SINCE the nation went into lockdown two months ago, charities have been among the worst hit by the government restrictions, with some reporting millions of pounds a month lost as a result of shops being closed.

One of those is St Mary's Hospice in Ulverston. The charity was forced to cancel upcoming fundraising activities, close its charity shops and cafe at its Ford Park Crescent base - all key sources of income.

Hospice boss Val Stangoe expressed fears back in March that the charity may not survive the financial implications of the virus.

However, the pandemic has seen the community band together to raise money for the struggling hospice.

For instance, the Ulverston gin distillery, Shed One, switched from making gin to hand gel to help prioritise safety and community needs during the coronavirus outbreak.

For their first batch of hand sanitiser, owners Zoe and Andy Arnold-Bennett, gifted the supply to St Mary’s Hospice and other vulnerable groups in the area.

As well as this, businesses from across south Cumbria stepped in and donated PPE supplies to St Mary’s to help protect patients, families and staff from coronavirus.

Dentists, veterinary surgeries, and DIY suppliers have all donated personal protective equipment to the hospice – providing gloves, goggles, aprons, face masks and wipes.

Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline donated a much-needed supply of PPE for those working on the frontline.

Phil Wilson, site director at GSK Ulverston, said: “In these unprecedented times we all must come together to support our heroes, who are currently working on the frontline, to care for patients in our local community.”

Staff members at the hospice have also been getting involved in the fundraising activities.

CEO Val Stangoe and staff nurse Nikki Fisher pledged to lose all their hair earlier this month in a bid to raise funds during the Covid-19 crisis.

The daring duo raised £1,621 for the hospice by braving the shave.

NFU Mutual Agents and their staff at the local South West Lakes agency also helped raise vital funds for the charity.

They nominated St Mary’s Hospice to receive a donation of more than £3000 from a national £1m ‘Agency Giving Fund’ launched by NFU Mutual’s Head Office.

CEO Val Stangoe said: “It’s been a really challenging few months for the hospice starting when our beds closed to admissions and following into the COVID crisis.

"This eight month period testing our ability to think on our feet to the utmost.

"So far we feel we’ve not done badly, with the support of our community.

"We have a new way of providing medical cover for our beds, we put in place a crisis response to COVID which we later passed over to Age UK and Barrow District Council.

"We’ve changed the shape of some of our services to make sure we can meet our community’s needs in this difficult time while keeping vulnerable people safe.

"Throughout this we’ve kept to our usual high standards of care.

"I’d like to thank our staff team for working so hard to keep the hospice functioning, and to our community for continuing to support us. As the hashtag says- we’re #inittogether!"

Sarah Simpson, marketing manager, said the hospice has been 'truly overwhelmed' by the support shown from across the community.

She said: “St Mary’s has worked hard to work as flexibly and innovatively as possible to be there for our community. We are all in this together.

"We have been truly overwhelmed at support from across the community from donations of PPE, shared expertise how to fit it through to the many wonderful ways our community responded to the national 2.6 fundraising challenge.

"Our own chief exec Val and staff nurse Nikki shaving their heads in a very visible show of support.

"Re-opening our Inpatient Unit has been a key moment and we have initially opened four beds to ensure resources can support a bigger Hospice at Home team, ensuring we can reach more patients and their families.

"Our Living Well, Family and Bereavement Support Team have embraced technology and worked to reduce the barriers of isolation in grief that people are experiencing.

"These are incredibly, difficult and uncertain times so it is vital St Mary’s has a reassuring presence.

"Just last week we held our first online remembrance service, and the feedback we have had is heart warming as it shows how needed it is, and will roll this out month via a live facebook feed.

"Individuals and local businesses have stepped up in every which way from seven-year-old Jude and his bicycle fundraising ride through to Forge’s donation of oxygen concentrators and Shed 1 switching production from gin to hand sanitiser to benefit so many groups. We want to thank everyone. The fireman applauding our care team was a very emotional moment, as we thanked them back.

"Everyone has a role to play to get through this. And gestures of thoughtful gifts for patients and staff have kept us smiling. So thank you all for being here for St Mary’s as we are for you.”