Barclays Wealth is delighted to announce the charity it will support in 2011 is Hospice Isle of Man. Each year staff are asked to nominate local charities which they think deserve to be the recipients of Barclays Wealth fundraising efforts for the coming year. The charities that receive the most nominations are then asked to present to the Charity Committee which selects the ‘charity of the year.’ Hospice Isle of Man is a charity that was set up nearly 28 years ago and provides specialist palliative care for patients and their families facing life-limiting illness and life threatening illnesses. All care which includes physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects and is provided by a multidisciplinary team is free of charge. Hospice provides inpatient facilities, respite care, therapeutic day care, specialist nurses, social worker, counselling, along with a range of complementary therapies and a Hospice at Home service. Hospice Isle of Man also runs a children’s wing called Rebecca House. It is a purpose built facility which provides respite, palliative and end of life care for children with life-limiting or conditions from birth to 18 years. Rebecca House offers a safe haven and a home from home environment in which care is offered and implemented in a way appropriate to the child and their family. Today Rebecca House looks after 25 children. Mary Doyle, PR and Marketing Manager for Hospice Isle of Man said: ‘We are delighted to have been selected as the Barclays Wealth charity of the year. Hospice cares for more than 350 patients per year at a cost of over ?3.5million. The Department of Health provides a cash grant of ?600,000 plus other ancillary items but we rely on fundraising initiatives to raise the remainder of the money needed to carry on caring for our patients and their families. The tremendous support of Barclays Wealth this year will help us to reach this target and we are delighted to be working with them.’ Barclays Wealth staff have a number of events planned throughout the year to help generate funds for Hospice including: • A team race night • Easter egg delivery service where members of staff can send an Easter egg and message to a colleague for a cash donation • Head of Corporate Affairs, Caroline Cornish will be taking part in ‘Well Chuffed’ where 15 people will be sat on a train on the Groudle Glen Railway for 12 hours of fundraising – an endurance test of the bones! • Team Barclays Wealth are taking part in the Parish Walk • A donation to assist with the Hospice Christmas Fair Stuart Nelson, Chairman of the Barclays Wealth Charity Committee said: ‘Our staff are excited by the prospect of helping to raise money for such a worthwhile local charity. As well as the events outlined in this announcement we are hoping to plan many more activities throughout the year to help boost funds. As an employer we feel it is important to support the fundraising efforts of our staff through a number of initiatives including a ? for ? scheme and allowances for people who volunteer their time to help raise money for worthwhile causes. I am proud to be part of an organisation that is so active in its local fundraising.’ ENDS