Hunter Douglas celebrates one year of charity partnership

A special charity partnership between Hunter Douglas and Hayward House, the palliative care unit at Nottingham City Hospital, is celebrating its one-year anniversary. 

Colleagues at Hunter Douglas, which is based in Nottingham and makes window blinds and coverings, voted for our Hayward House Appeal as one of their chosen charities. The team had already supported Hayward House previously, and wanted to continue to do so. 

Colleagues at the company have taken on a huge variety of fundraising activities over the past year, including raffles and bake sales, and some even took part in our Big QMC Abseil, so far raising a total of over £9,000.

Their donations to the Hayward House Appeal have helped renovate the unit’s garden area, as well as funding ongoing activities such as complementary therapy, art sessions and counselling.

Joanne Burr, Relationship and Events Team Leader at Nottingham Hospitals Charity, said: “We are so grateful to the team at Hunter Douglas for all their support for our Hayward House Appeal. From creating a Christmas grotto for patients and families to abseiling down the side of the Queen’s Medical Centre to raise money, the staff at Hunter Douglas have done some amazing things to support the appeal.

“The money raised so far has helped create a more accessible garden at Hayward House – enabling patients with mobility issues, including those in wheelchairs and beds, to get outdoors and enjoy this peaceful space. It can make such a difference for terminally ill patients, and those at the end of their lives, to be out in nature with their loved ones.

“We’d like to thank the whole team at Hunter Douglas for helping make this possible, and we look forward to continuing to work together over the coming year to raise even more money for patients and families at Hayward House.”

Dan Burton from the Marketing team at Hunter Douglas told us about his personal connection to the unit:

“I had a friend who spent his final months at Hayward House after being diagnosed with terminal cancer,” said Dan. “It wasn’t possible for Baz to stay at home during his final days, so Hayward House was the ideal alternative. Even though you wouldn’t expect a 50-year-old metal-head to feel at home in such a place, the staff were so welcoming and caring that it felt right for him.

“The care Baz received was outstanding. Not only was his physical comfort a priority, but he was treated with dignity and respect throughout his stay. The staff went above and beyond to make sure his time there was as peaceful as possible. They even helped him celebrate his birthday in their beautiful garden, allowing him to spend time with his closest friends, which meant a lot to him and all of us.

“Hayward House offers much more than just medical care. They ensure that patients are treated with compassion, and that their dignity is preserved until the very end.”

The partnership between Hunter Douglas and Hayward House will continue for another year, with money raised helping towards the next phase of the appeal, to create a more welcoming entrance area to the unit.

Thank you so much to everyone at Hunter Douglas for their fantastic fundraising efforts.