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During 2023, businesses throughout Derbyshire and beyond banded together to support the hospice as part of their Children in Need DIY Big Build, which saw a bespoke counselling unit for children and young people built on the charity's grounds in Risley. Now the charity, which supports over 2,000 people living with life-limiting illnesses, is calling for businesses to once again support them. From 7 to 9 January 2025, the hospice will be collecting real Christmas trees for recycling after the festive period, in return for a donation to the charity. Volunteers with vans collect trees from driveways and bring them to designated recycling points across Southern Derbyshire and neighbouring areas of Nottinghamshire. Vic Rocca, Treetops Key Events Relationships Manager, said:  “Treecycling collections are really fun and can help blow off the cobwebs following the festive feasting period. “Vans or tippers, of Transit size or larger, are required to help the collection. Businesses, families, or community groups with access to these are encouraged to get in touch and provide support. “Volunteers who can offer a day’s help or even a few hours will make a massive difference in collecting all the trees registered over the festive period. “Last year 14 businesses and organisations volunteered for the treecycling scheme. Together they raised over £18,000 helping more than 166 patients receive a night of hospice at home care. “The proceeds raised from Treecycling really make a difference. That’s why we’re on a mission to secure more volunteers and vans, as this will help us to care for even more patients and their families across the local community. “ Interested in volunteering? Please contact Vic Rocca at Treetops on vic@treetops.org.uk or call 0115 949 1264. Treetops Hospice, the leading end-of-life care charity in Derby, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, provides nursing care and emotional support for adults with life-limiting conditions, those who’ve been bereaved, and their families. Treetops Hospice is doing all it can to continue to support those in most need. The charity welcomes donations to ensure the future of the hospice and its services: www.treetopshospice.org.uk/donate

A charity golf day organised by Ilkeston based roofing firm, Advanced Roofing, has proved to be a 'tee-rrific' event raising over £3,500 for Treetops Hospice. Suppliers and local businesses swapped their day jobs for the greens at one of the UK's premier golf destinations, the Forest of Arden Golf Club, for 18-holes followed by an auction. The money raised will help Treetops, the hospice for south Derbyshire and the city of Derby, to care for people with life-limiting illnesses and their family. Lisa Hartshorn, Financial Director at Advanced Roofing said: "It was the first time we organised a corporate golf day and I can’t believe how successful it was. Thanks to the teams who took part and suppliers who donated prizes, we raised an amazing £3,590 for Treetops. We're so pleased with how it went, that we'll be making it an annual event in support of Treetops. Advanced Roofing first got involved in supporting Treetops in September 2023 as part of BBC Children in Need's DIY SOS The Big Build, providing and installing the roof for The Saplings, a bespoke children's bereavement and counselling therapy centre at Treetops. "We were truly honoured to be part of the DIY SOS The Big Build project, and were impressed by the work Treetops do." Lisa added. Treetops' Community Engagement Relationship Manager, Natalie Godrich, said: "We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s taken part in the charity golf day. Their support could help us to provide 100 counselling sessions for local bereaved children or help to fund 35 nights of hospice at home care for local people at the end of life. "We love working with Advanced Roofing and can't wait to continue to grow the relationship; particularly at their annual golf day." If your business is interested in supporting Treetops, please email adela@treetopshospice.org.uk

Date: October 2024 We appreciate that times are tight for everyone – it’s the same for Treetops Hospice. We rely on you, our wonderful supporters, to keep our doors open and our services running. It costs over £5.7million a year to provide our vital care in the local community and run the hospice. Like many other UK hospices, ee receive funding from the Integrated Care Board (ICB) that covers less than 18% of the costs for delivering several of our care services. So, the remaining £4.7million we must raise ourselves. So when we say “Every penny you raise for Treetops Hospice makes a huge difference and means we can continue to care for local patients and their families”, we mean it. Our team want to make it easy for YOU to fundraise for us, whatever your reasons for supporting us; which is why we’ve created these five easy ways to fundraise for Treetops Hospice. Take part in one of our events or challenges: Whether it’s a run, cycle, trek, skydive or wing walk, we have a challenge for everyone. Push your limits and make memories that will last a lifetime. When taking on when of our events or challenges, our team are with you every step of the way (although we may not run with you) providing you with fundraising support and resources; they'll be in touch regularly to answer any questions you may have; and you'll also be invited to join our #TeamTreetops Facebook community group, giving you the opportunity to speak with other incredible fundraisers. Organise your own event: From giving up presents, climbing a mountain or selling cakes, there are so many ways for you to make a difference. And with so many of us involved in different groups, clubs and organisations, organising your own event for Treetops is an easy way to get your family, friends and work colleagues involved in something which is personal and unique. Once you have decided on what to do, we will send you a fantastic fundraising pack so you have everything you need to make your fundraiser a success! Play the Treetops Lottery: Every Friday there are 12 guaranteed prizes up for grabs in the Treetops Lottery... from the weekly jackpot prize of £1,000 to smaller amounts. Oh, and then there's the opportunity to win up to £10,000 in the rollover! You could be one of the lucky winners by signing up to play the Treetops Lottery for £1 a week, with tickets available to buy online via our website or in one of our shops. Donate your pre-loved items: Looking for a new home for your pre-loved toys, clothes, furniture or bric-a-brac? Give your pre-loved items a new lease of life, by donating them to one of our charity shops (find your nearest Treetops shop). And if you gift aid your shop donations it means we can receive an extra 25p from the Government for every £1 we raise from selling your goods. We'd call this a win-win-win... you get to make space by clearing out your pre-loved items and support our work in the community; we get to sell your wonderful items and give them a new home and lease of life; and together we get to keep things out of landfill! Charity Partnerships: Does your place of work have a charity partner? If not, please get in touch we'd love to work with you! From Charity of the Year schemes to Cause Related Marketing campaigns, there are so many ways your company can work in partnership with us to make a difference to local people supporter by Treetops. We'll work with you to ensure that your company is making a positive social impact by helping us provide support to adults, children and young people in Derbyshire. And your company can meet their business objectives by fulfilling Corporate Social Responsibility requirements, encouraging staff to work together and demonstrating their commitment to an important charity. Payroll Giving: A tax-free way to support Treetops you say? Tell me more! Payroll giving allows anyone who pays UK income tax to give regularly and on a tax free basis to Treetops Hospice. It's free of charge to sign up through Giving Online and it's quick and easy too. Once it's set up, the donation is taken automatically each time you get paid, so you don't even have to think about it. Payroll giving is a great way to support Treetops because it’s a regular donation, easy to give and it’s tax free. The donation is taken from your gross pay so for every £1 you give, it only costs you 80p, or 60p for higher rate tax payers (the taxman pays the rest!) However you choose to fundraise for Treetops, make sure you get in touch and tell us about, as our team are on hand to offer any advice you may need and answer any questions you have.

Treetops is looking for people to help with the tree recycling scheme this Christmas. From the 7 to 9 January 2025, the hospice will be collecting real Christmas trees for recycling after the festive period, in return for a donation to the charity. Volunteers with vans collect trees from driveways and bring them to designated recycling points across Southern Derbyshire and neighbouring areas of Nottinghamshire. Vans or tippers, of Transit size or larger, are required to help the collection. Businesses, families, or community groups with access to these are encouraged to get in touch and provide support. Vic Rocca, Treetops Key Events Relationships Manager, said: "Treecycling collections are really fun and can help blow off the cobwebs following the festive feasting period. “Volunteers who can offer a day’s help or even a few hours will make a massive difference in collecting all the trees registered over the festive period. “The proceeds raised from Treecycling helps us to care for even more patients and their families across the local community. Interested in volunteering? Please contact Vic Rocca at Treetops on vic@treetops.org.uk or call 0115 949 1264. Treetops Hospice, the leading end-of-life care charity in Derby, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, provides nursing care and emotional support for adults with life-limiting conditions, those who’ve been bereaved, and their families. Treetops Hospice is doing all it can to continue to support those in most need. The charity welcomes donations to ensure the future of the hospice and its services: www.treetopshospice.org.uk/donate

This Christmas, Tracey Thurlby-McDevitt will be remembering her late husband Dom in the Treetops annual Light up a Life appeal. Each year, hundreds of people remember their loved ones with a light. Dom, 44, died in February from cancer. The couple were told Dom had only six months left to live on the anniversary of their first date. Tracey explained more: “We just enjoyed the simple things. We could talk for hours about anything and everything. There were a lot of late-night chats over a bottle of gin at the kitchen table with snacks, putting the world to rights.” Dom’s diagnosis was completely unexpected “One day, he had a seizure at home out of the blue. We rushed him into hospital, and they did scans and tests. They found a mass in his sinus. Because the cancer was so far advanced, surgery wasn’t an option. "It was such a shock. You look back and think, surely, we saw something? He was a fit, 43-year-old. But there was nothing at all." The day after receiving his diagnosis, Dom proposed to Tracey You can plan a wedding in five weeks. But we were also planning a funeral at the same time. It felt bizarre and it was hard. But that was our life. Dom and Tracey were married at Derby Registry Office five weeks later. “It was Dom's choice, but we did delay chemotherapy by a couple of weeks so that we could get married and have a bit of a little bit of honeymoon." We'd been married ten days and then chemo started “So, we'd been married about ten days and then chemo started. it was awful to see him go through that. When you want to help, but you can't.” The couple were determined to make the most of their last six months together. “We made those last six months about what Dom wanted. I thought, ‘we've not got long to do this, so let's make this all about you’. What's on your bucket list? What do you want to do? Let's give you a damn good six months. “I also wanted to celebrate the firsts as a married couple. The first birthday with him as my husband and things like that. But he would easily turn this around to, ‘but this is my last birthday’. Our first married Christmas was our last “Our first married Christmas, we knew was going to be our last. Our plan was to go to Skegness. We were going to take the dog, a picnic, and just go for a walk on the beach. I just wanted to make this a really special memory. But we couldn't go because Dom got sick. So, Christmas was at home, watching telly. But that was fine because we were together. Tracey’s dog, a basset hound called Archie, provided support for Dom. “I’d had him since he was a pup, so Archie was my little shadow, but when I first met Dom, he really took to him. He became Dom’s little support dog. “Archie was a massive comfort to him when he was ill. When Dom came home after chemo, he would lie on the sofa and Archie would just be curled up on the sofa next to him, tucked up in his knees, like a hug.” Dom wanted to die at home and Tracey cared for him “About six weeks before Dom passed, he could no longer manage the stairs. We needed a bed downstairs and cleared out the living room. We tried a couple of nights where I went upstairs to our bed because he knew how shattered I was, but I couldn't rest. So, after just a couple of nights, I was sleeping downstairs on cushions off the sofa, wrapped up in a duvet. I spent about six weeks on the floor next to him. “Archie would curl up on the floor by his head. Dom would hang his arm down so they could touch each other. Archie just wanted to be near him. Treetops nursing care and support “I couldn't leave him on his own. I couldn't leave the house. It got to a stage where he was going down and I thought, I need help here. This is more than what I can do.” Treetops Hospice nurses helped care for Dom during his last three nights. They provided the couple with ‘comfort and peace at a time when I was terrified’, Tracey continued. One of my worries for months had been doing it all on my own, especially towards the end. With the Treetops Hospice nurses, I wasn't on my own. They were just on the end of the phone. It was so reassuring It was the first night I'd been in our bed for six weeks “That first night with the nurse there, I was able to go to bed. It was the first night I'd been in our bed for six weeks. I was knackered. After a proper sleep, I felt I could take on the world. “Dom thought the Treetops nurse was lovely too. It helped him, because it helped me. It gave him a bit of peace as he could see it was taking a lot out of me. He was reassured that I could get the rest that I needed. There were times when I was Dom’s nurse and his carer. But for those few nights, Dom needed a wife, and I could be his wife again. That was a really big thing. Dom died peacefully at home with Tracey and Archie by his side “We were all in the front room. Just us and some candles. Dom was asleep and I was just sat there holding his hand and talking to him. Archie was asleep on the sofa, snoring away. “The moment that Dom passed away, Archie immediately woke up, jumped on his bed, and was pawing at his hand, nudging his hand. It was exactly what he and I needed. It was calm, it was peaceful, it was at home, and he was pain-free. Treetops Light up a Life appeal Tracey is sharing her story for the Treetops Light up a Life appeal, as part of Dom’s ‘legacy’: Dom was very adamant he didn't want to be forgotten. I think he’d be proud of me doing this. Hopefully, it will have a long-lasting impact for Treetops, and other people that are going to need the hospice in the future. Proceeds raised through the Treetops Light up a Life appeal go towards helping the end-of-life charity to care for patients and families in the local community. A special Light up a Life Event will take place at the hospice in Risley on Sunday 8 December. During the event, the Treetops Hospice Christmas lights will be switched on and there will be a moment of quiet reflection to remember loved ones.

Primary schools, sports clubs and community groups are being encouraged to sign up to the Treetops Reindeer Dash, as part of their festive activities and to help support local bereaved children. Treetops official ‘Reindeer’, aka Natalie Godrich, Relationships Manager for Treetops Hospice, will be visiting 70 Derbyshire organisations in the coming weeks to promote this special fundraiser. “It’s wonderful when the children spot me,” Natalie said. “But I can get some odd looks when I leave the house and some double-takes when seen by someone in a car by the side of me.” Reindeer Dash fun The Reindeer Dash is a popular annual fundraiser for Treetops Hospice. The hospice provides every child with a pair of antlers to wear, a sponsorship form, and certificate. Teachers and group leaders decide the date for their Dash and chose the activity for their children, from PE lessons, football matches and discos to children simply dressing up for the day. Supporting local children struggling after the death of a loved one Last year, 4,300 local children took part in the Reindeer Dash, raising over £27,193 together. The money was used to help the end-of-life charity provide bereavement services for children and young people struggling after the death of a loved one. Treetops welcomes more organisations to sign up to the Reindeer Dash and is encouraging parents to put forward the festive and fun event to any clubs or groups their children attend. Children from nurseries and child minders take part in the Reindeer Dash as well as Brownies and Cubs, and dance, drama, and sports clubs all join in the fun. This year, we even have our first Reindeer Dash on horseback!

Through a special partnership with Treetops, a team from HW Martin Waste Ltd has raised over £8,000 for the charity, by completing an 11.5-mile trek through the Peak District.

Treetops is celebrating national Make a Will Month in October by sharing free advice on making a Will and the importance of leaving a legacy.

Wednesday 11 September marked one year since the DIY SOS Big Build for BBC Children in Need came to Treetops Hospice.

Treetops welcomes donations to help the charity care for more terminally-ill patients and their families in the local community.

The streets of Derby city centre sparkled on Friday night as hundreds of people took part in the Treetops Hospice Moonlight Walk.

A local couple celebrating 40 years of marriage have donated over £3,000 to Treetops Hospice after asking for donations to the local charity in lieu of gifts.