I’ve supported Queenscourt for a number of years now, including by being a member of  Queenscourt’s Lottery and also through buying their raffle tickets.
l work at Southport Hospital in the Blood Transfusion Laboratory. We often get blood samples in from patients at Queenscourt that need a transfusion. I have also had to visit friends and colleagues in the Hospice. It amazes me how on entering you completely forget where you are.
All of the staff are so friendly and welcoming and I even used to take my dog in on a Saturday morning, when l visited the hospice pre-pandemic.
Queenscourt’s charity shops are kept immaculately clean and at Christmas they have a range of cards depicting local scenes of Southport, Formby and West Lancashire, and I have bought the ones of Southport for the last few years.
You have to remember that the Hospice is run as a charity so funds are greatly needed. I would certainly tell people that it is a great charity to support for the benefit of local people, and that’s why I chose to donate part of my winnings back to Queenscourt.
You can support your local hospice by joining Queenscourt Lottery (www.queenscourt.org.uk/lottery) or by making a donation at www.queenscourt.org.uk/donate

What’s more, Vicki’s daughter Sophie Edwards is now also training to be a nurse after witnessing her mother’s passion for her vocation.

Vicki had a good job in sales when her Gramps, Bill Kerr, came under the care of the Queenscourt at Home service in 2009. “We had been caring for Gramps as a family, but we were really struggling,” she said. “That’s when we turned to Queenscourt.

“They made such a difference and Gramps had such a good death. That’s when I thought I wanted to make a difference to people’s lives so handed in my notice and became a Health Care Support Worker (HCSW).”

Vicki then attended Bangor University and, having two children, continued to work as a HCSW throughout her studies and also took on as many palliative care placements as she could.

Upon graduation she was “lucky enough” to get a job at Nightingale Hospice in Wrexham before moving on to St Kentigern’s Hospice in Denbighshire.

“Queenscourt doesn’t know the impact it has had on my life,” said Vicki. “It changed my life and my perspective on everything and has led me to where I am now. It is an amazing place.”

“I saw on Facebook that someone in my road had won, but thought it must be someone else,” said Ray. “The next day the post arrived and my wife Sue opened it to find the winner’s cheque inside. She spent the next hour on the phone telling everyone – it really was a lovely surprise.”

Ray, who has been a Lottery member for about 20 years, has already given away most of his jackpot – including a very generous £250 donation back to Queenscourt, for which we are very grateful.

He also gave some to his daughters, Michelle and Tracy and to his three grandchildren, and intends to buy a new TV once the shops reopen.

Ray and his brother Tony, who has been a Queenscourt volunteer for many years, are keen supporters of the Hospice and both make regular donations in lieu of family Christmas and birthday presents.

“Queenscourt is such an amazing place,” said Ray. “Everyone there is so nice and they go that extra mile for their patients. I’m happy to support them, and their Lottery is so easy to play.”

To learn more about Queenscourt Lottery and how to play go to www.queenscourt.org.uk/Lottery

Jan’s father Bill Kerr was among the first patients to be cared for by the Queenscourt at Home Service in 2009 and had also been an in-patient at Queenscourt for a short time. The combination of the care he received on site and at home changed his family’s perception of hospice care forever.

“It is a marvellous place, so different from what we expected,” said Jan. “We were all made to feel so welcome and they couldn’t do enough for us - both during Dad’s illness and after he died. It completely changed my view of what a hospice is.

It was thanks to Queenscourt that my father died surrounded by his family, in his own home and with Vera Lynn playing on the CD – just as he had wanted.”

Jan has played Queenscourt’s Lottery for several years now and had no hesitation when asked to consider taking a second number. “It really is such a great cause and the extra £1 a week is a drop in the ocean, but will make a big difference to Queenscourt.”

If you are interested in playing Queenscourt Lottery for only £1 per week or want to double your chances of winning a weekly top prize of £1,500 and take out a second number like Jan, we would be very grateful. Your support makes all the difference to help Keep Queenscourt in Service as we celebrate our Pearl Anniversary year. Please visit www.queenscourt.org.uk/Lottery to learn more and join on-line.

Over the past 30 years, Queenscourt has provided exceptional care and support for thousands of patients across West Lancashire, Formby and Southport. Here we share the memories of two of those families whose loved ones were cared for by #teamqueenscourt.

Jackie Cockwill’s daughter Kayleigh Hayes was just 23 when she died of bowel cancer in June 2013. Kayleigh had initially visited the Hospice as an out-patient for help with her pain management but was later admitted and spent her last 24 hours in Queenscourt’s care.

“Everyone at Queenscourt really went above and beyond, not only to help Kayleigh, but to support our family and friends,” said Jackie. “Even after Kayleigh passed away they were always there for me.”

Jackie subsequently became a dedicated fundraiser for Queenscourt – organising six Dragonfly Balls, taking part in Star Trekk walks and supporting the Forget Me Not and Lights of Love campaigns each year as well as organising smaller events. She has raised almost £23,000 and has also volunteered for Queenscourt.

Why does she do it? “I know what it feels like to lose somebody you love,” she said. “Losing a child is really hard and you need somebody you can lean on, fall back on and Queenscourt was there for me when I needed them.

“I just want to give back to say thank you for that. If we don’t do these things to help them, they are not going to be there when others need them.”

The wonderful care given to her son, Bob Parry, by the team at Queenscourt, led to Pat Buck raising thousands of pounds for our charity and also volunteering at one of our shops.

Bob spent time as an in-patient at Queenscourt and was later treated as an out-patient before being re-admitted in 2018 after his liver cancer spread to his bones. He spent six weeks in Queenscourt before arrangements were made for him to return home, where he was under the care of the Queenscourt at Home team.

“I cannot explain just how wonderful everyone was at Queenscourt,” said Pat. “I was absolutely amazed at what a serene and beautiful place it is and they were so lovely to Bob – everything he wanted, he got. They couldn’t do enough for him. Bob was always laughing and joking with the nurses and other staff. It is hard to describe just how special it is.”

Pat has since taken part in our Star Trekk night walk with 20 friends and family, raising over £10,000; and, with her sister Janet Currie, also took part in our To The Moon and Back initiative, raising a further £1,400.

As well as fundraising, Pat has also become a Queenscourt Volunteer and, along with her sister Janet, has been helping out at our Chapel Street shop.

Over £40,000 has been raised to buy the new beds and mattresses , which will enhance patient care and help to make our ward area more dementia-friendly.

This fantastic fundraising total has been raised in several ways and by a variety of contributors, including:

-           The Community Link Foundation

-             The Reed Foundation

-             Donors via The Big Give Christmas Challenge fundraising initiative

-             Southport & Formby GP Federation

-             GTB Demolition

#TeamQueenscourt are committed to providing patients with dementia the same palliative care as those with other life-limiting illnesses, and the new beds with their low-height setting and in-built alarm sensors, will help to improve patient comfort and safety.

“We have been humbled by the support that this vital refurbishment project has received”. Helen Birch, Director of Nursing Services, said: “Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has contributed towards the purchase of our new Dementia-Friendly beds and mattresses.

These state-of-the-art beds will enhance the comfort of all of our patients, as well as being more user-friendly for our nursing team. It is a great start to our Pearl Anniversary year.”

The new beds are the latest effort to make the ward more dementia friendly. Previous steps have included smaller changes which make a big difference, such as a small Forget-Me-Not flower at the patient’s bed-side which indicates very discreetly that a patient has dementia; reminiscence therapies; fiddle-muffs and mittens and dementia-friendly tableware.

Providing the timely opportunity to reflect on the positive impact that Queenscourt has had on the lives of thousands of people across Southport, Formby and West Lancashire over the past 30 years.

We will be producing a special Pearl Anniversary edition of our ‘Queenscourt Matters’ newsletter in February 2021, at the beginning of our anniversary year, and we would love to hear from you as to why Queenscourt matters to you. You can email us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

or send a note to: Queenscourt Pearl Anniversary Messages, Queenscourt Hospice, Town Lane, Southport, PR83PUWe will include some of your messages in this special edition newsletter. Keep an eye out as we celebrate #30YearsofQueenscourt. #30YearsofCompassionateCaring