Sunday 22 August 2010

AN AMAZING DAY AT ST.WILF'S

Hi everyone!!! i would just like to share with you the amazing day i had on Wednesday at the St.Wilfred's Hospice Day Centre. Some time ago i was asked if would like to spend the day there and take my cards and perhaps show the patients how to make them. Wendy, my beautiful friend who works there, had taken a box of my cards in some weeks ago to sell for Wilfie's fundraising. They proved so popular and the patients asked about me and how i make them so this is how it all came about me being asked to go in there.

So this week it happened!!! i packed up my dolly trolley packed to brim of craft stash and me and Wendy headed to the temporary base in Uckfield. I was really nervous as i did not know what to expect as i had never done anything like this before. Instead of going in unprepared i made up some card packs with stamped images and made up some little files of card and papers already cut to size. I took lots of embellishments and sentiments too.  I made this card below so that the patients had an idea of the style of card we could make. I kept it simple and i had made sure that there were lots of different images for them to choose from and lots of different patterned and coloured paper to choose just so that everyone's card would be different.


I realised when everyone started pouring in to the day centre that i had not needed to worry. I had the biggest & warmest welcome imaginable. At first i was known as "the card lady" as the patients started talking amongst themselves!!!. The nursing staff and volunteers were amazing too and the kindest people you could meet. I was made so welcome and they could not do enough for me.

There were 6 patients in total on Wednesday (it varies week by week) and they all wanted to participate. They were all so excited!. The most amazing thing of the day was that i had a 97 year old man making cards! his enthusiasm was fantastic. Another gentleman who is 93 is really into art and he did a terrific job with his lighthouse image and got well into the Promarkers. He had brought a canvas in of an Aborigional scene which he had made and it was awesome!.

Some of the patients who were unable to physically make the cards themselves were included as much as the able bodied one's. I made up the cards but got them to choose everything they wanted on the card, from the image to what coloured Promarker they wanted & where. It was good as the volunteers helped me out. Some of the nurses were even making cards!!!.
I had a really big soft spot for one of the ladies by the name of Joyce. She was totally beautiful and the tiniest thing you have seen. Joyce made 2 cards and coloured 2 more images but did not have time to finish. We were all really sad when the time had come for everyone to go back on the minibus. I have promised that i will go back very soon and i have kept hold of the unfinished cards and will be taking them back next time for them to finish.



I feel so totally humbled by my day on Wednesday. How a wonderful group of people can get together every week just to take their minds off their illness and forget all their worries. I feel so close to everyone, just after a day.
I have been asked about the possibility of going in to the actual Hospice in Eastbourne to do some cardmaking with patients. I know this will be hard as it is where Mum passed away but i know she would want me to get over this and do it.

By the way to everyone who has kindly donated cards i managed to sell £16 worth of your cardson Weds!!! they also said a very big thankyou to everyone.

Thankyou for letting me share this with you.

Love & hugs Clare xxx

20 comments:

  1. What a lovely story hun! Thanks for keeping us updated on things, glad you could sell some more cards. Sounds like the ladies and gents had a lot of fun.
    Hope you are keeping well?
    Hugs,
    Teri x

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  2. Well done Clare that's brilliant. I'm glad you had a few men, as it seems that us girls do somewhat dominate the crafting scene especially when it comes to cards. x

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  3. What a fab day you had Clare as did everyone else who attended.

    What great photos of everyone enjoying & expressing their crafty side, its so good that it gave so many a chance to think about other things for a while.

    And to think that you also managed to sell some cards to raise more funds is just amazing! What a perfect day it was.

    Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us!

    Keryn x

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  4. Hello Hun
    what a beautiful post to read, i bet you made their day, what a lovely thing to do, you could end up with a weekly card class hun. So pleased all went went well, your Mum would be very proud of you hun, big hugs, sue,xx

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  5. What an amazing day you had Clare! I LOVE the pics ... everyone looks so proud of their cards :).

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  6. What a wonderful thing you are doing, that would have really made their day. I can see just by their smiling faces in those photos that you've brought a bit of sunshine into their lives :)

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  7. Aww Clare this is fabulous honey - well done you and they all look as pleased as punch with what they have made! I'm sure you could overcome going into the hospice, after all I bet it would be what your mum would have wanted you to do. Big hugs, Claire x

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  8. I felt a lump in my throat as I read this Claire, and I bet you had one too for a little while.What a truly kind and beautiful soul you are.Your Mum will be looking down on you ..proud as punch.Helen too with all the fundraising etc she does for worthy causes...you are both very special people...glad you had such a gorgeous day xxoo

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  9. Thankyou for the beautiful messages girls, it really means a lot to me.
    Josh thankyou for your offer but im not sure where i would qualify as im not giving anything away!!! big hugs to all, Clare xxx

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  10. Darling Clare, you are such an inspiration to us all... you deal with so much personally yet you have devoted yourself to helping others! What a wonderful class you have organised, everyone looks thoroughly excited with their projects... and how adorable is that little man and his lighthouse card, awww! Keep up the good work Miss Clare and let me know if I can help in some way.
    Beav x

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  11. Awww looks like everyone had a wonderful day. Your sound like you are such a kind and thoughtful person, sadly hard to come by in todays world. Well done you, as others have said I am sure your Mum would be very proud of you.
    Kaz xx

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  12. Hello you!

    Pop on over to mine as there's something there for you!

    Non fattening, of course!

    Keryn x

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  13. Hi Clare, if you get chance pop over to my blog as there is a little something there for you. Hugs, Claire x

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  14. You're a wonderful person Clare. I just know that everybody would love you to bits! Thanks for sharing your story and for ispiring us all.
    HUGE (((hugs)))!!
    xoxox

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  15. so glad it all went well
    it was great hearing all about it on the phone the other day
    i wish i could come to the next one with you!!!!!
    Mum will be watching you and be so proud of you and i am too xxx

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  16. Ah sounds like you had a lovely day and what a lovely way to give something back and looking at the smiles on their faces I'm sure they loved it! I'm sure if you can overcome your feelings about going back to where you mum stayed you would find it really rewarding and your mum would be chuffed that you did it to! Big Hugs Tracey x

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  17. clare you are such a special person, always wanting to help others people and animals.
    Luv your photos of the people making cards and showing us what they have made.
    I am so proud you are a friend of mine, take care will give you a call soon.

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  18. Your messages mean so much to me girls, thankyou. The people are the amazing one's though not me. Im just so happy that i have been given this opportunity xxx

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  19. You have such a beautiful soul Clare. By taking your magic to the hospice you have filled many people with a little joy and I'm sure you have gained a lot from the experience as well. You are a very special person!!
    Shelee xx

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Thankyou for leaving me a message, it makes my day!!! xxx

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