St Mary's Hospice Community Hub

10/10/2026

This morning, our St Mary’s Hospice Community Choir came together at the Holiday Inn to celebrate Barrow Music Week!💛🌻

On World Mental Health Day, we’re celebrating how singing brings people together, supports wellbeing and creates meaningful connections.

Our choir brings together wonderful people from across our community, many with their own connections to the hospice. A lovely reminder of the power of music and belonging! 🎵

09/10/2026

🎶 The Big Brew & Boogie! 🎶

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Hospice Care Week celebration at the Royalty Cinema, Bowness earlier this week!

Attendees came together for a fun-filled afternoon of music, entertainment, conversation, cake and community spirit. Alongside connecting people with local services and sharing essential information about how hospice care can support them and their loved ones, it was also a chance for guests to let their hair down, enjoy themselves and have a good old boogie! 🎵☕

A special thank you to Declan, our organ player, singer Denis Horan, and the team at the Royalty for helping to make the afternoon so special.

We were absolutely delighted to host this event, bringing people together in a joyful, welcoming atmosphere filled with laughter and fun, while also providing valuable support and sharing the information people need to make the most of hospice care and other local services💜

08/10/2026

This week is Hospice Care Week! 💜

This year's theme, Don't Leave Hospice Care to Chance, is a powerful reminder about the importance of the people who make up local hospice care: our nurses, our staff, our Trustees, our volunteers and our supporters.

We're delighted to introduce you to Emma, one of our wonderful Clinical Administrators in our community services team.

When people think about hospice care, they often assume it’s all about the final days of someone’s life. While an important part of the support we provide, hospice care is about so much more. At St Mary’s, we can support people from the point of diagnosis, helping them and those around them at all stages.

For Emma, seeing someone at the very beginning of their journey with St Mary’s, helping them access support and then watching them return each week, make new friends and find themselves in a better place, is what makes her role so rewarding.

Read more about Emma below.

Thank you Hospice UK for giving us a platform to share the stories of people behind St Mary's Hospice 💜

Hospice care doesn’t happen by chance 💜

This Hospice Care Week, we’re introducing you to some of the amazing people who help make sure St Mary’s is there for local people and families when they need us most, ensuring local hospice care isn't left to chance.

Today, we learn more about Emma.

Emma is a Clinical Administrator in St Mary’s Compassionate Communities Team, our local services that ensure people in our communities have access to the support they need to live well.

When people think about hospice care, they often assume it’s all about the final days of someone’s life. While that's an important part of the support we provide, hospice care is about so much more. At St Mary’s, we support people from the point of diagnosis, helping them and those around them at all stages.

Emma comes to work every single day hoping to make a difference, often being that ear for someone when things are hard, or that someone to make a much-needed cup of tea.

Emma tells us more about what makes her role so rewarding. Read more via the link in the comments.

07/10/2026

💃🕺 Dementia Disco ❤️

Some amazing photos captured by Alex, which captures the warmth, joy and connection at the Disco.

Events like these are so special because roles disappear for a while.

It’s not a carer and the person they care for — it’s

A husband and wife dancing to their first dance again like they did at their wedding 53 years ago,

A mum and daughter dancing like they did in the kitchen cooking years ago,

Friends laughing and dancing like they did at concerts.

🎶 Music is so powerful. It can bring back memories, feelings and moments that may have been forgotten.

We absolutely love events like this. ❤️

A huge thank you to Alex for capturing these beautiful moments, and to everyone who helped make the event so special. 💕

07/10/2026

💃🕺 Dementia Disco🎶❤️

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting our Dementia Disco as part of the Age Friendly Festival.

It was absolutely lovely to see so many people of the community come along and join us. It was especially wonderful to see some new faces, with everyone getting involved, enjoying the music, dancing, smiling and having a great time. 💃🎵 There really was such a fantastic atmosphere, and it was a joy to see everyone enjoying themselves together.

A massive thank you to everyone who helped make the afternoon possible:

🌟 Age UK – for funding the disco
🍰 The Orangery Cafe & Gift Shop at St Mary's Hospice – for providing the lovely catering
🎶 Dave Tuck – for keeping us entertained with the music throughout the afternoon
📸 Alex – for capturing all those special moments that matter
🏏 Barrow Cricket Club - Ernest Pass – for the venue hire and wonderful hospitality
🙌 Our amazing volunteers – for giving up their time, helping throughout the afternoon, welcoming everyone, supporting those attending and helping to create such a warm and friendly atmosphere. We couldn’t have done it without you!
🎈 Our fantastic Dementia team – for all their hard work, planning & decorating the venue. Your enthusiasm and energy really helped bring the disco to life! ❤️

And of course, a huge thank you to everyone who came along and made the afternoon what it was. ❤️

Seeing everyone up dancing, laughing and having a good time was what it was all about! 🥰💃🕺

We hope to see you all again at the next event!

Westmorland and Furness Council Age UK South Cumbria Age Friendly South Lakeland

07/10/2026

💜 What matters most to us?

In the run-up to Hospice Care Week, the Dementia Community United group and I held our own creative advance care planning session.

We explored the question “What matters most to us?” and reflected on how we all have our own individual preferences, values, needs, beliefs, goals and ambitions — and how these can change throughout our lives.

The conversation was insightful, honest and beautifully human, filled with laughter, joy and, at times, sadness.

One thing I heard loud and clear was how much people valued being listened to. People spoke about wanting to maintain their independence, stay active, help others, make their own decisions and, perhaps most importantly, continue creating happy memories with the people who matter to them.

It was a lovely reminder that advance care planning isn't simply about planning for the end of life. It is about understanding who we are, what gives our lives meaning, and what matters to us now and in the future.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and shared so openly. It was an absolute honour to listen to you. 💜

Sophie Murphy-Ayeche
Admiral Nurse & Dementia Specialist

St Mary's HospiceHospice UKAlzheimer's SocietyAlzheimer's Research UKDementia FriendsDementia CommunityDementia Alliance InternationalDementia UKDementia Awareness. Every Day

05/10/2026

This week is Hospice Care Week! 💜

This year's theme, Don't Leave Hospice Care to Chance, is a powerful reminder about the importance of the people who make up local hospice care: our nurses, our staff, our Trustees, our volunteers and our supporters.

Across the week we’re sharing stories from across St Mary’s, the people who don’t leave hospice care to chance.

Today we meet Leigh, one of our amazing Dementia Activity Coordinators who moved into the care sector after a 20-year career in fashion.

For Leigh, the experience of hospice care has come full circle. Having seen first-hand the difference compassionate care made to her own family when her dad was in hospice care before he died, she now helps create those moments of connection, comfort and support for people living with dementia and their families.

Read more of her story below!

Thank you Hospice UK for giving us a platform to share the stories of people behind St Mary's Hospice 💜

Hospice care doesn’t happen by chance💜

This Hospice Care Week, we’re introducing you to some of the amazing people who help make sure St Mary’s is there for local people and families when they need us most, ensuring local hospice care isn't left to chance.

On the first day, we share Leigh’s story.

Leigh is a Dementia Activities Coordinator. After a 20-year career in fashion, she moved into the care sector after witnessing the care her late dad received at a hospice before his death.

The experience changed Leigh’s life forever and she is now part of our incredible dementia services team.

For Leigh, the experience of hospice care has come full circle. Having seen first-hand the difference the support made to her own family, she now helps create those moments of connection, comfort and support for people living with dementia and their families.

Leigh tells us more via the link in the comments.

04/10/2026

🌟 Age Friendly Festival 2026! 🌟

Today we were delighted to join the Age Friendly Festival at Kendal Leisure Centre, sharing more about the support available from St Mary’s Hospice across South Lakes.

We talked about our weekly specialist dementia groups, wellbeing programmes and bereavement support, alongside our specialist palliative care services — helping people and families access care closer to home.

Our community approach is all about working alongside local people and organisations to build connected, compassionate neighbourhoods where people can find support, friendship and care within their own communities.

Thank you to everyone who came to say hello and chat with us today!

03/10/2026

🍂 Our Compassionate Café at Wray Castle 🌿

What a beautiful autumnal morning we enjoyed at Wray Castle yesterday! 🍁

As part of our Branches of Care initiative, St Mary’s Hospice and the National Trust host a monthly Compassionate Café, bringing people together to enjoy nature, fresh air and each other’s company. 💚 The café is open to anyone who would enjoy some time outdoors, connect with nature and meet others — whether you’re living with a life-limiting condition, supporting someone, experiencing bereavement, or simply looking for a welcoming space to connect.

🎨 Next month is an art session! We’ll explore the journey from forest, to paper, starting with a wander in the woods to collect natural materials before creating artwork using inks, charcoal, natural brushes and stencils.

✨ No experience necessary — just come along and enjoy being creative together.

Places are available to book now: https://www.stmaryshospice.org.uk/events/natural-painting-session/

02/10/2026

Together at the Movies – Tuesday 6 October! 🎬

Our Community Connections Hub is back at the wonderful Royalty Cinema in Bowness, and we’d love to welcome you!

Come along for a friendly afternoon of connection, creativity, community and support. 💜

✨ ArtWorks Art4All CIC – free needle-felting workshop

📖 Ruth Corney – free creative journal-making workshop

🛍️ Windermere Community Food Larder – we’re delighted to welcome their pop-up larder, bringing local food support into the heart of our community.

🤝 Local organisations and services to meet

🥣 FREE warm soup, kindly provided by Picnic Cabin at Windermere!

📅 Tuesday 6 October
🕜 1.30–3.30pm
📍 Royalty Cinema, Bowness-on-Windermere
🎟️ Free entry – everyone welcome!

No need to have been before – just come along, bring a friend and share with anyone who might enjoy it. 💜

Come together, connect and discover what’s available in our local community.

For more information visit:
https://www.stmaryshospice.org.uk/events/together-at-the-movies/

Green Doctor Cumbria Alzheimer's Society Lakes Lions Lakes Parish Council Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness Windermere & District Foodbank Royalty Cinema, Bowness ArtWorks Art4All CIC