Charitable trust supports Lancaster hospice care

The Eric Wright Charitable Trust has chosen St John's Hospice as one of its charities of the year with a generous £25,000 donation.
By Gayle Rouncivell
Published 21st Oct 2022, 15:09 BST
Updated 21st Oct 2022, 15:11 BST
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Trustees of the Eric Wright Charitable Trust visited the hospice this week to spend time with staff from the ward, tour the new Forget Me Not Centre which provides support for bereaved families, and see the beautiful hospice grounds.

The trust was established by Eric Wright in 1990, in the belief that the role of business in society is not to create wealth for the few but rather to help in building a strong community.

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In fulfilment of this belief, he gifted his entire shareholding to the trust to make it the sole owner of the Eric Wright Group.

Sarah Spencer, Grants and Trusts Manager, St John’s Hospice; Colin Hetherington, Managing Director of Applethwaite and Director, Eric Wright Group; Michele Collier, Trustee, Eric Wright Charitable Trust; Alison Wright, Trustee, Eric Wright Charitable Trust; Emma Dixon, Head of In-Patient Services; Sue McGraw, Chief Executive, St John’s Hospice; Catherine Butterworth, Director of Income Generation, St John’s Hospice.Sarah Spencer, Grants and Trusts Manager, St John’s Hospice; Colin Hetherington, Managing Director of Applethwaite and Director, Eric Wright Group; Michele Collier, Trustee, Eric Wright Charitable Trust; Alison Wright, Trustee, Eric Wright Charitable Trust; Emma Dixon, Head of In-Patient Services; Sue McGraw, Chief Executive, St John’s Hospice; Catherine Butterworth, Director of Income Generation, St John’s Hospice.
Sarah Spencer, Grants and Trusts Manager, St John’s Hospice; Colin Hetherington, Managing Director of Applethwaite and Director, Eric Wright Group; Michele Collier, Trustee, Eric Wright Charitable Trust; Alison Wright, Trustee, Eric Wright Charitable Trust; Emma Dixon, Head of In-Patient Services; Sue McGraw, Chief Executive, St John’s Hospice; Catherine Butterworth, Director of Income Generation, St John’s Hospice.

The trust works with a broad range of charities, primarily in the north west of England,

Alison Wright, trustee and wife of Eric Wright, said: "Having volunteered in a hospice for 19 years I understand the power of excellent end of life care: it was an experience that has never left me and remains very close to my heart.

"To spend time at St John's, meet staff and see their care first-hand was a very memorable experience for myself and fellow trustees. It felt good to be back in the heart of a hospice."

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Colin Hetherington, director of The Eric Wright Group and managing director of Applethwaite, whose employees nominated St John’s for the award, said: "As a Lancashire company, the Applethwaite team appreciated how important St John’s is to the people of north Lancashire and the South Lakes.

"We know the donation will be used to directly support patients and families whether in the hospice or at home receiving hospice care."

Sue McGraw, chief executive at St John's Hospice, said: "When you look at Eric Wright's belief that the role of business in society is not to create wealth for the few but rather to help in building a strong community, it chimes perfectly with the fact that St John's Hospice was built by the people for the people.

"So, it is a joy to see the Eric Wright Charitable Trust supporting the palliative care that our charity gives to this strong community. We are incredibly grateful to the trust for their time, interest and their generosity."

Related topics:St John's HospiceLancasterSt John's