The palliative and end of life care sector is facing unprecedented challenges, with a significant increase in the number of people needing our care, alongside a backdrop of real time declining funding from the NHS and a cost of living crisis driving up our costs and putting increased financial pressure on those loyal supporters that we rely on to donate to us.

St Helena’s new strategy sets out our priorities and ambitions for the next three years, and provides a clear roadmap to show how we will meet this increasing demand for our care, whilst also strengthening our connection with our local communities, and how we will fund this growth through our innovative sustainable income generation operations, making sure we can continue supporting people facing incurable illness, bereavement and caring responsibilities for years to come.

Our strategy focuses on:

· Clinical excellence and sustainable growth of palliative and end of life care services

· Community innovation, growing compassionate communities, care and support, day services and outreach

· A diversified and successful income generation portfolio

· Creating a great place to work and volunteer

· Using digital technology and data more effectively to improve supporter and patient experiences

Together, these priorities will help us reach more people and create a stronger, more sustainable future for St Helena.

This strategy was co-produced alongside our community. Karen and Kate, our Co Chief Executives, alongside the wider Senior Leadership Team and our Trustees, spent a lot of time listening to people close to St Helena before developing the new strategy. The opinions of patients and families, volunteers and colleagues, donors and supporters, our community and more, shaped the priorities.

No. Our commitment to compassionate, high-quality care remains unchanged. The strategy is designed to help us not only continue to deliver the exceptional care we already do into the future, but also to grow it to ensure we are helping even more people.

Supporters can expect more personalised communications, better digital experiences, clearer information about the impact of their support, and more opportunities to get involved in ways that suit them. We want every supporter to feel valued and connected to our mission.

Volunteers remain at the heart of St Helena. The strategy includes strengthening community engagement, supporting volunteer-led initiatives and creating more opportunities for people to contribute their skills, time and passion to our work.

As a charity, we rely heavily on the generosity of our community. The strategy includes plans to strengthen fundraising, attract new supporters, improve supporter experiences, and develop innovative ways of fundraising so we can continue providing vital hospice care.

Alongside this, it sets out how we will continue to grow our commercial business income streams, giving our community even more opportunities to support us through shopping in our retail stores, playing our lotteries, using our domiciliary home care services or purchasing our commercial cleaning services. 100% of all profits from these businesses flow back into St Helena to help fund our charitable services.

Yes. One of our priorities is to engage a broader range of people across our community. We will use digital channels, social media, new campaigns and different ways of telling our story to ensure St Helena remains relevant and accessible to future generations of supporters.

The strategy focuses on growing income across a range of activities, including fundraising, retail, lottery and commercial services. By diversifying income and investing in areas with long-term potential, we can build greater resilience and continue supporting our community in the future.

Yes. Over the next three years we will explore and develop exciting opportunities to engage our community, grow support and raise awareness. This includes investment in digital capability, new fundraising initiatives, enhanced supporter journeys and major community engagement opportunities.

There are many ways to get involved:

· Make a donation

· Take part in an event

· Volunteer your time

· Shop with St Helena

· Play the lottery

· Become a corporate partner

· Help us spread awareness of our work

· Use our domiciliary home care services

· Purchase our commercial cleaning services

Every contribution helps us make a difference to local people and their families.

We have set clear goals across helping more people, growing bereavement support and wider community support, income growth, supporter engagement, community impact, being a great place to work for our colleagues and volunteers, enhancing digital performance and organisational development. We will listen to feedback from patients and families, regularly monitor progress, and adapt our approach to ensure we are delivering the greatest possible benefit for the people and communities we serve.

This strategy is about building a stronger future. By growing support, investing in innovation, strengthening relationships and staying true to our values, we aim to ensure St Helena can continue providing compassionate care and support to local people whenever they need us.

Because every ambition in this strategy is ultimately about people. It is about ensuring that local families continue to receive expert care, comfort and support at some of life's most difficult moments. By working together with our community, we can build a sustainable future for hospice care across north east Essex.

Please email marketing@sthelena.org.uk

Yes. Please email press@sthelena.org.uk