It’s our 30th birthday and it seemed like a good excuse to look back through the archives as we prepare for some special celebration events. Here at the hospice there’s a remarkable collection of photos, films, newspaper cuttings, event programmes, audio tapes and memorabilia which has built up over three decades.

The evening Gazette published a few ‘mystery’ photos for us recently – items we had incomplete information about – and the response has been fantastic! We have had several calls from people identifying either themselves or other people from photos going back to the early 1990s. 

We hope to have an exhibition of archive items as we approach our official birthday in June, and a mailing to local homes over the coming weeks will also contain a ‘timeline’ leaflet of photos showing how Trinity and its range of services have developed over the past 30 years.

Very often it is our marvellous volunteers who have helped with the archives, ensuring that relevant items are filed carefully away for future generations, and of course the photos and cuttings are usually of our supporters – sometimes doing surprising things to raise money.

We have 30 years of thank yous to say: so if you have been a part of our history, a very, very big vote of thanks from everyone here at Trinity.

Ways to get involved in our special birthday year:

• Register for the annual 10K run along the Promenade in May, or the popular Beaverbrooks bike ride in June.
• Come along to our Summer Fair and Sunflower Day here at the hospice on July 4th.
• Enter our first ever ‘colour run’ on the beach at St Annes on July 25th.
• Ladies: this year’s illumathon has an 80s theme – so dig out the neon leg warmers and join us on August 29th.

There’s something for everyone this year – we’d love to see you.