Demelza worker and child at Demelza Hospice Care for ChildrenDemelza

We Win Special Supporter Award and donate £32,000 to Demelza

Axis Foundation wins Demelza’s Special Award: Outstanding Long-Term Supporter 2016

The Axis Foundation has presented a cheque for £32,000 to Demelza Hospice Care for Children to assist them in continuing to care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses. The money was raised through an annual charity ball, corporate donations and the fundraising efforts of Axis people across our offices who are firmly committed to supporting Demelza.

At the same time, Axis was honoured to receive the Outstanding Long Term Supporter at the recent Demelza Awards, which were set up to reward companies for supporting Demelza.
And indeed it is a long term relationship: over £500,000 has been given to the children’s charity through Axis and the Axis Foundation since Axis was in its infancy.

Ryan Campbell, Demelza CEO, said: “We continue to be so touched by the incredible support Axis has shown Demelza over the years. I have been honoured to meet some of the staff there and thank them personally for their tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the children and families we care for. Presenting you with the Outstanding Long-Term Supporter award at the Demelza Business Awards was a chance for us to acknowledge this amazing support, both from the company as a whole, and from the many individual staff members who fundraise on our behalf.”

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3 children sit on large red chair at DemelzaDemelza

Demelza granted £75,000 in 2015 for specialist nurse care

Charity partner receives a donation to fund more specialist care nurses.

The Axis Foundation has handed over £75,000 to the Demelza Children’s Hospice, a Kent-based children’s charity, after another year (2015) of employee fundraising and corporate donations, bringing the total amount given to the hospice through the Foundation to £250,000.

Fundraising activities have included Skydives, bake sales, participating in Demelza’s ‘Go Dotty’ week, an annual charity ball and other fun things organised by Axis’ people. Demelza Children’s Hospice, which operates in the South East area, provides care for the terminally-ill children to ease discomfort and provide support for children and their families.

Axis and the Axis Foundation adopted the hospice as their charity partner out of appreciation for their essential work with children and teenagers who, in most cases, make it to adulthood. Axis regularly challenges its people to raise money for their ‘Adopt a Nurse’ campaign in which the money raised helps to fund Demelza’s specialist care nurses’ annual salaries.

The Axis Foundation was established in 2008 and started donating in 2009 – Demelza was one of the Foundation’s first recipients. But Axis has been supporting the charity for a number of years prior to that (since 2004) and the total amount given, including money before the formation of the Axis Foundation, stands at over £500,000.

Ryan Campbell, Chief Executive of Demelza Children’s Hospice, gave his thanks to Axis: “Thank you for the incredible amount of £75,000 that Axis has raised for Demelza over the past year. Axis has really taken Demelza to its heart and has been fundraising for the charity over the last 11 years.

“The outstanding amount you have raised to date has meant that Demelza has been able to pay 13 specialist care nurses’ salaries, allowing us to provide the highest quality care possible to all of the children, young people and their families that need support across the South East. Demelza is only able to achieve this thanks to the support of our wonderful staff and volunteers and the amazing donations from organisations like Axis.”

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Mother and child at Demelzas Hospice Care for ChildrenDemelza

We raise £50,000 for Demelza’s Adopt a Nurse Scheme in 2014

Demelza’s Adopt a Nurse programme benefits from our devotion and donations!

We Axis people put in a lot of effort to raise funds for our charity partner Demelza. In 2014 alone we have raised a grand total of £50,000 for the hospice.

“I’m proud to work with such generous and committed people, who share Axis’ giving culture and feel personally motivated to organise, take part in and give generously to fund raising activities,” said John Hayes Axis CEO.

All the money we donate to Demelza goes into their Adopt a Nurse programme. Adopt a Nurse brings one full-time nurse for one year to take care of the children in Demelza’s care and visit families at home to help with medication and physiotherapy and provide some respite in dark times.

Natalie Tegg, Head of Partnerships at Demelza said: “Axis has been outstanding in their support for Demelza over the years. All the staff have really got behind the charity and done all sorts of amazing things to raise money from running, to cutting their hair off, baking cakes, playing golf even dressing as a clown! They have raised an incredible £400K and we just want to say a huge thank you from everyone at Demelza.”

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Axis Foundation Trustees and Demelza staff group together outside Demelza office.Demelza

Demelza Patron DJ Dave Berry accepts £48,000 for Demelza

Capital FM DJ and Demelza Ambassador Dave Berry accepts a cheque for £48,000 for Demelza from the Axis Foundation.

“This is a phenomenal amount to have raised and will provide invaluable support to the children and families Demelza looks after. Axis clearly has some extremely committed and generous people working within it, and it is to them I would like to express my deepest thanks,” he said.

We presented the cheque to Dave at a ceremony at Demelza’s offices in Sittingbourne in 2013. As he is local to where our charity partner Demelza lives and works, including the Eltham hospice, Dave has seen first hand much of Demelza’s precious work with sick children and their familes. He and fellow patrons – including Daniel Radcliffe, Jayne Torville and Gary Lineker – are as committed as we are to supporting Demelza.
Berry is also involved in other local charities also supported by the Axis Foundation including the Charlton Athletic Trust where he supports the new youth services programme.

This donation, like all our donations from the Axis Foundation, will go towards Demelza’s fantastic ‘Adopt a Nurse’ project. The nurses work with both the children and families to provide the care and support at a time they need it the most.

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Woman carer standing next to elderly man and child at St Johns HospiceCare

St John’s Hospice

New chairs support patients with limited mobility

St John’s Hospice provides specialist palliative care services to over 2,000 people each year suffering from life-limiting illnesses or long-term conditions. The Axis Foundation donated £4,470 to the hospice, buying three patient chairs to help patients to sit and stand, as well as aiding nurses with bed transfers and hoisting.

Before we made our donation, the chairs at the hospice were low in number and of poor quality. Our new chairs will facilitate simple tasks such as sitting and standing. They also provide extra support for those who are unable to maintain their body posture. The chairs provide more than just physical support to patients with limited mobility; it helps them to build up their confidence, self-esteem and independence again.

 ‘I was delighted to hear the wonderful news of support from the Axis Foundation. I cannot thank the Foundation enough for this generous grant of £4,470 for new specialist patient chairs for use on our Inpatient Unit. Upgrading patient seating will allow us to meet the increasingly specialised needs of patients and maintain our high standards of care.’ Steve Barnes, Hospice Director

Previous Support from the Axis Foundation

In 2014, the Axis Foundation donated £2,000 to the hospice. This enabled them to purchase specialist laser equipment that helps patients with limited mobility due to painful swelling and heaviness in their limbs. The laser reduces patients’ pain and discomfort through its ability to soften tissue and reduce limb swelling.  It can also improve scar tissue (post mastectomy), increase the time it takes to heal wounds and boosts the immune system. The laser specifically helps those suffering from upper and lower limb Lymphoedema. Without adequate treatment, lymphoedema can have major effects, including long-term disability, difficulties with work and emotional problems.

“We are very grateful for voluntary grants and donations like this from The Axis Foundation which enables us to provide a much-loved service to vulnerable people with life-limiting illnesses” – Laura Marazzi, Trust Fundraising Manager

More About St John’s Hospice

The hospice, based in Central London, is the largest palliative care provider in Westminster and cares for people suffering from cancer, HIV, motor neurone disease and other terminal illnesses. People in their care need support with a wide range of symptoms including acute pain, severe mobility problems, anxiety, breathlessness and weight loss. This includes patients with advanced neurological conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and brain tumours.

A Message from St John’s Hospice on our 10th Birthday

For our 10th Birthday, St John’s Hospice had a message of thanks for the Axis family:

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Demelza nurse plays with a child at Demelza Hospice.Demelza

Our latest donation of £40,000 funds Community Nurse services for Demelza

Our latest donation of £40,000 funds Community Nurse services for Demelza children’s hospice and wins us their Long Term Supporter Award

The Axis Foundation’s 2012 donation funds the services of Community Nurse, Emily. Emily works in south London and provides respite care to local sick children and their families.

At the cheque presentation of the Axis Foundation’s donation of £40,000 in 2012, Demelza and the families they care for sent a big thank you to Axis in the form of a Long Term Supporter Award recognising all the support, volunteering and fundraising contributed by the Foundation.

Presenting the Award Natalie Tegg, Demelza’s Head of Partnerships said “This is a well-deserved award for the Axis Foundation for all their hard work and dedicated support for Demelza.

“Your help allows the charity to continue providing its invaluable care to over 800 children and their families across the South East.
“A huge thank you, from all the families and staff at Demelza, to everyone at Axis for their tireless efforts and enthusiasm in raising money for the charity.”

Accepting the award on behalf of all the Axis people who made the Foundation’s 2012 donation possible, Sandie Ryan, Axis Business Support Director, said “It is your compassion for the Demelza cause and hard work that has resulted in this sizeable donation that we know will make a real difference to these very special children.”

The Axis Foundation’s 2012 donation of £40,000 was added to the £21,000 donated via Just Giving that year, making our grand total £61,000.

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Axis Foundation trustee present £40,000 cheque to DemelzaDemelza

Donation to Demelza Pays For Whole Year of Nursing Care

We gifted a grand total of £52,000 to Demelza’s Adopt a Nurse programme in 2011. The money will pay for a Demelza Nurse and Care Assistant for a year.

The Adopt a Nurse initiative is vital to Demelza’s work providing hospice care for over 700 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families across Kent, East Sussex and South East London. The scheme funds the salary for a specialist pediatric nurse who delivers much-needed care to the children and respite for parents. Parent company Axis and the Axis Foundation have supported Demelza’s adopt a Nurse campaign for seven years.

Axis Foundation Trustee Sandie Ryan presented a cheque for £40,000 to staff at Demelza’s Kent hospice in April (2011). A further £12,000 was added via Just Giving donations to the Foundation. Axis people raised much of this great total through dressing up, running in the London 10K, a sponsored walk along the Great Wall of China, a golf day and a Summer Ball.

At the presentation, Sandie Ryan said: “The care these nurses provide is second to none and it’s clear to see how much the families need this extra pair of hands.”

Demelza’s Natalie Tegg said: “Demelza are hugely grateful to the Axis Foundation for all their amazing support. To raise this amount of money is fantastic. Thank you to all the Axis staff for their outstanding efforts. Their help will allow us to pay for a nurse to help children and families in the South East.”

 

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Demelza patrons cut cake at fundraising event.Demelza

Early Foundation Donation Strengthens Existing Partnership with Demelza

Axis Foundation’s first donation of £6,000 strengthens our partnership with children’s Hospice Demelza.

Our donation of  £6,000 to Demelza Children’s Hospice (FY2010) , not only strengthened the links with our existing charity partner. but also marked one of our Foundation’s very first donations!

Bricks and Water

Prior to this, the Foundation’s parent company Axis also supported Demelza’s Bricks and Water appeal to improve the facilities at their Sittingbourne hospice. With our help, the £1.3m hospice created a Hydrotherapy Centre and two new bedrooms for teenage patients meanwhile refurbishing two existing bedrooms. Axis CEO John Hayes volunteered and was appointed  to be a member of the Appeal Board.

New Hospice in Eltham

Axis also contributed to building a new hospice for Demelza in Eltham in south east London. Olympic champions and Demelza vice presidents Jayne Torvill and Robin Cousins opened the new premises in 2009 after a £5m fundraising campaign. Celebrating the first anniversary of the Eltham hospice in 2010, our people joined Demelza supporters, nurses, children and their families at the ‘polka dot tea party’. In a short year, the new  hospice increased Demelza’s provision of care and support so that for approximately 570 children ‘life can be added to days, where days can not be added to life’.
The Axis Foundation is proud to be in charity partnership with Demelza.

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