insideKENT Magazine Issue 89 - August 2019 | Page 165

CHARITY Hospice Challenges Corporate Supporters to Turn £50 into Hundreds Pathways to Improving Perinatal Mental Health Heart of Kent Hospice relies on the generosity of its loyal supporters to raise £4 out of every £5 it spends caring for terminally ill patients in Maidstone and surrounding areas. This year, the hospice’s corporate partnerships manager, Claire Whybrew, has created an opportunity that will not only see businesses getting creative, working together and having fun, but will be raising vital funds for the charity too. “Our Corporate Accumulator Challenge is an effective way to engage and motivate your staff and inject some fun into the workplace,” says Claire. “Set within a defined period, time is of the essence as you compete against local businesses, as a team, to raise as much money as possible for the hospice.” The hospice will be giving every participating team a starter fund of £50 (terms and conditions apply). The team then has from 1st September to 30th November 2019 to turn that £50 into hundreds or even thousands! On 5th December, there will be an end of challenge social and thank you event where participating teams will find out who has raised the most and who has had the most creative idea. Whether you are a small business or department in a large organisation the accumulator challenge is open to all. So come on – how would you turn £50 into hundreds? To take part you must register your interest by emailing [email protected] by 30th August 2019. Becoming a new parent should be an exciting time, however for up to one in five women this isn’t the case. Perinatal mental illnesses such as postnatal depression are not always recognised and cost society approximately £74,000 per mother and child. PATH is a newly EU-funded project that will enable women, families and healthcare professionals to prevent, diagnose and successfully manage mild and moderate perinatal mental health issues. This cross-border initiative involves thirteen partners from France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK, including Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust. PATH will prepare parents pre-birth for their new role and help them avoid PMI. The project will improve the skills of healthcare professionals equipping them to address PMI confidently and effectively. PATH will innovatively design, deliver and implement new, durable services both online and face-to-face, aiming to increase recognition and prevention of PMI and support new families' mental wellbeing. PATH has been awarded more than ¤5million of European funding to this ¤8.5million partnership. “10-20 per cent of women suffer from mental illness following childbirth and up to a year after. Around 90 percent of these women do not receive the support they need,” said interim medical director, Rosarii Harte. “The PATH project will deliver a multi-media campaign to raise awareness of and destigmatise PMI and promote prepared parenting, reaching 600,000 people across the 2Seas area.” Join ellenor’s 10th Twilight Walk on Friday 20th September ellenor is the only charity in Kent providing hospice care for people of all ages in their place of choice, and the only charity in Kent providing children’s nursing care in the home. Last year, their Twilight Walk drew over 1,100 walkers for what was a beautiful evening of fun, friends and family, coming together to make memories and remember loved ones. This year, ellenor will be inviting everyone to join the Twilight Walk 2019, turning the streets of Gravesend orange in support of families facing terminal illness. If you’re inspired to support the great work that ellenor continue to do, join their Twilight Walk as a team or individual on Friday 20th September at the Cyclopark in Gravesend. If you would like to find out more about our services and how ellenor can support you during difficult times, please contact their Homecare and Wellbeing team on 01474 320007, or email [email protected]. 165