Two Hospice of the Valleys supporters completed the London Marathon recently, raising thousands of pounds for our charity.

One was Cathy Johnson, pictured here with her medal, just after finishing her first ever marathon in a time of five hours and 56 minutes.

Cathy, 53, who is from Tredegar and works for Barclays in Merthyr, has taken part in several Hospice challenges in recent years, including the National Three Peaks Challenge – twice – raising thousands of pounds.

Her partner Kevin Phillips’ late father Roland was a patient with the hospice and this has fuelled her motivation to raise money for the charity.

She has raised more than £1,500 for the Hospice through sponsorship  for the marathon – and employers Barclays will match the first £1,000.

Ashley, who is sport and fitness manager with Aneurin Leisure, was also running his first London Marathon, completing the course in 3 hours 41 minutes.

He was running in support of the Hospice, partly because of the charity’s recently begun two-year partnership with Aneurin Leisure. But he also remembers the caring way the Hospice nurses looked after his father Gareth, who was a patient with the Hospice of the Valleys 11 years ago.

‘Jayne Medlicott in particular was a huge support to both my father and our family – I really liked the fact that she could bring some humour to what was obviously a very difficult situation,’ he says.

Hospice fundraiser Helen Morgan said: ‘We are extremely grateful to both Ashley and Cathy for their huge efforts in support of our charity. A huge well done to both of them!

 

Two Hospice of the Valleys supporters completed the London Marathon recently, raising thousands of pounds for our charity.

One was Cathy Johnson, pictured here with her medal, just after finishing her first ever marathon in a time of five hours and 56 minutes.

Cathy, 53, who is from Tredegar and works for Barclays in Merthyr, has taken part in several Hospice challenges in recent years, including the National Three Peaks Challenge – twice – raising thousands of pounds.

Her partner Kevin Phillips’ late father Roland was a patient with the hospice and this has fuelled her motivation to raise money for the charity.

She has raised more than £1,500 for the Hospice through sponsorship  for the marathon – and employers Barclays will match the first £1,000.

Ashley, who is sport and fitness manager with Aneurin Leisure, was also running his first London Marathon, completing the course in 3 hours 41 minutes.

He was running in support of the Hospice, partly because of the charity’s recently begun two-year partnership with Aneurin Leisure. But he also remembers the caring way the Hospice nurses looked after his father Gareth, who was a patient with the Hospice of the Valleys 11 years ago.

‘Jayne Medlicott in particular was a huge support to both my father and our family – I really liked the fact that she could bring some humour to what was obviously a very difficult situation,’ he says.

Hospice fundraiser Helen Morgan said: ‘We are extremely grateful to both Ashley and Cathy for their huge efforts in support of our charity. A huge well done to both of them!

 

Today during our Dementia Services group we explored working with Breath-Body-Mind, to enhance feelings of calm, relaxation and overall well-being.  This seemed to evoke an understanding of relaxation and how to get there using the breath as a tool.  When we feel overwhelmed with feelings of stress, fear and anxiety, practising this technique can quite naturally bring us back to balance.   Just 10 minutes of mindful breathing and a little stretch at the end worked really well with patients and carers feeling a little easier in their minds and bodies as they left.

 

Oriana Shepherd - Complementary Therapist

Today during our Dementia Services group we explored working with Breath-Body-Mind, to enhance feelings of calm, relaxation and overall well-being.  This seemed to evoke an understanding of relaxation and how to get there using the breath as a tool.  When we feel overwhelmed with feelings of stress, fear and anxiety, practising this technique can quite naturally bring us back to balance.   Just 10 minutes of mindful breathing and a little stretch at the end worked really well with patients and carers feeling a little easier in their minds and bodies as they left.

 

Oriana Shepherd - Complementary Therapist

Byron Hayward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A big well done to former Welsh rugby international Byron Hayward, who kicked alcohol into touch all through January to raise money for the Hospice!

He was joined in ‘Dry January’ by his fellow coaches Wayne Pivac, Ioan Cunningham and Stephen Jones from Scarlets in Llanelli – who all gave up their wine or beer for a whole month and together raised a fantastic £710 in sponsorship.

Byron, who has been an ambassador for the Hospice for nearly two years, said: ‘I’m so grateful to everyone who donated, and especially my fellow coaches at the Scarlets, who stayed disciplined for the whole month.’

In August 2015, Byron completed the Hospice’s National Three Peaks Challenge, climbing  Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in one day and raising over £2,000 for the Hospice – many thanks to him for his continued support.

Byron Hayward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A big well done to former Welsh rugby international Byron Hayward, who kicked alcohol into touch all through January to raise money for the Hospice!

He was joined in ‘Dry January’ by his fellow coaches Wayne Pivac, Ioan Cunningham and Stephen Jones from Scarlets in Llanelli – who all gave up their wine or beer for a whole month and together raised a fantastic £710 in sponsorship.

Byron, who has been an ambassador for the Hospice for nearly two years, said: ‘I’m so grateful to everyone who donated, and especially my fellow coaches at the Scarlets, who stayed disciplined for the whole month.’

In August 2015, Byron completed the Hospice’s National Three Peaks Challenge, climbing  Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in one day and raising over £2,000 for the Hospice – many thanks to him for his continued support.