New boost for Harrogate Saint Michael’s Hospice in battle against half million pound budget shortfall

Harrogate Town Football Club heroes visited Saint Michael’s Hospice in a show of support for this important charity’s urgent 'inflation appeal' in response to a half million pound budget shortfall.
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The hospice’s vital campaign, which is backed by the Harrogate Advertiser, seeks to address a £500,000 gap in the Harrogate charity’s finances due to their government funding rising by just 1.2% despite rising costs including inflation hitting more than 8%.

This week, players from Harrogate Town Football Club visited Saint Michael’s Hospice ahead of a ‘charity takeover’ at their upcoming final home game of the EFL season this weekend.

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Attacking Midfielder Jack Muldoon and defender Mathew Foulds took time out of their training schedule on Monday, April 15 to visit staff and patients at the hospice and to show their support.

Harrogate Town players Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds, with Saint Michael’s CEO, Tony Collins’s grandson, and the daughter of a hospice colleague outside the Crimple House Hospice in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)Harrogate Town players Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds, with Saint Michael’s CEO, Tony Collins’s grandson, and the daughter of a hospice colleague outside the Crimple House Hospice in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)
Harrogate Town players Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds, with Saint Michael’s CEO, Tony Collins’s grandson, and the daughter of a hospice colleague outside the Crimple House Hospice in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)

"I’ve never been to a hospice before it was my first time,” said Foulds.

‘Walking in I thought wow what a place this is.

"We saw one of the patients, Dave’s room (a patient) and what is provided, he was talking about the food, and he said it was amazing.

‘Without the hospice, there would be nowhere for patients to go, so I think having this in place is massive for the community.

Harrogate Town footballers Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds, with Dave, one of the patients at Saint Michael’s Hospice in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)Harrogate Town footballers Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds, with Dave, one of the patients at Saint Michael’s Hospice in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)
Harrogate Town footballers Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds, with Dave, one of the patients at Saint Michael’s Hospice in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)
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"It’s nice to give back, so we were so pleased to come here to see the patients and to see the staff, it’s just been a great day.”

Since the launch of Saint Michael’s Inflation Appeal, hospice’s up and down the country have echoed the funding inequalities across the sector with Hospice UK, the national charity for hospice and end of life care, having also revealed alarming findings in their recent survey of hospice finances.

According to Hospice UK’s quarterly financial benchmarking survey, the UK hospice sector, which supports 300,000 people annually, is facing a collective estimated deficit of £77 million in the financial year 2023-24, primarily fuelled by rapidly rising costs.

The issue reached Parliamentary debate this week, with lobbying expected to be ongoing until fairer funding support is offered.

Supporting an urgent £500,000 fundraising appeal - Harrogate Town players Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds with Saint Michael’s CEO, Tony Collins, Tony’s grandson, and the daughter of a hospice colleague.  (Picture contributed)Supporting an urgent £500,000 fundraising appeal - Harrogate Town players Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds with Saint Michael’s CEO, Tony Collins, Tony’s grandson, and the daughter of a hospice colleague.  (Picture contributed)
Supporting an urgent £500,000 fundraising appeal - Harrogate Town players Jack Muldoon and Mathew Foulds with Saint Michael’s CEO, Tony Collins, Tony’s grandson, and the daughter of a hospice colleague. (Picture contributed)
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The Saint Michael’s Inflation Appeal has already raised more than £95,000 with a further boost expected this weekend at Harrogate Town’s game against MK Dons which is raising funds in aid of the charity.

Michael White, Partnerships Manager at Saint Michael’s Hospice said; “We’re blown away by the support of Harrogate Town.

"At this Saturday’s game, players will be doing their warm up in Saint Michael’s T-shirts, our appeal messaging will be in their match-day programme and on the big screens, plus we’re doing a bucket collection, where we’ll be encouraging hospice supporters and football fans alike to donate the cost of half-time refreshments.

Saint Michael’s offer vital hospice care, emotional wellbeing, and bereavement support to local communities across the Harrogate district both from its Hornbeam Park based hospice and in people’s own homes.

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The hospice receives just 17% funding from government income streams and with government funding simply not keeping up, this year they will rely on the generosity of their community to raise over £5.5 million.

Saint Michael’s Hospice is part of North Yorkshire Hospice Care, a registered charity in England and Wales with a family of services operating as Herriot Hospice Homecare, Just ‘B’, Saint Michael’s Hospice and Talking Spaces

If you would like to donate to the Inflation Appeal, visit: https://saintmichaelshospice.org/

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