understand how gardens and wellbeing services in healthcare settings play a crucial role in promoting good health outcomes and supporting recovery time.💙

The wellbeing garden is funded entirely from charitable donations with thanks to generous donations to staff wellbeing to Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity and the generosity of the RHS - Royal Horticultural Society, The Oak Foundation and NHS Charities TogetherGreener Communities Fund and their funding partners including Starbucks and Hubbub.

The Cancer Wellbeing Centre at Colchester Hospital was opened in 2019 and is funded entirely by community donations to the Cancer Wellbeing Appeal run by Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity. It provides vital support and information to those who are affected by cancer. Whether you are a patient, family member or carer, the team is there to help.

30/06/2025

To mark his 70th birthday, Allen Smith has turned a personal journey into an incredible act of kindness.💙

So far, he has managed to raise an incredible £4259! That's almost double his target!

Allen was diagnosed with Oesophageal cancer in January 2023. After a complex 10 hour surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, cancer cells were later found in his lungs. Despite ongoing treatments, Allen remains determined to give back to the team that has cared for his with such dedication.

With the help of his wife Rona, Allen hosted a series of heartfelt afternoon teas this June which were an overwhelming success thanks to the love and support of friends and family.

Donations are still welcomed: https://www.justgiving.com/page/allen-smith-1

26/06/2025

On Sunday, June 15, Alyson Chilvers and a group of fabulous friends and family set out to deliver a Father’s Day afternoon tea in the village of Otley. Capturing the community's imagination, the event resulted in a sell-out, featuring fabulous food, music, and a community spirit that will long be remembered💙

In 2024, Ian Chilvers was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and received the news that it was incurable but treatable. Ian is currently undergoing treatment at Ipswich Hospital, so his family wanted to give him a special Father’s Day, believing that all dads should share in the love.

“We decided to take the attitude that instead of dying from cancer Ian would be living with it. We set about turning a negative into a positive by organising an Afternoon Tea in order to raise funds for the Woolverstone Cancer Unit where Ian receives his treatment.

"We are so fortunate to be surrounded by such a loving and caring family and to live within a supportive community who volunteered to make sandwiches, bake cakes and donate raffle prizes. Although we sold well over 100 tickets the one thing that we found most difficult was asking people for money but then we considered that every penny raised is not for us but for everyone who has had, is having or who might well have to receive treatment from the Woolverstone Cancer Unit in the future.

"We had such a wonderful and memorable day surrounded by love and support and in the process raised over £4,000.”

We are thrilled to announce that this generosity has resulted in a donation of £4,354. Our thanks go to everyone for their continued support as Alyson, Ian, and family continue to fundraise in recognition of the care and treatment Ian is receiving. They plan further events to raise £10,000. We wish them all the very best!

25/06/2025

Just one week until our mosaic workshop!💛💙💚

Open to all staff and volunteers, get creative and make a mosaic to celebrate the Wellbeing garden with artist, Anne Schwegmann-Fielding.

This is an in-person workshop taking place on 02 July at Colchester Hospital Wellbeing Garden.🌳

Workshops run from 12.15-1pm, 1.15-2pm and 2.15-3pm at Colchester Hospital Wellbeing Garden.

Sign up by emailing: wellbeing@esneft.nhs.uk.

25/06/2025

Want to know what to expect from our upcoming events? Join Nicole and Sandra today at 12pm live on Hospital Radio Ipswich 🎙

In this week’s ‘Make a difference’ show, Wednesday at midday, Nicole will be joined by Sandra Gosney, who will be popping in to the studio to talk about what people can expect from Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity upcoming events! Plus, an update on what’s happening in the community.

Guaranteed good music too when Nicole is at the mic!

Bedside channel 1, online, on smart speaker and on the HR Ipswich app, which you can download free from our website hri.org.uk