Our Hospice at Home team swapped their clinical uniforms for buckets and sponges last month, to host their first ever charity car wash, which raised an impressive £460.63 for Pendleside Hospice.

The team, made up of registered nurses and healthcare assistants including Kate Gerrety, Natasha Marsden, Karen Robinson, Lorraine Connell, Tracey Crowther, Yvonne Drinkwater, Kirsty Moore, Julie Carter and Helen Thomson, worked tirelessly from 9am to 1pm in Pendleside’s car park, located next to the Donation Centre. For a minimum donation of £5, members of the community had their cars washed by the team, whose usual roles involve providing vital care to people in their own homes. 

The fundraising event was spearheaded by Natasha Marsden, Health Care Assistant at Pendleside Hospice, who has been part of the team for more than six years. Natasha is well known across Pendleside for her boundless energy and commitment to raising funds. Over the past 18 months alone, she has dedicated much of her time to supporting the Hospice through a variety of fundraising challenges and initiatives. 

Natasha took part in The Great Pendleside Trek in September 2024, and has since organised raffles, homemade craft sales, and seasonal hamper draws at Easter and Christmas. This year, she set herself the ambitious challenge of climbing Ben Nevis, but a knee injury meant she had to postpone those plans. Undeterred, she also joined this year’s Pendle Pub Walk, bringing her total fundraising efforts to more than £2,500. 

After the car wash total of £460.63 was revealed to the team, Natasha shared her delight, “We enjoyed every minute of the car wash and are already planning the next one! We all work in the community supporting patients in their own homes, and as a team, we wanted to come together to raise money for a charity that means so much to us all. Thank you to everyone who came along and had their car washed – some even jumped out to give us a hand!”

The event was not just about fundraising but also about building team spirit and bringing together colleagues who often work different shifts and rarely see each other. 

Natasha explained, “Often the day and night staff don’t always see each other – we can be like ships in the night – so this was a great way to have a laugh, catch up, and raise money for a fantastic cause. We had patients’ families coming down, as well as our own neighbours - the generosity was incredible! About half an hour in, we had a queue of cars lined up, with many donating more than the minimum donation, which is so generous.” 

Kirsty Moore, also a Health Care Assistant at Pendleside, added, “Some of us stood at the entrance to the Hospice off Colne Road, encouraging people to come in. It was heartwarming to see some people who didn’t need a car wash but wanted to donate anyway. Even a bus driver pulled over to give us money. It was such a heartwarming experience.” 

For Natasha and the team, the car wash highlighted the strength of the community spirit which is at the heart of Pendleside’s work, “The intention was to bring our team together. We work incredibly hard supporting those in our community, and we all love our job. We already knew how brilliant our local community is, but this event really highlighted it. We can’t wait to do it again. Our next Hospice at Home car wash will take place on Saturday, 27th September, from 10am to 4pm – help us smash our target this time around!” 

Anne Huntley, Clinical Services Manager at Pendleside Hospice, praised the team’s dedication and the vital role they play, “I’m really proud of our Hospice at Home team – they’ve done a brilliant job of raising funds and awareness for one of our core services. In the last 12 months, we have looked after 488 patients in their own homes, providing not just care for patients but support for their families too. Our team of over 30 nurses and healthcare assistants have made over 9,000 visits, day and night. This service is only possible thanks to our incredible community of supporters, and we’re grateful every day for the money raised to help keep our Hospice doors open.”

Pendleside’s Hospice at Home service supports people living in the Burnley and Pendle areas with advanced, long term and life-limiting illnesses. It offers compassionate care in patients’ own homes, helping them remain in familiar surroundings alongside their loved ones. 

Referrals can be made by healthcare professionals, family members, or through self-referral with the patient’s consent. 

Click here to find out more about our Hospice at Home service.