Fabulous FUNdraising
The past 4 months
Since we last updated you in our Autumn newsletter in October, the team at Cransley Hospice Trust and all of our incredible supporters have been very busy!
Our second annual “Go Green” week, during Hospice Care Week from the 6th – 12th October 2025 was a storming success! From store collections at Tesco Kettering, to our Go Green Pop Up market at Rushden Lakes, the whole week was fun-filled and non-stop.
Thanks to the dedication, hard-work and enthusiasm of supporters, both in our community and from our corporate partners we managed to achieve our ambitious target of £15,000! We appreciate the efforts of everyone who got involved and decided to ‘Go Green’ for Cransley Hospice Trust!
In November, the retail team – along with an army of fantastic volunteer models and helpers – hosted a fabulous Fashion Show at the Midland Band Club in Kettering. Guests enjoyed exclusive first looks at our winter wear collection, with the chance to shop the outfits and accessories straight from the runway!
The evening was a great success, raising an amazing £861.40. Watch out for another event coming in 2026, you don’t want to miss out on those pre-loved treasures!
There was a poignant start to December, as our annual Tree of Lights appeal culminated in our beautiful service on the 7th December. We were blessed to have so many of you join us on this occasion, including Edwin Helm who had bravely shared his story of hospice care as part of our Tree of Lights campaign. This year’s Tree of Lights raised a wonderful £20,213 for local hospice and end of life care, an amount which could pay for almost 4-weeks of care in our specialist inpatient unit for someone in need.
But let’s not forget Christmas festivities…
The Hospice halls were glowing with the festive spirit as patients, families and staff enjoyed visits from the ‘Magical Minature Donkeys’ and beautiful performances from the Cransley Hospice Trust Community Choir, spreading some much appreciated joy at what can be a very difficult time for families to navigate.
Yusen Logistics very kindly spread some Christmas cheer as they decorated the building, Matthew Oliver Windows and Doors kindly brought the sparkle, as they gifted and put up the beautiful twinkling lights and Dunelm, Tesco Corby, GXO and Primark Islip all kindly donated incredible gifts of throws, chocolates and home comforts to the patients and families staying in the hospice over the holidays.
The Cransley Hospice Trust Community Choir also raised a phenomenal £2,400 from their Christmas Carol Concert which was a very special evening for all who attended.
What’s more, hundreds of you donated to our very first ‘Cransley Sparkle’ appeal, raising an incredible £7,176 to bring joy to those in our care. We can’t thank you enough for getting behind this appeal so wholeheartedly, it makes more of a difference than you will ever know.
Early January saw our biggest ever Community Christmas Tree Recycle from the 9th – 11th, with over 100 volunteers coming together to collect an eye-watering 1,730 real Christmas Trees for recycling! We are thrilled to say that £27,300 was raised from the initiative. We couldn’t have done it without the support of so many individuals and organisations in the community, but a special thanks go to the Northants 4×4 team who worked tirelessly beside us to ensure every tree was collected. 10% of the total raised after costs have been donated to them, to enable their vital work in our local community.
The New Year also saw the launch of our ‘Volunteer Information’ events on the 27th and 29th January, as we try to encourage new volunteers to join the #CransleyCrew.
The events were very well attended and we are delighted to have 24 new volunteers who are interested in getting involved during 2026. Our volunteers play a key role in helping us to support the much-needed services for end of life care across North Northamptonshire.
But we still need your support! There are flexible volunteer roles to suit a range of interests and availability — and your presence matters. Whether you can give a little time or a lot, every contribution counts.
As our incredible volunteers often tell us, they gain just as much as they give! So what are you waiting for, come and join our wonderful bunch and make a real difference.
There was no February slump for the FUNdraising team, as we were delighted to host our very first ‘Stand Up For Cransley’ comedy night at the Holiday Inn Corby on Sunday 8th. Alexandra Haddow, who returned to her home town of Corby – was our host for the evening, bringing her whip-smart observations on modern life, and some local banter to add into the mix!
Alexandra was joined on stage by Jamie Allerton, a regular favourite at London’s Top Secret Comedy Club, Jamie Finn, critically acclaimed musical comedian with a sell-out Edinburgh Fringe show and Eshaan Akbar, Star of Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, QI and Netflix’s Sex Education.
The feedback from the audience was incredible, with many already clamouring for next year’s date (…hot off the press, it’ll be Sunday 28th February – save the date!) and what’s more, an impressive £3,100 was raised from the evening. A huge thank you to the comedians who so willingly gave up their time to support us.
Finally, as this update is written, incredible supporter Andy Lawrie is currently trekking through the Sahara Desert, in memory of his beloved wife Bev, who sadly died in November 2025 after receiving care and support from Cransley Hospice in her final days.
Courageous Andy has raised an incredible £8,579 so far, an amount of money that will make a phenomenal difference to the care of other patients and their families in need. Andy writes on his ‘JustGiving’ page:
“Cransley didn’t just look after Bev’s medical needs – they cared for her as a person. They made her feel safe, listened to, and never alone. For that, I will always be grateful.
“Bev gave me a life full of love, laughter and meaning. This is my way of carrying her with me and giving back to those who helped her so much.”
And on that note, all that is left to say is thank you – to you, our valued supporter. Whatever part you play in our Cransley Hospice Trust community, if you attend our events, volunteer your time, fundraise for us, or even share our posts and read our newsletters! We’re incredibly grateful for your ongoing support. Thank you.