Tag Archives: news

Spreading the wings of generosity as Edinburgh’s Dragonfly Agency sponsors charity cards for fifth year

Posted: 5 July, 2022

Edinburgh marketing agency helps to raise £11,000 for Scottish palliative care charity PATCH.

Andrew Macdonald www.andrewmacdonaldphoto.co.uk

News release – 4 July 2022 – The generosity of an Edinburgh direct marketing agency– The Dragonfly Agency – has helped raise over £11,000 for Scottish palliative care charity PATCH. The support began in 2016 when Dragonfly offered to print and package Christmas cards for PATCH to sell to fundraise to enable specific projects across hospitals in Scotland. Every year the team at Dragonfly has continued to print both Christmas and note cards which provide a very important addition to the charity with a range of beautiful animal, bird and winter-themed artwork.

Projects that have benefited from the fundraising include supporting nurses who are developing their skills to provide quality palliative and end of life care and the development of literature to help nursing and clinical staff feel more comfortable in their knowledge and understanding of palliative care provision.

Dr Pamela Levack, Medical Director and Founder of PATCH commented:

We have been so delighted and touched by the continued generosity of Vicky, Isla and the whole team at The Dragonfly Agency. Every year they have offered their support without hesitation and the results have been the most beautiful cards that we are able to sell to raise funds. The cards are bespoke for PATCH supporters each year. The funds raised have supported very important work like funding a pull-down bed at Kelso Community Hospital for a relative to stay overnight with a loved one who is nearing the end of life. This was a joint venture with the Friends of Kelso Hospital. We are also supporting a communications course for fifth year medical students in Dundee.


Vicky Grant, CEO and Founder of the Dragonfly agency commented:

PATCH is very close to our hearts because of the superb work they do to help people and their families with end-of-life care. Sadly, it is something so many people close to us have had to go through. Dragonfly really wanted to support PATCH’s great work and help raise even more vital funds.

We are passionate about letters and cards and wanted to give back something that everyone could benefit from. Cards and letters allow people to touch others through kind words and support, so it was a very fitting option for us to be able to produce these for PATCH and for them to raise money along the way.

The latest cards are still available, incorporating a photo of a Borders scene taken by local photographer Andrew Macdonald (image attached). The cards are blank inside so can be used as notelets throughout the year. Cards are sold in packs of 10 for £8.

PATCH encourages communities to get talking as part of Dying Matters Awareness Week

Posted: 4 May, 2022

PATCH is this week supporting Dying Matters Awareness Week (2-6 May), as part of a national campaign to open up conversations around death and dying, how and where we die, and what care and support we have in place.

The Covid-19 pandemic had meant many more people have experienced to loss of a loved one, many at home and without the right emotional and practical support they need.  Never before has opening up conversations about long term illness, death and talking to friends, relatives and loved ones in advance been so important.

Dr Pam Levack, Medical Director for PATCH commented:

Death can be so hard to talk about, but it always makes such a difference to patients and families if it can be done. It can alleviate fear, worry and stress, and this is so important not just between families, but also with medical and healthcare staff. We encourage talking and listening as much as possible and support this with the specific training programmes we are funding.

Sarah West, Hospice UK and Dying Matters Director of Campaigns and Communications said:

It is so important to talk to friends, relatives and loved ones about your and their wishes for end of life care, and Dying Matters Awareness Week is a great way for communities across the UK to get the conversation started.

We know that right now people are dying without the emotional and practical support they need.  The pandemic has seen many more people dying at home, and while we know that health and social care staff are doing their best in the hardest of circumstances, they’re often finding themselves without the specialist knowledge or capacity to look after dying patients and their families.  This needs to change.

Everyone deserves to die #InAGoodPlace, not matter who they are. For more information or if you want to host your own Dying Matters Awareness Week event, visit the Dying Matters website.

Charity Cards 2021

Posted: 23 November, 2021

This year’s card will have special appeal to many people. The atmospheric image of Fatlips Castle in the Scottish Borders was captured by talented Ancrum photographer, Andrew Macdonald.

The cards are blank inside so can be used for Festive Season Greetings and as notelets throughout the year. 

As all costs of production have been very generously sponsored by the Dragonfly Agency in Edinburgh, all proceeds of sales will be available to support the work of our charity.

£8 for a pack of 10

PATCH-Cards-2021-Order-FormDownload

Palliative care during the pandemic

Posted: 20 August, 2021

There has to be a time for taking stock of the impact of the pandemic – putting people and healthcare at the forefront of that reflection.

Photo by Haydn Golden on Unsplash

The implications for palliative care and the emphasis on making and respecting end of life wishes will be greatly increased and PATCH is committed to supporting as many patients, families and of course those providing care as much as we can in the future.

The following Guardian Long Read article is an insightful, thought-provoking and emotionally challenging one to read. Most of all it is important and personal and it will resonate with so many. We encourage you to read it.

Further information

Top guns on target to support palliative care

Posted: 23 May, 2018

The Bisley at Braidwood clay pigeon shooting ground team join PATCH in launching a summer competition running until October.

News release – On Saturday 12th May the first PATCH Summer Series competition was launched at the Bisley at Braidwood clay pigeon shooting ground at Midlem. This new partnership venture between the charity PATCH (Palliation and the Caring Hospital) and the Bisley at Braidwood team will run throughout the summer culminating in the award of the top high gun prize in October. A proportion of the entry fee for all the events in the series will be donated to support the work of the charity.

PATCH is dedicated to providing the stimulus, funding and experience to increase the availability of palliative care services across Scotland. Since its establishment in 2013 it has supported a diverse range of projects in the fields of education and training and research, development and innovation. In partnership with NHS Borders PATCH has funded the development of enhanced nursing skills to deliver palliative and end of life care. Twelve nurses have attended the course to date with further courses planned for this year.

Alan Grierson, General Manager at Bisley at Braidwood, explained the format of the competition and the generous sponsorship of the top prize by Edgar Brothers. “The series will consist of five 75 bird shoots on dates throughout the summer, from which at least four scores must be submitted in order to qualify for the sixth and final event in October. The nature of the competition is designed to be varied and will utilise different aspects of the Braidwood shooting ground, so do not expect the course to be the same each time! To enter you simply need to begin recording your scores at each event; competitors with the top 25 cumulative scores will be invited to compete in the 100 bird Super Final on 7th October.”

“This year’s event is sponsored by Edgar Brothers, and the overall high gun prize in the final will include a brand-new gun and 1000 cartridges. In addition to this, a portion of every entry at all events will be donated to PATCH Scotland.”

Dr Gordon Paterson, a PATCH Director welcomed this high-profile joint venture which will become an annual event. He commented: “We were very heartened by the enthusiastic response to from the Braidwood team and the way in which the prospect of working in partnership has progressed. The Braidwood facility attracts shooters from a very wide catchment area covering the whole of Scotland, northern England and even further afield. The PATCH Summer Series will not only generate income for our charity but also help to raise awareness of our work among a very wide audience. So, we are very grateful to all at Braidwood for their interest and support.”