Hospice Care Week Resources

We want to make sure that your Comms teams get all the latest Hospice Care Week updates, calls for content, and media opportunities. Please ask them to join our Hospice Communicators Network to make the most of our media and online coverage.

As part of this year’s hero campaign video, we've asked members to submit photos of their shops, staff and volunteers to be part of the final film. It’s important to sign up to our Hospice Communicators network to make sure you get updates on the launch.

By joining, you’ll also get updates on other Hospice Care Week resources for use in your plans for the week. 

It can feel a little intimidating to get people talking about hospice events. But some simple tips and tricks can work really well.

Share a memory

Ask people to share a memory of their experience of great hospice care. People generally enjoy talking about friends and family who are no longer with us, and it can be the perfect way to start the conversation if they were cared for by a hospice.

Ask relatable questions

Ask tangible, relatable questions such as what people know already about hospice care, and, if they work in a hospice, what their favourite thing about their job is. This is a great way to start conversations about hospice care, and pique people's interest. 

Hospice stories

Use one of our stories - which you can find on our website - as an introduction to the topic. 

Think about the venue

Think about a good venue for your event. Your hospice is the best place to start, but if you need to look elsewhere you can get in touch with organisations in the community, such as a library, a local church or mosque, a village hall, or the reception area of a GP surgery might be ideal.

Who's your audience?

Be clear on who the audience for your event is, and how you'll reach them. If it's the patients and families of a hospice or GP surgery, they are likely to be passing through regularly. But if you're putting something on in a local cafe, think about who is likely to be most interested in the event, and how you can make sure they hear about it.

Use our resources

Make use of our range of downloadable and printable resources to help your event go smoothly.

Refreshments

Providing some refreshments is a good idea - there's nothing like a cup of tea and cake to encourage people to get involved. 

Promote your event

You can promote your event via email and social media. But it's also helpful to think about whether any local organisations might help you promote the event, for example in their shop window or via an email newsletter.

Which is the best platform?

Think about which platforms you want to use to host your event online. Zoom is a popular choice, but there are lots of options. Make sure you are well prepared to check the technology is working!

Encouraging people to join in

Online events are brilliant for encouraging lots of people to take part wherever they are, but it can be a little harder to get people talking. Think about how you encourage people to join in, whether that is through a little game, a series of questions, or breaking people into smaller online groups.

Best timing for your audience

Think about the best time for your event based on who you are hoping will attend. Is it better in the evening, after work, or during the day?

Start small!

Don't be worried if your event is small. Lots of people register for online events and then can't make it on the day - but sometimes a small group can have a big impact. 

Check out some of our favourite fundraising ideas: 

Afternoon tea or brunch

Invite your friends round for a brunch or an afternoon tea, and ask for a donation in return. 

Quiz

Plan an in person or virtual quiz with your nearest and dearest. Participants can donate to enter and prizes can be won by individuals or teams with the most points. 

Garden cinema 

If you don’t have one already, borrow a projector and host a big-screen experience for your friends and family. All proceeds from the ‘box office’ and homemade treats can go to your sponsorship target. 

Camp festival 

Did you miss your usual festivals this year? Why not organise your own by holding a garden party and invite friends and family to play garden games and cook dinner over an open fire for a donation. You could even invite them to pitch up a tent for the full experience! 

Car wash 

Why not get out (and get the kids involved) with washing as many cars as you can, asking for donations on the way.

Challenge yourself 

Challenge yourself to take on a bold activity for Hospice Care Week. Get sponsored to shave your head, dye your hair yellow, volunteer to have your legs waxed or get gunged for hospice care. Get friends and family to donate to watch. 

Step challenge 

Arrange a step challenge between teams, pay to enter and win prizes for the most steps taken during Hospice Care Week. Set challenges that remind people what it takes to provide hospice care. Can someone complete 200 push-ups in one day to represent the 200+ hospices in the UK? Or 300,000 steps in a month for the combined number of people cared for by hospices each year?