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Helping Rowcroft Hospice reframe the conversation around end-of-life care
We've helped South Devon hospice Rowcroft develop a new strategy to unlock more support and donations by reframing the conversation around of end-of-life care.
With more and more worthy causes demanding our attention, it’s vital that charities have a precise understanding of their purpose and are able to communicate a clear and inspiring message. Rowcroft cares for over 2,200 people each year, but many of the 270,000 South Devon population were unaware of the great work the hospice does.
We worked with Rowcroft’s executive team to clarify its purpose and build a strategy to increase the hospice’s visibility, better explain the value it provides its patients and families and attract more donors and volunteers. Rowcroft’s refreshed vision and strategy challenges perceptions of hospices by presenting them as a life-affirming place of care and compassion, where the focus is to help patients and families make the most of their time left together.
We facilitated a series of workshop sessions with over 100 members of Rowcroft’s employees, including health and social care professionals, fundraisers, retail staff and volunteers as well as members of patients’ families. From these sessions emerged common themes that will now drive the hospice’s future business and brand strategy. We also helped develop a set of new internal values that will align all elements of the hospice with the new purpose and direction.
Giles Charnaud, Chief Executive of Rowcroft Hospice said:
“The work we have undertaken has helped us to join the dots, connect the head with the heart and move our conversation from the transactional to the emotional. We hope that through our new communications we are able to show Rowcroft is far from dark and depressing; it is a place full of love and laughter.
Rowcroft’s refreshed messaging is now being expressed throughout its communications, including a short film, produced by Bath-based video community interest company Suited and Booted, that captures the positive and life affirming moments that take place every day at the hospice. Entitled Love Life Every Day, the short film has had outstanding press coverage, has been viewed over 75,000 times on social media and was projected on the big screen on Paignton beach during Rowcroft’s ‘Colour Rush’ 5km charity run in September.
Rowcroft’s communications team has since gone on to bring the new proposition to life, sharing uplifting patient and family stories as a key part of their strategy, which has led to media coverage on BBC Spotlight.
Image: Rowcroft