£4,636 Raised for St Barnabas Hospice at Lincoln Christmas Market

St Barnabas Hospice has raised over £4,636 during the four days of the Lincoln Christmas Market, which ran from Thursday the 1st until Sunday the 4th of December in Lincoln’s historic uphill area.

As announced last month, the hospice was chosen as the Market’s very first charity partner by the organisers, the City of Lincoln Council. A traditional wooden cabin in a prime spot outside the Lincoln Cathedral was made available for St Barnabas, and volunteers were able to collect donations from Market visitors through bucket collections.

Veronica McBain, Head of Fundraising and Lottery at St Barnabas Hospice, said:

“We are very grateful to the Council for choosing us as their charity partner. It is a wonderful collaboration between two organisations that are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year.

“Staff and volunteers had a fantastic time at the Market; the support from visitors, both local and from further afield, has been amazing, and we are so thankful to everyone who purchased something or donated into our buckets. We also want to thank our volunteers who helped throughout the event; we couldn’t do without their support.

“We had on sale a wonderful selection of Christmas gifts, including bottles of Est.1982 Rum and Gin which local distillery Pin Gin created for our 40th anniversary, as well as celebratory Ruby Coffee Blend and gift hampers by The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company.”

These items and more can be bought from the hospice’s online shop at: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/shop/onlineshop.

Veronica added:

“Throughout the month, we will be attending events across the county so people can come to see us and browse our range of gifts. As ongoing Charity Partners of the Waterside Shopping Centre, we will be there with a stall on the 8th and 9th of December and back again on the 15th and 16th of December.

“And, of course, our 25 Lincolnshire-based charity shops are open to pick up festive outfits and gifts, homeware, and much more!”

The cabin St Barnabas occupied outside the Cathedral during the market was right by the beautiful Tree of Life, which is part of the charity’s annual Light Up a Life campaign. This poignant initiative sees families and friends remember loved ones lost by dedicating a light in their name, which then joins thousands of others on the Tree.

Supporters who dedicate a light also receive a lovely wooden decoration for their Christmas tree, a handwritten thank you card from the St Barnabas team, and a digital tribute to share the dedication across their own social media pages.

The campaign is open for the entire festive season, and the Tree will be available to visit until early January. To find out more about Light up a Life or to dedicate a light, please visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/light-up-a-life/.