The Church of Ireland Diocese of Armagh raised just over £20,000 which has now been distributed to the following Hospices: The Southern Area Hospice, Newry; The Northern Ireland Hospice, Belfast; The Foyle Hospice, Londonderry; North Louth Hospice and Home Care Foundation.
Presenting the cheques on behalf of the Diocese are (from left to right), Mrs Jane Leighton, Armagh Diocesan Secretary; Most Revd Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh and Revd Matthew Hagan (Hospice Sunday Co-Ordinator).
Lisa Hamill (2nd from left), Regional Marketing Officer of the Southern Area Hospice, receives a cheque for £15,891.50 from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Armagh. Presenting the cheque on behalf of the Diocese are from left, Revd Matthew Hagan (Hospice Sunday Co-Ordinator); Most Revd Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh and Mrs Jane Leighton, Armagh Diocesan Secretary.
The Church of Ireland Diocese of Armagh at its Diocesan Synod agreed that an Annual Hospice Sunday be established and be observed by all Church of Ireland Parishes throughout the Diocese of Armagh. The resolution brought before the Diocesan Synod stated “That the Diocesan Synod approves the establishment of an Annual Hospice Sunday to be observed by all parishes in the Diocese on the Sunday nearest to All Saints’ Day for the purpose of raising funds for local Hospice care.”
The Resolution was brought before the Synod by Reverend Matthew Hagan, rector of Tynan, Aghavilly and Middletown parishes and the representative for Northern Ireland on the UK wide Board of the Association of Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplains where he represents the interests of all Hospices throughout Northern Ireland.
Hospice Sunday took place on Sunday 2nd November 2014 and to date including Gift Aid the money raised has reached just over £20,000 which has now been distributed to the following Hospices: The Southern Area Hospice, Newry; The Northern Ireland Hospice, Belfast; The Foyle Hospice, Londonderry; North Louth Hospice and Home Care Foundation. Therefore the money raised by each parish throughout the Diocese has been given to their local Hospice.
Rev. Matthew Hagan in his role as Hospice Sunday Co-Ordinator commented: ‘ As a new initiative in the Diocese this is a fantastic amount of money that has been raised for local Hospice care throughout Northern Ireland and will undoubtedly benefit the excellent level of patient care in local Hospices. My sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Hospice Sunday appeal.’