St Barnabas House

04/04/2026

Easter chicks, flowers and eggs are brightening the walls and tables at the hospice this weekend — all thanks to the wonderfully creative pupils at in Southwick! 🐣🌸🐰

Tens of beautifully decorated cards have appeared throughout the reception area, bringing smiles to patients, families and colleagues alike.

Cheeky chicks perched on straw nests and brightly coloured bunnies gathered around Easter eggs galore have made the hospice feel extra festive.

A huge thank you to all the children for thinking of us over the holiday. We hope you have the best time on your Easter egg hunts this weekend — and that the sun is shining where you are. 💛🌞

02/04/2026

“He brought magic into every day...”

Joe was just 34 when he died in 2021. A primary school teacher from Shoreham, a triathlete, and a devoted dad to Eryn and Felicity, he filled every day with fun, laughter and a touch of magic✨

“Joe wasn’t afraid of dying, but he was frightened that his daughters wouldn’t remember him. I was never going to let that happen...as soon as we found out Joe’s cancer was terminal, we booked in lots of fun activities to do as a family. Life was about making memories, and we did as much of it as we could.”
– Tania, Joe’s wife.

With support from St Barnabas House, Joe and Tania made sure the children understood his illness, treatment, and what would happen next.

In this family story, Tania pays tribute to her “funny, loving” husband and describes how St Barnabas House helped them navigate this time and beyond.

“For our girls, he’s in the stars – but he’s definitely left some of his magic behind.”

👉 Read their full story and the incredible impact of hospice care: www.stbarnabas-hospice.org.uk/blog-post/joes-story

27/03/2026

Following a period of consultation with colleagues, we have had to make some very difficult decisions about how our services look from the end of this month at St Barnabas House, Martlets Hospice, Chestnut Tree House.

We are making changes now so we can continue to care for those who need us most, those with the most complex needs. To do this, we’re prioritising those needing specialist palliative and end-of-life care. This is where we make the greatest difference to patients and their loved ones.

Like many hospices across the UK, we are facing rising demand and increasing costs, and we are currently operating with a £3.7 million deficit.

This hasn’t been an easy decision, but we’d like to thank our incredible colleagues for all their support as we have gone through this difficult time.

Huge thanks to our communities and supporters for their understanding, too. We are committed to being here for you for many years to come, and we couldn’t do it without you standing by our side.

Read more: www.southernhospicegroup.org.uk/an-important-update-on-our-services-consultation-outcome

21/03/2026

“Mum wanted her legacy to benefit others. There are people out there that don't have anybody at the end, and they are the ones she most wanted to help.”

-- Sarah, Liz’s daughter, speaks about her mum’s kindness in supporting hospice care so others might benefit, too 💛

Liz first came to St Barnabas House for her husband Tony’s last days, where she was deeply moved by the compassion shown to him.

Known to generations as ‘Mrs Hammond’, the beloved Rustington teacher – who was also supported by St Barnabas House at the end of her life - made supporting local hospice care part of her legacy when writing her Will.

Daughter Sarah shares her family’s powerful story here:
👉 www.stbh.org.uk/blog-post/lizs-story

19/03/2026

💛 Hospice care needs your support more than ever.

A new national report has shown something we at St Barnabas House see every day — more people than ever need end‑of‑life care, but the funding to provide it simply isn’t keeping up.

CEO Stuart Palma said:

“Demand for care is rising fast, but funding isn’t. Hospices are being asked to bridge an ever‑widening gap — and we cannot do this alone.”

Hospices care for hundreds of thousands of people each year, helping families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. When services are cut, more people end up in hospital, often against their wishes.

Everyone deserves dignity and choice at the end of life.

We urgently need:
🔹 A clear definition of core services
🔹 A fair, sustainable funding model
🔹 Recognition of the essential value hospice care provides

📄 You can read our statement and find a link to the report here: www.southernhospicegroup.org.uk/hospice-funding-must-be-addressed-urgently-warns-southern-hospice-group/

💛 Thank you to everyone who supports us and hospice care for our communities.

17/03/2026

🎬 We’ve made the finals! 🎉

The People’s Choice category of the is now open — and your vote could help shine a national spotlight on the power and importance of hospice care.

Our film, ‘We’re here for you. Will you be here for us?’, has already helped raise vital funds for our hospice services. Now, as a finalist, it has the chance to reach even more people who need to hear Marc’s story.

Marc’s voice shares the comfort and compassion palliative care can bring — but also the very real fear felt by people across the country who worry this support won’t be there when they need it most.
❤️ Every vote helps amplify this message.

Please take a moment to support the film and help us raise urgent awareness of the life‑changing importance of hospice care.

🌟 It takes just 10 seconds to vote.

👉 Vote here: https://smileycharityfilmawards.com/films/were-here-for-you-will-you-be-here-for-us?

🗳️ Voting closes April 23.

Thank you for standing with us💛

15/03/2026

Warm wishes to everyone marking Mother’s Day today.

Whether you’re spending time with loved ones, taking a quiet moment for yourself, or navigating complicated feelings, we’re thinking of you ❤

Mother’s Day can bring up many emotions—especially if you’re bereaved or missing your mum. There’s no right or wrong way to feel, and no expectation to celebrate, be productive, or put on a brave face.

If remembering your mum feels comforting, it can be done in a way that’s gentle, personal, and entirely your own. And if it helps to have a few ideas, here are ten meaningful ways you might choose to remember your mum this Mother’s Day.

Visit: www.stbh.org.uk/blog-post/remembering-mums-on-mothers-day

12/03/2026

Our pre-loved Kilo Sale is next week! 🌷

Refresh your wardrobe, save clothes from landfill, and support local hospice care.

💙Sunday 22 March
💙Hove Outlet & Home Store
💙Fill a bag for just £8 (around 5 kilos of fashion finds)

Pop the date in your diary and share with family and friends!

Find out more: stbh.org.uk/events/pre-loved-kilo-sale

26/02/2026

We’re seeing a few glimpses of Spring this week at the hospice. 🌼

Pink blossoms are appearing on some of the trees, and miniature narcissi have popped up across the site – including all around our water fountain welcoming visitors with a burst of yellow.

We are lucky to be surrounded by beautiful gardens and patients have access to their own private, accessible gardens too.

It’s lovely to see a little bit of colour reappearing. And with two ducks on the pond, Spring really can’t be far away 🌸

23/02/2026

Have your say and win a hamper! 🎉

We’re reviewing our events programme and would love your input. Your feedback will help us understand what you enjoy most and shape the events we organise and promote in the future.

Simply complete our short survey by 27th February to be entered into the prize draw.

Share your thoughts here:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Xz21SPpLDUOt40gzf4upXs2wzjva2RVDnyuy05t-qQlUQlkwS05QSEtHR1VJSEdXUDdLSTVTOU4xVi4u

17/02/2026

An important update on our services...

Following years of increased demand, rising costs and funding that hasn’t kept pace with inflation, like many hospices across the UK we’re operating at an unsustainable financial deficit.

We need to make some difficult decisions now to ensure our long-term financial sustainability, and today, after a detailed review of our clinical offering, we’ve proposed some changes to our services to colleagues. This means that the services we offer to our patients and families at Chestnut Tree House, Martlets Hospice and St Barnabas House may soon look different.

The proposals are subject to change throughout the consultation, so we’re not able to share more detail yet, but our patients and families remain our priority at this time. We’ll write directly to patients and families where any confirmed changes relate to their care.

We’d like to thank our incredible communities and supporters for their understanding at this difficult time.

To read more about what’s happening, visit: https://www.southernhospicegroup.org.uk/an-important-update-on-our-services/

16/02/2026

Our pre-loved Kilo Sale is back - just in time for Spring! 🌷

Refresh your wardrobe, save clothes from landfill, and support local hospice care.

💙Sunday 22 March
💙Hove Outlet & Home Store
💙Fill a bag for just £8 (around 5 kilos of fashion finds)

Pop the date in your diary and share with family and friends!

Find out more: stbh.org.uk/events/pre-loved-kilo-sale