St Elizabeth Hospice is thanking the community, including participants from the Shotley peninsula, for helping its Christmas campaign, Be a Star, raise a record-breaking £157,300 for the independent charity. 

From the Be a Star Matched Giving Week and the hospice's popular Light up a Life remembrance event through to the annual Christmas Day Dip, in Felixstowe and individual fundraisers taking on challenges in aid of the hospice, supporters across East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, joined with St Elizabeth Hospice to raise this fantastic amount.

Donations are still coming in, but 2023's Be a Star appeal has already surpassed the £128,000 raised by 2022's Be a Star appeal, with the 2023 Matched Giving Week alone raising over £29,100  thanks to support of local businesses and the local community between 4th and 10th December.

Pauline Donkin, Head of Fundraising at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: "Thank you so much to everybody who supported our Be a Star over Christmas. You really are all stars and your generosity has made such a difference to the hospice and to all the patients under our care.

"From making a purchase at one of our shops, supporting our Christmas fundraising events or if you were a business who took part in our Matched Giving Week, every penny you raised was so important to our services.

"With the need for palliative care set to increase by 74% in the UK, the demand for our services will also increase. As a result, so will the cost to facilitate our care, which is why every pound raised makes such a difference as we work to ensure we are able to deliver care when support is needed most - today, tomorrow and for years to come. 

"A special hospice thank you goes to Linda Hunt and her family, who kindly shared their hospice Christmas story as part of our appeal, which highlighted how every year Be a Star enables the hospice to help patients and their families to be together over the festive period."

On average every Christmas, the hospice provides vital care to more than 1,190 people living with progressive and life-limiting illnesses and their families across East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney, for many of whom it will be their last Christmas spent together. 

The funds raised by the Be a Star appeal will support the hospice's vital work in providing free services to improve life for people living with a progressive or life limiting illness throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney 

For more information about the Be a Star appeal visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/be-a-star/be-a-star-appeal. 

To find out more about St Elizabeth Hospice call 01473 723600 or visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk.