Sobell House Hospice has ushered in the New Year by announcing an ambitious programme of events to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The Oxford-based palliative care provider has outlined a full calendar of fundraising initiatives designed to secure its future for the next half-century.
A Year of Celebration and Fundraising
The hospice's golden anniversary year will be packed with activities for the community to engage with. The festivities commence with the inaugural Sobell Raffle at the end of January, offering participants the chance to win incredible prizes.
February will see a focus on legacy giving, encouraging supporters to consider leaving a gift in their Will. This will be followed in March by the launch of the Forever Flowers Appeal. Donors can sponsor a gold metal flower to form a display of 680 blooms at Blenheim Palace from May 8 to 10, representing the average number of patients cared for at any one time. Each donor will later receive their flower to keep.
Coinciding with this display, the hospice's popular Winter Walk is being rebranded as the Spring Stroll, taking place at Blenheim Palace on May 10 in hopes of more predictable weather.
Major Events and Community Challenges
The anniversary celebrations will peak on June 13 with a major 50th Celebration event at the Westgate, featuring stalls, entertainment, and a look back at the hospice's history. Later in the summer, Sobell House will be the charity partner for Bike Oxford and will install a Rainbow of Ribbons display in the University Parks.
A cornerstone of the year is the '50 for 50' fundraiser. Supporters are invited to take on any challenge inspired by the number 50 – from walking 50 miles to baking 50 cakes – to raise vital funds. The hospice highlights that £50 could fund two hours of expert nursing care, while £500 could fund two bereavement café sessions.
Throughout the year, new collection boxes accompanied by commemorative pin badges, including a special golden tree badge for the 50th anniversary, will be distributed to local businesses.
Recent Support and Heartwarming Thanks
The hospice has expressed immense gratitude for recent community efforts. In December, over 40 volunteers wrapped presents at the Westgate, raising more than £2,000. The week included the poignant moment a customer, Tris, used the service to hide an engagement ring for his successful proposal to Maria.
Further support came from The Tite Inn and Chadlington Brewery's Great Brook Run on December 27, which raised £3,500 for Sobell House and other causes. Martin Claridge's Christmas lights display in Kennington generated £2,049, while supporter Gideon cycled 9,000 miles, raising nearly £1,500 in memory of his father.
The hospice also thanked Year 9 students from Oxford Spires Academy for sending handmade Christmas cards to patients, bringing joy to the ward.
In a separate ongoing campaign, Richard Rosser, CEO of B4, is completing 10,000 press-ups in January to raise money for 12 Oxfordshire charities, including Sobell House, with all donations being matched by a benefactor.
