For more than fifteen years, Elaine Hartley has been a cherished part of East Lancashire Hospice. She first joined as a volunteer after being invited by Sharon Crimble, then Director of Income Generation and Marketing, and quickly became a familiar face at our events.
Elaine spent many years working alongside Laura Isherwood, who coordinated our volunteers. After Laura died, Elaine was encouraged to continue the work Laura had poured so much heart into. She now comes in every week, giving her time, energy and kindness to support our teams and help coordinate volunteers for hospice events.
Outside the Hospice, Elaine is always discovering something new; pickleball, the gym or dry stone walling, but volunteering has always remained one of her greatest joys. “It’s loads of fun, and the people are lovely,” she said. “When you go into the Hospice, it’s like being given a big hug. It’s so warm and friendly. It wraps you up.”
This year, Elaine decided to celebrate a special birthday in a way that truly reflected her adventurous spirit: by organising her own skydive. It was something she’d wanted to do for a while, and marking her birthday felt like the perfect moment to finally tick it off her bucket list while raising money for a cause she cares deeply about.
“I don’t like heights, but I think everyone should do it,” she laughed. “I was absolutely fine and excited coming up to it, but I was a little nervous when I sat down and dangled my legs out of the plane.”
From 15,000 feet, Elaine took the leap and raised an incredible £780 in support of hospice care. She was met on the ground by her family, including her grandson Jacob, who had doubted she’d actually go through with it. “He was the first one I hugged,” she said. “I told him, ‘You know I’ve always been crazy,’ and he was very proud.”
Elaine began volunteering at East Lancashire Hospice because she simply wanted to help. “It’s such an amazing cause,” she said. “It’s a shame hospices don’t get more government funding. I’m so passionate about it.”
She also wants to thank everyone who donated, including those who gave anonymously. “I can’t thank them personally, but I’m so grateful,” she said.
Elaine is a strong advocate for Gift Aid, which helped increase her final fundraising total. Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows charities to claim an extra 25% on donations made by UK taxpayers, at no extra cost to the donor. It means that for every £10 someone gives, the Hospice can receive £12.50, simply because the donor has confirmed they pay tax and are happy for the charity to reclaim it. It’s one of the easiest ways to make a donation go further, and many people don’t realise how much difference it makes. As Elaine said, “It’s fantastic and so worthwhile; more people should know about it!”
Elaine hopes her skydive inspires others to get involved, whether through our events, fundraising challenges or simply by showing up. “There’s so much help available for our community here, whether at the Hospice or through Hospice at Home,” she said. “Our events like Sunflower Memories or the Starlight Walk are so well organised and well attended. They’re a great way to support the Hospice, and there’s something for everyone.”
If you’d like to support the Hospice, take on a challenge of your own, or join one of our upcoming events, you can explore ways to get involved here: https://eastlancshospice.org.uk/support-us/
