A thank you from Her Majesty the Queen

The former General Manager of The Grove, our Bournemouth hotel which provided holidays and respite for people with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, has received an award from Her Majesty the Queen. Brenden Howard was recognised for great and valuable services to the community by George Streatfeild, the High Sheriff and official representative of the monarch in Dorset.

“The first I knew about the award was when I received a call from the Town Hall,” said Brenden.

“I was pretty taken aback. But once it sunk in I felt really honoured and thankful to the wonderful guests and people who nominated me.”

He continued: “Apparently I would normally have been invited along to receive the award at the Town Hall. But as that isn’t possible at the moment they asked if the High Sheriff of Dorset could come and present it to me at my home.

“It was pretty unusual hosting him on my doorstep, but he was a lovely chap.

“My three daughters couldn’t believe that I’d had a visit from the Queen’s representative while they were at school.

“They are all really chuffed for me.”

Brenden was General Manager of the Grove Hotel on the East Cliff for over a decade. The Grove was owned and operated by Macmillan Caring Locally based at Christchurch Hospital. Brenden and his staff provided much-needed short breaks and holidays for terminally-ill people and their loved ones.

“Some people who came to us were so full of anxiety because of their conditions they had to actually be persuaded they needed a break,” said Brenden. “But by the end of the holiday they often didn’t want to go home.

“It was completely different to any other hotel – unique – and we would try and fulfil any request from our guests; whatever they wanted to do, wherever they wanted to go and even special things they wanted to eat – nothing was too much trouble.

“For me as the manager, just meeting them and seeing them experiencing pleasure and creating memories, made it the best job ever.”

 

As well as running The Grove, Brenden was and remains a staunch supporter of Macmillan Caring Locally. “At one point I was persuaded to abseil down the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth for the charity,” he said. “It was terrifying. But my guests signed me up and I couldn’t back out.”

 

Financial pressures arising from the pandemic left the charity with no choice but to close The Grove in September, 2020. Since then, Brenden has channelled his energies into starting a new business www.bikecareplus.co.uk which helps cyclists.

He said: “Lockdown has meant many people have gone back to cycling and I clean and service bikes and carry out minor repairs.

“I miss The Grove, the staff and guests. But I will always be there for Macmillan Caring Locally if they need me.”

 

The High Sheriff of Dorset George Streatfeild, said: “Meeting Brenden was amazing. He clearly cared a great deal for his guests at the hotel and it was a bitter blow to him when it closed.

“I would say he is quite an exceptional person to be so caring and dedicated to helping those suffering and less fortunate than himself.

“He just wants to use his skills and experience to help people and he continues to do that with his new bike venture. It was a real pleasure meeting him.”

 

Neal Williams, Trust Secretary of Macmillan Caring Locally, said: “We are all so pleased and proud for Brenden. “He is such a modest man who has made a real difference to the lives of so many people over the years. He richly deserves this award.”

List of pharmacies 

 Pharmacy name and address

Phone Number

100 hour pharmacy

 Locality

Asda Pharmacy

St Pauls Road, Bournemouth,BH8 8DL

01202 298900

Yes

Bournemouth East

Castle Lane Pharmacy
482 Castle Lane West Bournemouth, BH8 9UD

01202 772110

Yes

Bournemouth West

Ferndown Pharmacy
487 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, BH22 9AG

01202 892666

Yes

East Dorset

Tesco Extra Pharmacy
Yarrow Road, Mannings Heath Poole, BH12 4NX

01202 457447 or 01202 367447

Yes

Parkstone

Asda Pharmacy
West Quay Road, Poole, BH15 1JQ

01202 207000

Yes

Poole Central

Equipment – www.redcross.org.uk Is useful for wheelchairs and other equipment

Guide for people nearing end stage of life : https://intranet.rbch.nhs.uk/uploads/palliative/documents/What-to-Expect.pdf

Brief Drugs List for GPs

 

Pain/breathlessness:

Morphine sulphate 2.5-5mg SC PRN (10mg in 1ml injection)

(alternative if taking PO or eGFR<30 – Oxycodone 1 – 2.5mg SC PRN (10mg in 1ml injection))

[Please take background opioid into account when prescribing doses for anticipatories]

Anxiety/distress:

Midazolam 2.5-5mg SC PRN (10mg in 2ml injection)

Secretions:

Glycopyrronium 200mcg SC PRN (600mcg in 3ml injection)

(alternative for secretions: Hyoscine Butylbromide 20mg/ml injection)

Nausea :

Levomepromazine 6.25mg SC PRN (25mg in 1ml injection)

(alternative for nausea: Haloperidol 1.5mg SC PRN (5mg in 1ml injection)

Water for injection

Dexamethasone 3.3mg SC OD-BD (equivalent to 4mg PO) if risk of steroid withdrawal/Addisons during terminal phase.

Day/Time Example Timetable
Monday - AM

9am MMU Ward Hand over; 9:30am Tour of MMU

10m Consultant Ward Round, MMU

Monday - PM

12pm Ward Nurses - syringe driver administration (treatment room)

1:30 Nursing Handover – MMU (ward office)

MMU – Admission Assessment(s) with ward doctor

Tuesday - AM

9am Ward Hand over

9:20am Referrals Meeting on MMU

10am Community visiting with Specialist Nurse

Tuesday - PM

12:30 Journal Club – MMU (doctors office)

2pm Introduction to Patient and Family Support Team

3pm Introduction to Welfare and benefits Advisor

Wednesday - AM

9am Ward Hand over

9:20am Referrals Meeting on MMU

10am Consultant ward round - MMU

Wednesday - PM

2pm Doctor/Nurse Home Visit with Specialty Doctor

Thursday - AM

9:15am Multi-Disciplinary Team Meeting on MMU

Thursday - PM

2pm Introduction to Palliative Rehabilitation with Physiotherapist

3pm Introduction to Complex Discharge Planning in terminal illness

Friday - AM

Hospital Palliative Care Team Ward Visits

Friday - PM

2pm Introduction to Personalised Care Plan for the Last Days of Life with End of Life Care Nurse

4pm Debrief / sign off