A team of eight volunteers from our Glasgow office swapped their day job for decorating, to help out at St Vincent’s Hospice in Howwood.
The hospice and its staff offer specialist care and services to those affected by life-shortening illness. The team chose to help them as part of our Community Action Programme, which gives our employees time off to help out in their local communities.
Engineering Manager Scot Dougall wanted to give back to St Vincent’s following the death of his brother-in-law Stuart, who suffered from pancreatic cancer and died last year. Scot said: “Stuart passed away on 18 June, at home, with his wife Ruth by his side. He was only 54. Throughout his illness, he received first-class support from St Vincent’s. A palliative care nurse called Helen, who cared for Stuart and supported Ruth, was remarkable.”
Scot Dougall (centre) with two of his colleagues presenting £500 cheque
The team of eight colleagues painted rooms in an old barn, which is being converted into a day care facility, and will return to help out this spring. We also donated £500 to the hospice. Its CEO Kirsteen Murray said: “It is incredibly tough for hospices like ours at the current time with finances stretched in all directions. Not having to pay for the decoration of the barn was so very welcome and the gift of £500 on top, to pay for patient care, was a lovely bonus. We are all so grateful to SGN and Scot.”
Scot added: “Thank you to all my colleagues for your hard work and dedication. I’d also like to thank SGN for giving us all the opportunity to give something back to our community and for also donating £500. But most of all, I’d like to thank St Vincent’s. It truly is an amazing place that does incredible things, and we are eternally grateful for everything they did for Stuart and Ruth.”
