You can now find condensed copies of our Supporter News here on our blog- these will give you the highlights from our latest issue, such as successful fundraisers and future workshop dates! To sign up to our mailing list and receive the full version of our newsletters, please get in touch with admin@brigittetrust.com.
From our Head of Operations
It’s been a very full and rewarding few months for us at The Brigitte Trust. As ever, the team has been working at full capacity to deliver our services and create new opportunities for connection and support.
Sarah, our Service Manager, has been busy strengthening partnerships across Surrey to ensure that people facing terminal illness and bereavement receive the care they need during what can be an especially difficult time of year. Recent visits to the Lane Fox Remeo Unit highlighted a valuable opportunity to support long-stay respiratory patients who are often isolated far from home, while positive conversations with Elstead GP Surgery, Knowle Green Medical Practice in Staines and Mill Medical Practice are opening new doors for collaboration. Our Pets as Therapy dogs have brought much needed comfort through their visits and we have launched the next round of our Bereavement Courses across three locations, including Chipstead for the first time, with more courses planned for next year beginning in January 2026. Despite increasing pressures on community services, Sarah continues to work closely with GP surgeries, hospitals and local partners to ensure no one is left without help. Volunteer training with Mandy began in October, with further courses planned for February 2026 and we look forward to seasonal activities including the relaunch of “The Brigitte Trust Presents…” and our next Death Cafe.
Fundraising has also been strong this autumn, with successful events at Teas on the Green, the Mill Medical Practice, Pride, the Quality Street Fair, the Woking Rotary Swimathon and our Karaoke Night. As we look ahead to festive community events, new charity partnerships and future fundraisers, including the 2026 London Marathon, where Megan King will be running in support of the Trust, we are grateful for the continued generosity of donors, fundraisers and the dedication of our volunteers. Special thanks go to Tanya and Neil for their fantastic work on fundraising and grants.
A warm thank you to our team, including Claire (office support) and Rachel (promotions and social media) and to our Trustees, Volunteers and wider community for their continued dedication and support. Together, we remain committed to bringing warmth, care and connection to those who need us most this winter.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Cathy Garling, Head of Operations
Sponsor our marathon runner, Megan
We’ve been lucky enough to secure a spot at next year’s London Marathon, and the fantastic Megan will be running for us!
Megan has lived in Slovakia, Austria, America and the UK, and her favourite things are being outside in the sunshine and spending time with her super supportive husband! She works part-time as a personal trainer and teaches an evening fitness bootcamp in Guildford, alongside her full-time role with Emerge, supporting young people’s mental health in A&E.
We’re so thankful to have Megan fundraising for us, and she has set herself an amazing target of £2000 for our cause. To show your support, visit her Enthuse page here; https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/megan-king-the-brigitte-trust
CSVA- Volunteer Awards
We’d like to say a huge congratulations to two of our lovely volunteers who received recognition from Central Surrey Voluntary Action in November for volunteering with The Brigitte Trust.
Well done to Christine Evans and Richard Mogridge, who were both invited to attend the award ceremony in Cobham where Christine picked up the awards for them that evening. She said “It was lovely to see a mix of people and organisations recognised for the part they are playing within the community.”
Volunteer training dates
Our next Volunteer training course starts in February 2026. Sessions will take place on Tuesday mornings from February 10th to March 17th, including the weekend of February 28th and March 1st.
Tuesday morning sessions are from 10:00am until 1:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday sessions are from 10:00am until 4:00pm.
Another successful Teas on The Green
At the end of September, we held our Teas on The Green event in Brockham, selling tea and cake and raising funds for our cause. Despite the slightly miserable weather, we had a lovely afternoon with all that attended, and we’d love to thank our volunteers that provided us with delicious cakes and cookies to sell!
We’re already looking forward to next year’s event, and hope that the weather is a little better!
Recent Therapy Dog visits
Our latest Pets as Therapy dog Tucker has been enjoying his regular visits to one of our clients called Mike. Mike used to have a dog and misses the companionship of a furry friend by his side so Tucker, understanding the assignment, jumps straight up onto Mike’s bed where he enjoys cuddles and attention. He also loves the chopped carrot that Mike’s daughter prepares for him each time, making the visits a great joy for both!
Our lovely client Kim asked for a big dog visit and we delivered! She was very keen to have our largest member of the team, Kudu the Leonberger, come and see her for afternoon strokes and cuddles. Kudu is 60kg and is like a huge teddy bear, but her size did not daunt Kim who had lots of doggy kisses and hugs.
A fantastic evening of food and music at the Java Caffé
We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who joined us for our karaoke evening on Monday 3rd November, and a thanks to the wonderful team at Java Caffé for allowing us to use the space and for providing our guests with a delicious Italian menu! A special thanks goes to Craig, the partner of BT volunteer Bernie, who provided the karaoke equipment and put up with our song requests all night for FREE, thank you Craig.
We raised over £400 for our cause throughout the evening, which could cover the cost of four much-needed pampering sessions for our clients, our could provide two people with places at our Bereavement Support groups.
Thank you to The Mill Medical Practice
On the 2nd October, The Mill Medical Practice in Godalming held a coffee morning to raise awareness and much needed funds for our cause. It was a fabulous morning, raising a brilliant £570 for us! We’d love to say a massive thank you to Leah who arranged this and worked really hard promoting this event, donating many raffle prizes to raise this fabulous amount, and to the practice team and anyone who came along for tea and cake!
Upcoming Fundraising Events
- Dorking Christmas Fair– High Street, Dorking on Sunday 30th November
For more information on any of these events, or to help us out as a volunteer selling raffle tickets and handing out literature, please contact our Fundraising & Promotions Manager Tanya at tanya.stafford@brigittetrust.com.
With Warmest Wishes and a Merry Christmas to all our Volunteers, Clients, Supporters and Friends of the Trust from the Trustees and the Team at The Brigitte Trust.
Want to fundraise for The Brigitte Trust?
You can get started today by creating your fundraising page online with Enthuse. Your support means that we can reach out and help more people living with a life-limiting illness in Surrey.