2009
Foxes bosses pledge to help hospice hit target
September 26th 2009
Leicester City FC's main men have pledged to do "everything humanly possible" to help a hospice raise the £500,000 needed for a new extension.
Chairman Milan Mandaric, manager Nigel Pearson and Foxes legend and charity patron Alan Birchenall visited LOROS for a tour of the new facilities, which include 11 single patient rooms. After a year of building, patients will move into the £2m extension in the week beginning October 5. However, fund-raisers are still around £500,000 short of their target, and need to raise the money by the end of the year.
After looking round the Groby Road hospice, the Leicester City bosses said it was a "humbling" experience. Mr Mandaric said: "I'm a happy person because I can see what good is being done here. I'm very proud that as a club we can give our support. We'll do everything humanly possible to get stronger support because it is something everyone should be proud of. I thought the facilities were tremendous and there is a tremendous atmosphere as well, the staff are so friendly and bubbly. This organisation deserves a lot of credit and recognition."
Earlier this year, the club chose the hospice to be its supported charity in the season that marks the 125th anniversary of Leicester City and the 25th anniversary of LOROS. The charity's logo is now emblazoned on the team's away kit. In return, one of the outside walkways in the new extension has been named Filbert Way.
Speaking after the tour, Mr Pearson said: "It's nice to come round and have a look at what they do here. It's very humbling to meet everyone working here. They're all very sincere people who love the work that they do. It's not an easy job in many ways but they provide a fabulous service. The association is good for the club as well. They're still looking to raise funds and if we can help raise the profile we will."
The City bosses were among a group of major donors given a tour of LOROS earlier this week. There will be another tour for other supporters on Tuesday.
Former Foxes player Alan Birchenall – affectionately known as The Birch – joined England rugby coach Martin Johnson and former City star Ali Mauchlen as a patron of the hospice in August.
After seeing the new facilities, he said: "I came here on the opening day and to see how it's grown is just unbelievable. Over the years, I've visited friends and City fans here and I just can't say enough good things about it. We know what happens here but the thing about LOROS is it's not all doom and gloom."
LOROS fund-raising manager Diane Morris said: "We are extremely grateful to Leicester City for their support and the walkway leads to pavers that have been laid and named by supporters of LOROS."
To make a donation, call 0116 231 8431, or visit: www.justgiving.com/LOROSappeal
Readers' £50,000 boost for LOROS
August 19th 2009
A hospice has received a cash boost of more than £60,000 – thanks to Leicester Mercury readers. As reported in the Mercury last week, LOROS needs to raise more than £500,000 towards a new extension, as building work is due to be completed at the end of the month.
After seeing the article, Pat Nutting got in touch with the hospice, in Groby Road, Leicester, to offer a £50,000 donation in memory of her husband, Mick. The 66-year-old died on July 30 following a three-and-a-half year battle against bowel cancer and had told his wife he wanted to leave some money to the charity. Mrs Nutting said: "When Mick went into LOROS he got such fantastic treatment. Unless you've been there you just don't realise what they do. They're absolutely unbelievable.
"He was there for nearly two weeks and it took a lot of the stress away. They looked after me as well. He said he wanted to leave them the money and I wanted to carry out his wishes. Then when I saw the story in the Mercury, I thought it could go to the appeal. They're naming a room after him, which will be nice – it means he will always be there."
A further cheque for £13,000 and more for smaller amounts also arrived in the post this week from other generous readers.
The £2m LOROS Capital Appeal is to provide an extension with 11 single patient rooms at the Groby Road site, and construction is well under way. Patients are due to start moving in next month.
After August 31, hospice fund-raisers will have to dip into running costs, although supporters can still donate up until the end of December. Fund-raising manager Diane Morris says she was amazed to receive the recent donations.
She said: "There's no way we would have got all this money suddenly like this, so we're fairly sure it's down to the article. We really want to say thank you to Mrs Nutting and all the people who are supporting us. The £13,000 was from a woman whose husband died a couple of years ago. She sent it with a note to our matron, thanking us and saying she'd like to help. We're absolutely thrilled to receive the funds, it will all really make a difference."
To donate to the appeal, write a cheque made out to Capital Appeal, LOROS Fundraising, Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9QE, or make an online donation at: www.justgiving.com/LOROSappeal
Hospice needs £550,000
August 13th 2009
A hospice in Leicester is desperate to raise £550,000 by the end of the month for building work.
Fund-raising managers at LOROS, in Leicester, said unless they received a major donation in the next three weeks, they would have to dip into the money set aside for annual running costs to cover the deficit.
Leicester City legend Alan Birchenall has now joined England rugby coach Martin Johnson and former City star Ali Mauchlen as a patron of the Groby Road hospice, to help raise its profile. Fund-raising manager Diane Morris said: "We are having a difficult time because of the credit crunch. I don't want people to think we're going to have to cut services, but we do need people to support us. To get a major donor for this amount, we'd have to be extremely lucky. So I don't think we're going to do it. We're working extremely hard to raise funds and hoping the community will rally round."
Building work on the 11 single-bedroom extension is almost complete. Patients are expected to move into the rooms at the beginning of October. However, general fund-raising for LOROS is down by 11 per cent on this time last year.
The charity is to launch a Lunch for LOROS – similar to Macmillan's World's Biggest Coffee Morning – to get people involved in fund-raising. Ms Morris said: "This will become an annual event, with people organising their own fund-raising events on one day. It is backed by Leicester City and will be on Friday, October 9, as October 10 is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day." The Birch, a long-time supporter of the charity, said he was honoured to become a patron.
He said: "I have visited friends who have passed away there and I know what a fantastic job they do. Everyone in Leicestershire and Rutland knows what LOROS means to people here. It's a wonderful organisation. The extension is a fantastic thing and it's going to need a lot of money. But I've been raising money for charity for years and I know how generous the people of Leicestershire can be."
Martin Johnson said: "I hope people will help LOROS raise the additional money required."
Cheques, made out to Capital Appeal, can be sent to LOROS Fundraising, Groby Road, Leicester. LE3 9QE.
All stories reproduced by kind permission of Leicester Mercury.