Speaker Rena Philips

Fri, Nov 10th 2017 at 12:55 pm - 2:10 pm

Topic:- CHAS


Rotary club of Stirling, meeting of 10th November 2017.

President Stewart Wilson welcomed members and our speaker Rena Philips to the meeting.  Secretary Crawford Gordon reminded us that next week we will have a special general meeting at which nominations for next year's office bearers will be required. In the past week we had a collection at the Thistle centre for Shelter Boxes, and a visit to William Simpson home to present our cheque, money raised at last Summer's sponsored walk in Fife.

Our speaker Rena Philips gave us a very moving talk on CHAS, Children's Hospices across Scotland.  Rena has been a volunteer, one of 890, for 40 years, based at Rachael House at Kinross, one of two children's hospices in Scotland. There are about 15,400 youngsters age 0-24 years in Scotland with life shortening diseases, and about 2000 will be in the terminal phase at any one time, many younger than 5 years old.  Contrary to expectations these hospices are full of life. They provide respite care, emergency home care, end on life care at home or in the hospice, bereavement care and emotional support at any stage of the illness. They made 900 home visits covering 120 families in the past year some as far North as Orkney. The volunteers take on many tasks from domestic work in the hospice to " baby sitting" allowing parents respite from the continuous care involved.  The families can phone at any time and the service is free. A recent project, Keeping the Joy is aimed allowing patients to take part in as many activities as possible. The cost of running the hospice is £9 million per year. For some reason adult hospices have received 50% funding but children's only 15-20%, but recently the government has awarded them £30 million over 5 years. The hospice has recently reviewed it's funding and it is evident they will need to double their income to cover costs in the years ahead. With this in mind they have set up a committee whose plan is to enhance their contact with the public and increase charitable giving.  Rena gave us account of an organisation both caring and practical whose existence is of huge benefit to the families affected.
The vote of thanks was given by Jan Anderson.   
Next week 17/11/17 A special general meeting.
Visitor's host Martin Ross.  For more info  www.stirling.rotary1010.org

Ian Richardson

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