M&S Ashford Outlet

In the UK today, almost two million people are living with sight loss and of those, around 180,000 rarely leave their homes alone and many suffer from depression and struggle with feelings of isolation. Our aim is to provide people with sight loss the support they need to be able to move around safely and confidently, to get out of their homes and be able to live life the way they choose. We will run a series of events to make the public aware of the work we do and how we will achieve our project aims, and ask for their financial contributions towards our success. The money raised through these events will fund the training of puppies who will become Guide Dogs. If you would like to get involved in these events, please get in touch.

Our project to here to help create a lasting impact within the community. Pilgrims Hospice, Ashford, began welcoming patients in January 2001. We have an inpatient unit of 14 beds and a Pilgrims Therapy Centre that runs our Wellbeing and Social Programme for people in the later stages of a life-limiting illness. Our beautiful hospice stands in four acres of land given over to formal gardens, featuring a lovely fountain and wildlife garden, complete with pond and meadow. Pilgrims run three hospices across Kent (Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet) providing specialist palliative care services to patients through inpatient and day care, clinics, support at home from teams of community nurses and a 24-hour helpline. Families receive social, pastoral and bereavement support from teams of professionals at all three hospices. There is also an education centre that provides training and education for professionals and the public. Everyone at Pilgrims Hospices is dedicated to ensuring people living with a life limiting illness can access the quality care and comfort they deserve, when and where they want it. We help them to live well in every moment, in mind and body. Many of the services we offer are about helping people to live better. We can't necessarily add days to lives, but with your support we can add life to days. To achieve our vision we need to raise £11m a year through fundraising so that we can continue providing specialised end of life care to local people and their families, friends and carers. This is only possible with the ongoing support and generosity of our volunteers, local businesses and various groups throughout our community.

Enhances the services and amenities provided by the hospital trust by purchasing both medical and other equipment, developing facilities for patients, visitors and staff, providing additional non essential training and providing funding and data for research. the charity supports projects throughout the trust in the pursuit of excellence in healthcare provision. Our ICU Sensory Garden Project will help us to raise funds in order that ICU patients are able to access a safe, comfortable and calm outdoor space, away from the busy hospital ward. We hope that this will encourage improved patient well being, improve socialisation and offer a therapeutic environment within nature.