Charity of the Year
Keech Hospice is the Harpenden Building Society Charity of the Year for 2025. Keech Hospice is a registered hospice charity that provides free specialist end-of-life care for people of all ages. Caring and supporting adults, children and their families across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Milton Keynes with life-limiting conditions. This support can be provided at home, over the phone, in a hospice, or wherever it’s required the most. Keech Hospice is one of only few hospices in the country offering both adult and children’s care services. Their approach is non-judgemental and non-discriminatory, ensuring equal access for all. The mission is to lead the way in providing excellent care, supporting adults and children with life-limiting conditions, helping them to live well and make every day count. This support extends to loved ones and is free to all who need it.
Keech has been supporting the local community for over 30 years. Making the difference when it matters most. Their support begins as soon as it is needed, whether that is at the point of diagnosis, or when a symptom or support need arises. Over 70% of Keech’s funding is raised through extremely generous donations from the local community and the sale of donated goods in their shops. In addition, the NHS and local authorities make a funding contribution too which is always vital. From humble beginnings in 1986 to becoming one of the UK’s leading hospice providers, Keech’s journey is a testament to the power of a shared vision and community spirit. Here at Harpenden, we are thrilled to be supporting such an incredible charity and look forward to working with Keech throughout the year. Scan the QR codes below...
Colleague support for Keech Volunteering
Bake Sale
In February, five of our colleagues volunteered at a Keech Hospice charity shop in Harpenden. Keech have charity shops all over Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire which provides much needed income to provide nursing care for patients.
In March, our colleague s got their aprons on and took part in a bake sale to help raise fund s for Keech Hospice. Fr om chocolate brownies and sausage rolls to ba nana bread and Victoria sponge.
The main assignment for the day for our colleagues was sorting through donated clothes, shoes, toys, books and other items and keeping the stock that was of good enough quality to be sold in the shop. Additionally, our team were also tasked with adding price labels to the stock, so it was all ready to be displayed.
View Keech 2024 impact report
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to raise a fantastic £3 42. We love our sweet trea ts here at Harpenden; therefore, another bake sale will take place later in the year.
An enjoyable day was had by our team, especially knowing the difference this can make. More volunteering days at Keech will be scheduled throughout the year.
Easter raffles
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Fundraise for Keech
In total, we managed
Annual General Meeting As previously mentioned, our AGM took place on Friday 25th April at Rothamsted Research Centre. We would like to thank t our members for the overwhelming suppor you gave to the Board’s recommendations. This year 1175 members voted and as a direct result of your participation, the Society have made a charitable donation of £2,350 to Keech Hospice.
Our Harpenden, Radlett an d Tring branches conducted Easter raffles in April to raise money for Keech. As can be viewe d in the pictures, some great hampers were put together by our branch colleagues. Throughout the three bran ches we managed to raise £453 . All winners were informed just before the Easter break. Al l were thrilled with their hampers which was great to see.