WiFi SPARK raises £2,000 for Rowcroft Hospice

WiFi SPARK is pleased to announce that it has raised a whopping £2,000 on behalf of Rowcroft Hospice in Torquay.

The Exeter based WiFi and analytics provider organised a range of activities to raise as much money as possible for the charity, including: a cake sale, raffles, the sleepwalk 10-mile challenge, fancy dress days where members of the team dressed up for Halloween and Christmas and a tuck shop.
WiFi SPARK picked Rowcroft Hospice as its chosen charity to fundraise for in 2017 after recognising that it needed £8 million per year to stay operational and provide specialist palliative care for people with progressive and life limiting illnesses.

Rowcroft looks after more than 2,000 people per year in South Devon, with a range of more than 300 square miles. The Inpatient Unit in Avenue Road in Torquay, provides a tranquil and peaceful environment for patients and visiting families over its 22-acre site. The charity also provides care to more than three quarters of its patients out in the community, spanning: Dawlish, Dartmouth, Bovey Tracy, Teignmouth, Totnes and Newton Abbot.

The charity’s Hospice at Home service allows patients to spend their last days in the familiar surroundings of their own home. The specialist palliative care nurses and healthcare assistants can spend up to 24 hours a day with a patient, providing care and support for up to the last two weeks of life. Currently Rowcroft is the only organisation in the area which offers this type of specialist care for patients in their own homes.

The team from WiFi SPARK delivered the £2,000 using an online fundraising page, where 100% of the money raised goes directly to Rowcroft Hospice. The team finished off the fundraising campaign by visiting Rainbow House in Torquay and met with Rosey Oakes, Community Fundraising Manager at Rowcroft Hospice.

Commenting on the donation, Rosey said: “Our specialist care, both at the Inpatient Unit and in the community, includes: physical, emotional, spiritual and social support for patients and their families through what is the most challenging of times.

“Each year Rowcroft Hospice needs to raise 70% of the £8 million we need to keep going, through legacies, our in-house lottery and events - like the Colour Rush and Sleepwalk. We rely heavily on the generosity of individuals and companies in South Devon and the team at Rowcroft are absolutely thrilled to have received such a generous amount from WiFi SPARK.”

In addition to the fundraising, WiFi SPARK also donated its expertise and installed free WiFi at the Hospice and shops at no charge to the Charity. Patients and staff can now get online free of charge which is a vital service to enable people to stay in touch with friends and family.

Matt O’Donovan, CEO of WiFi SPARK, said: “Rowcroft Hospice offers specialist care to thousands of people each year in the local community, as well as helping to support their families. By raising money and installing free WiFi we hope to help both the Charity and the individuals and make their stay less stressful in this important time.

The work that the nurses and care staff undertake is truly invaluable and I am incredibly proud of the team here at WiFi SPARK for raising such a large amount on the behalf of this very worthy charity.”

For information about the Rowcroft Hospice and its support services please visit: https://www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/