Column: Renewal, hope and growth at Strathcarron

Given the weather recently, the snowdrops may have had a hard job pushing through but they are on their way just in time for the launch of the Strathcarron Hospice Snowdrop Appeal taking place during the month of February.

This is an annual appeal, allowing everyone to wear one of our custom-made Snowdrop pin badges.

During February you will see boxes of these lovely little badges in all Strathcarron Hospice shops as well as many other retail outlets. During the month there will also be volunteers situated in various supermarkets and shopping centres.

We have a lovely snowdrop garden situated within the Hospice grounds; a place for reflection and memories. If you would like to sponsor a snowdrop in memory of a loved one then please contact us or visit www.strathcarronhospice.net.

Strathcarron Hospice continues to be the only specialist palliative unit within Forth Valley, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, serving a population of 355,000 within these areas.

To ensure we are able to provide our specialist care at a time and place when it is needed most we constantly review how we work to enable us to keep up with the constantly increasing demands.

For example, more than half of the people we provide care for are now seen in their own homes, as opposed to within the Hospice itself.

This is in addition to the 24 in-patients we care for at any one time along with up to 100 daycare patients in any given week.

These services all add up to the charity spending £11,000 each and every day of the year.

As a charity, Strathcarron Hospice is a great source of pride for all staff and volunteers who make it happen and we hope you will share this pride by wearing your snowdrop pin badge this February.