Company scales up its efforts for hospice charity

UK staff from the global manufacturer Curtiss-Wright showed their mettle by running, cycling, rowing and even fishing to raise hundreds of pounds for the Macmillan Unit in Christchurch. Curtiss-Wright UK launched its Wellbeing Challenge at the beginning of 2021 and pledged to donate £20 for every employee who agreed to take part in fundraising for the hospice and two other nominated charities.

Forty-one employees from its subsidiaries across the UK, including Christchurch, signed up and between them managed to run 2140 miles, cycle 285 miles, walk 3311 miles and row 126 miles during January and February.

Karen Moss, Senior Human Resources Manager for Curtiss-Wright UK said:

“We’ve been absolutely amazed at how people took up the challenge and literally ran with it. They covered a total of 5,862 miles, which is further than the distance from London to Los Angeles. And it wasn’t just running or walking; there were two Dry Januarys, 42lb in weight lost and three different species of coarse fish caught too!”

Robert Young from Ensbury Park, Bournemouth is a Repair Technician for Curtiss-Wright and came up with his own fishy-themed challenge. He said: “I decided to make catching fish my wellbeing challenge as it’s what I do best. I’ve given myself until the end of 2021 to catch six different specimen fish and photograph each one”.

“So far, I’ve caught three: a Barbel weighing 16lb 11oz from the Hampshire Avon, a 6lb 15oz Chub from the Dorset Stour and a 56lb 11oz Catfish from a local lake.”

Robert has been an angler for 55 years. He is sponsored by the company Gardner Tackle and has contributed to books and magazine about his catches. He added: “The challenge will probably take up my evenings, weekends and holidays for the rest of the year. But it makes me feel good to be helping the Macmillan Hospice and I’m hoping people will continue to support my fundraising at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Robert-Young46

Karen Moss said: “When we launched this company-wide challenge, we said we would award a prize to the top three achievements.  But there have been so many achievements we instead decided to donate an extra £5 to charity for every participant – so a total of £25 per person. It’s been fantastic and we will definitely be doing the challenge again.”

Macmillan Caring Locally received £437.50 of the £1,025 raised for Curtiss-Wright’s nominated charities.

Macmillan Caring Locally Trust Secretary Neal Williams said:

“We feel extremely fortunate to have had the support of Curtiss-Wright and its employees for many years now. It is inspiring to see how they have supported their employees’ health and wellbeing during the lockdown months, while also supporting ours and other charities”.

“We hope their obvious enjoyment in doing so may inspire other businesses to consider something similar in support of the Macmillan Unit.”

Photo: HOOKED ON FUNDRAISING – Curtiss-Wright employee Robert Young from Ensbury Park, Bournemouth has given himself until the end of 2021 to catch six different specimen fish and photograph each one. Robert is seen here with a 56lb 11oz Catfish he caught from a local lake.

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