Our Inclusion Agenda

• Meeting with local community groups in Ipswich to chat about how to make the hospice more accessible
• Arranging open events to the hospice for people representing a range of groups from the local community
• Collaborating with our Compassionate Communities project to be more engaged with those with lived experience of end-of-life care or bereavement
• Building connections with multi-faith groups
• Looking at practical ways to ensure everyone is able to access hospice services – see our access tools section below.
• Internally sharing resources and information with staff about inclusion with a dedicated Inclusion Matters campaign
• Attending local events in the community

As part of our commitment to co-production, we run a Hospice Engagement Group.

Objectives of the group are:

• To enable patients, their families and those with lived experience to have access to hospice co-production opportunities
• For co-production to be a core consideration within hospice projects that impact patients and families
• To collect and share evidence of co-production activities in the hospice
• To provide oversight and advice to the hospice on co-production

Watch the video here with Amy Cant, member of the Hospice Engagement Group, on how we developed the Bright Space Family Room in Ipswich.

• Jemma Wood – Head of Volunteering at St Elizabeth Hospice.

• Amy Cant – Amy has been connected to the hospice from an early age after her mum received hospice care. Now working in childcare, she connects with children and families alike and has supported the development of the Bright Spaces room at the hospice in Ipswich.
• Ann Monks – Ann is a trustee for St Elizabeth Hospice and previously served on the Board of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices for 9 years.  Ann has a personal connection to the hospice as her late husband received compassionate care at the hospice in Ipswich.
• Dennis Tattoo – After a 40-year teaching career, Dennis started volunteering at the hospice in September 2017, working on reception. In 2021, Dennis and his wife Sarah established the Walk On group – a free walking bereavement group as part of the LivingGrief service.
• Phil Wix – Phil volunteers with the facilities department and Compassionate Communities project at the hospice since 2019. He has had lived experience with support from the hospice when his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
• Roberta Lovick – Roberta has worked with Macmillan, Marie Curie and at Addenbrookes Hospital Research Department. She has been heavily involved with the Louise Hamilton Centre for palliative care, which is named after her daughter who died of breast cancer at the age of 28.
• Monika Puchala – Monika is originally from Poland and has lived in Ipswich for over 10 years. She currently works as a Maternity Project Coordinator and Information Advice and Guidance Advisor at Ipswich Community Media and Learning. Based on migrants’ experiences, barriers and challenges including Monika’s own experience, she helps to create healthy relationships with professionals and equip both sides with tools increasing understanding of each other.