Local MP, John Lamont, is supporting the Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal 2021.
The campaign, which is reaching its 35th anniversary in March, has for the first time, had to cancel all the public collections, leaving the charity with a potential loss of over £3 million.
The last 12 months have been extremely difficult for the charity as key fundraising events have been cancelled and all Marie Curie’s charity shops have had to close. Last year, the charity saw a 16.5% rise in the number of people they cared for at end of life, compared to 2019 and their support line saw a 20% increase in calls too.
Mr Lamont pledged his support to the Great Daffodil Appeal and is encouraging local people to donate and wear one of the charity’s daffodil pins to help fund vital care and support for people living with a terminal illness, and their families.
It is not the first time that Mr Lamont has supported the appeal. In 2019, he ran the London Marathon for Marie Curie, raising over £5000 for the charity.
Marie Curie is also facilitating a National Day of Reflection on the 23rd March, to reflect on all of those who have passed during the pandemic, not just to Covid-19, and to help support those who have been bereaved.
This will include a minute’s silence at 12 noon on the day, and encouraging people to plant flowers and light candles as symbols of hope.
John Lamont MP said:
“Every five minutes, someone in the UK dies without getting the care and support they need at the end of their life, and that also has an impact on those they leave behind who are grieving.
“That is why I am supporting the Great Daffodil Appeal this March. Without help from Borderers, Marie Curie Nurses can’t give vital care to dying people and their families.”
Ruth Driscoll, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie, said:
“Over the past year, our nurses, doctors and other staff have been on the frontline providing care for people dying both with and without coronavirus. But still too many people miss out on the care and support they need at the end of life. By donating and wearing a daffodil pin in March you are helping us to support more people at the most difficult time of their lives.”
Picture from 2019.
