Welcome to our May 2010 e-News bulletin

This edition of e-News starts with a plea for help!

We are hoping to house the nursing and support services currently located in Tring at Western Road and Akeman St under one roof and are appealing to local agencies, developers and supporters for any help in finding new premises. The size required would be 5,000 square feet of warehouse (for storing items donated to our shops and our eBay operation) plus 10,000 square feet of office space, to accommodate nurses, staff and volunteers. Preferred location is in and around Tring as so many of the charity's existing volunteers live in that area, however premises further afield may have to be considered.

If you can help, whether by suggesting potential premises, providing skills to help with relocation, funding part of the project or in some other way, please contact our Tring office on 01442 890222. We would be interested to hear from relocation project managers, planners and architects who could help with the floor plans and internal layouts, furniture removers, office fitters and suppliers. All offers of help will enable us to maximise the percentage of income we can direct towards our nursing services.

Nursing news....

This month's nursing feature takes a look at our much-needed Family Support team...

Following a review of our bereavement services, we launched our Family Support team ten years ago, when former senior nurse lecturer and qualified counsellor Sue Grace joined the charity. A decade on and the service, offered to family members of patients cared for by Iain Rennie nurses, is used on average by over 100 people every month. The team visit people at home, as well as providing support over the telephone and via the group meetings which they arrange each month. Although most of their support is offered post-bereavement, they also meet people in the difficult times leading up to a bereavement. The team is supported by more than 20 volunteers, enabling us to offer tailor-made support for families as and when they need it. Click here to read more about the IRHH Family Support team.

If you would be interested in volunteering with the Family Support team at IRHH please call our HR team on 01494 877200 or email voluntaryservices@irhh.org

Look out for more news from our teams in future bulletins... including a report from our Education & Professional Development Team.

IRHH Chilterns Open Gardens 2010

Our 2010 Open Gardens programme started this weekend with five spectacular gardens opening their gates to the public in Jordans. We have over 40 gorgeous gardens opening throughout the summer, all offering the opportunity to be inspired, learn a few tips and enjoy the great outdoors without lifting a finger! Some gardens will also be offering refreshments and the opportunity to purchase plants and horticultural merchandise.

Click here to see the full list of dates and gardens, or to download our 2010 Open Gardens Brochure containing detailed information about all the gardens which are opening for IRHH this summer. The brochures are also available in all the IRHH shops, or by contacting our Fundraising team on 01442 890222.

Shop Stories

We are delighted to announce that TV presenter Fern Britton will be opening IRHH's 10th shop in Holmer Green on Friday 14th May. Fern has also kindly agreed to launch two new fundraising initiatives - so watch this space for Fern's face! Following the official opening, our newest shop will be open for business, selling clothes, shoes, books, household items and with a special section for furniture. Shop manager Pamela Hughes and her assistant manager Claire Fazekas look forward to welcoming you!

We're always looking for donations of clothes and other items to sell in all our shops and on our eBay store. Please contact your local shop.

STOP PRESS: Our popular Bookshop in Tring is on the move next week. The shop will be closed for a few days from Monday 17th May whilst the stock is transferred from the current location in Churchyard to the new premises at 30 High Street, Tring (a couple of doors along from the Akeman St crossroads). We hope to have a grand re-opening on Friday 21st May... keep an eye on our website for further details.

Vacancies at IRHH

AfC Band 5 Nurses - we're always on the lookout for registered nurses with a passion for palliative care to join our dedicated team of nursing staff. We currently have positions available across mid and south Bucks and Herts.

We also have a vacancy for a Clinical Nurse Specialist in our Ridgeway nursing team.

If you are interested in working with us - or you know anyone who might be - please contact Suzanne Casey on 01494 877200 or email scasey@irhh.org.

You must be a registered nurse with excellent communication skills and a passion for palliative care that meets the emotional needs of the patient as well as the physical. A car and current driving licence are essential.

Join our team of volunteers

At IRHH we simply couldn't provide the level of service we do, across all the departments, without the enthusiasm and knowledge of our volunteers.

Holmer Green shop volunteers - we would like to hear from anyone who is interested in helping in our new shop in Pond Approach, Holmer Green, on a regular basis.

Complementary Therapists - do you know a therapist in the Wycombe area? Could they volunteer for half a day a week? Volunteering with our patients is a very special way to use therapeutic skills and we offer a full induction and education programme, plus ongoing support in relation to this specialist care.

Click here for more information and many more ways in which you could help. Or contact Jane on 01494 877200, email jcarruthers@irhh.org.

Dates for the diary

Visit the What's On section of our website to view a whole host of events and activities coming up.

Highlights include:

• - LAST FEW TICKETS AVAILABLE for "Let the Good Times Roll" - a musical step back in time at Pendley Theatre, Tring, this Thursday 13th May. Call the Box Office on 01442 823130

• - Popular tenor Andrew Jarvis performing at St Andrew's Parish Church, Chinnor, on Saturday 15th May. Tickets are £10 and available from Betty Yendell on 01844 351669 or the Chinnor Spar Mini-Mart

• - Buckland Village Hall will once again be transformed into a pub for the May Bank Holiday weekend, 28th-31st May. Manned by volunteers, The Buck will be open for drinks and homecooked food every lunchtime and evening, with 50% of the proceeds donated to IRHH

• - Our next Jigsaw information session on Thursday 17th June in Tring - an ideal opportunity for anyone interested to learn more about IRHH. Contact Suzanne Casey on 01494 877200 or at scasey@irhh.org to book your place

• - A concert entitled "Music for a Summer's Evening" at Wycombe Abbey School on Sunday 4th July. Contact Christine Nisbet on 01494 812458 for tickets.

Pepper Rocks! - Tickets are now on sale for the spectacular annual Pepper Show at Berkhamsted School's Centenary Theatre from Friday 16th to Sunday 24th July (excluding the Monday and Tuesday). For more information or to book tickets, call the Box Office on 01442 877292 or visit www.peppershow.com.

To find out more about any of our events, or to let us know about an event you are organising for IRHH or Pepper, please contact our fundraising team on 01442 890222 or email fundraising@irhh.org.

Fundraising highlights

Help us in our attempt to break the world record for the longest conga at our Mardi Gras Goodnight Walk on Saturday 19th June! With 300 ladies signed up already, it looks like being another fun and fabulous evening - so join the party and register at www.gnwalk.com or call Ruth or Kerri on 01442 890222.

Our partnership with Sainsbury's High Wycombe comes to an end this month, but it would be great if supporters visiting any Sainsbury's in the area could nominate IRHH as that store's chosen local charity by using the forms on display in-store.

Our fantastic Virgin London Marathon team all made it round the 26.2 mile course last month, and together they raised over £50,000 for IRHH. Massive congratulations and thanks to each and every one of them! Click here for pictures from the big day - and it's not too late to sponsor the team or any of our runners!

And talking of marathons.....

..... Karen Buchanan, Jennifer Antonelli and Amanda Smith have completed their amazing challenge of walking 5 marathons in 5 days - that's 135 miles in total! - along the towpath of the Grand Union Canal from Birmingham to the outskirts of London. The girls raised over £5,000 for IRHH in memory of Karen's husband, Mick, who was cared for by our nurses. Click here to read the full story.

Support IRHH by buying tickets for the 2010 Superdraw and you could win prizes ranging from £50 up to a fantastic £5,000!! Superdraw tickets can be purchased online at www.hospicelottery.org.uk or by telephone on 01442 891459.

Would you like to win £1000 every week? Join The Hospice Lottery and not only will you be raising funds for Iain Rennie Hospice at Home, but you could win some great cash prizes too. Click here for further details or call The Hospice Lottery on 01442 891459.

If you are thinking of sending flowers or gifts to your family or friends, please consider using Charity Flowers. They supply high quality flowers by post to anywhere in the UK , and Iain Rennie will benefit to the value of 15% of the price of your order.

You can order online at www.charityflowers.co.uk , or by telephone on 08705 300 600. Remember to quote "IRHH" when you place your order!