The Northampton Town Centre Hotel, which is undergoing a major refurbishment, has chosen Cynthia Spencer Hospice as one of two charity partners for 2024 and 2025.
At the beginning of the year the hotel invited local charities to pitch to a Dragon’s Den style panel of judges, outlining how they envisioned they could work together.
Cynthia Spencer Hospice’s Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser Lead Nina Gandy bid for the opportunity, putting together a well-thought-out video of how the two very different worlds might come together.
She said: “I looked closely at what the hotel offers to its clients and how that mirrored what we offer to our patients and their loved ones. For example, the mini cereal boxes that hotel staff serve to residents at breakfast are the same ones that we offer to families who stay at the hospice overnight with our patients.
“Similarly, the bottle of gin served behind the bar at the Northampton Town Centre Hotel could also be found on our happy hour trolley, in which we offer patients an evening tipple as part of our live every moment mantra.
“While we offer very different services, there is some great synergy between us and lots of ways that we can work together to make special memories for our patients and raise more much-needed funds.”
Cynthia Spencer Hospice, in Kettering Road, Northampton, must raise a mammoth £2,208,823 every year, which breaks down to £6,052 per day, in order to continue providing essential services across West Northamptonshire.
The hotel, which is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound transformation to be launched later this year under the four star Mercure Northampton, chose the hospice and Northamptonshire Mind for the 18-month charity partnership.
General manager Simon Smith said: “Giving back to our local community is a huge part of who we are. The history and heritage of Northampton will be reflected in the look and feel of the hotel once our extensive renovation is complete and we want to be part of the fabric of the town, making a difference to the people who live here and having a real impact on society.
“Supporting charities and good causes will form a big part of that and we are delighted to be supporting Northamptonshire Mind and Cynthia Spencer Hospice as our official charity partners for 2024/25. Both charities are highly regarded locally and support thousands of local families every year. We look forward to working closely with them in the months ahead to help them deliver on their goals to support all those who need their services.”
The charities were also asked what they would do with the old furniture from the hotel, which is surplus to requirements following the recent makeover.
Cynthia Spencer Hospice put forward some useful suggestions, including rehoming fixtures and fittings from the lobby for families to use in communal lounges and private rooms at the hospice.
The hospice team also hope to work with the hotel to provide special memories for their palliative patients, such as afternoon tea experiences, as well as accommodation for families who are visiting the hospice.
Nina added: “When you think of Northampton, the Town Centre Hotel is the first place you think of to stay. We are thrilled to be a part of their incredible journey of change this year and look forward to working together to raise awareness of both our charity and their new offering.”
To find out more about Cynthia Spencer Hospice, visit www.cynthiaspencer.org.uk.
