MERKUR Initiative, which was created to help community-based not for profit organisations throughout the country, has closed its 2021 programme by supporting hospices based in Newark, which is home to Blueprint Operations, Preston (Regal) and Milton Keynes, the location of MERKUR UK’s Head Office.
At the Willen Hospice in Milton Keynes, patients, visiting families and the nursing team are enjoying Christmas Dinner with all of the trimmings, courtesy of a festive donation from the MERKUR Initiative fund.
As well as funding the festive feasts on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, MERKUR also said a big thank-you to the 64 working staff members by covering the cost of their Christmas Lunches.
Sascha Blodau, General Manager, MERKUR UK said: “We established MERKUR Initiative to help support not for profit organisations which make a fundamental difference to the communities that they serve. Willen Hospice is typical of the hospice movement in this country, it was established 40-years ago, it is run by local people for local people and it delivers calm, compassionate end of life palliative care. It costs £9/minute every year to run Willen Hospice which is reliant on a wide range of money raising activities and donations from the commercial world.
“As a company we are delighted to be able to play a small part in helping patients, their families and the nursing teams at Willen House, at Beaumont House in Newark and St Catherine’s Hospice which cares for patients and families across Preston and South Ribble, to enjoy their Christmas.”
MERKUR Initiative aims to provide funding to help 50 smaller community-based charities each year. Supported good causes and individuals, which are nominated by team members, have included an animal sanctuary, an organisation that provides entertainment for children while they are in hospital, a group delivering support for people suffering from severe mental illness, a homelessness organisation that provides emergency temporary accommodation, as well as a recent donation to the Gurkha Welfare Trust sufficient to pay the Welfare Pension for a Gurkha veteran or their widow for almost six months.