A legacy for Susan: St Clare Hospice Night-Sitter Appeal

The National Garden Scheme would not be the charity it is today without the passionate support of its garden owners and volunteers. All are special, some are inspirational.

In 1996, Susan Copeland and her husband Doug first opened their garden. In 2006 Sue joined the Essex team of volunteers becoming County Organiser a year later, a position she retained until August 2024. Her kindness and inspiring leadership made her perfect for the role of Trustee and East Regional Chair, positions she held for nine years until 2023.

In 2023, everything changed.

Susan was awarded the MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for her services to the National Garden Scheme, and she was also diagnosed with lung cancer.

Having supported Hospice UK and Maggie’s as beneficiaries of the National Garden Scheme for so many years, Susan and her family then turned to them for help. In her final weeks Susan was cared for at home by district nurses and nurses from St Clare Hospice who provided specialist, expert care through the night not just helping Susan but her family too.

“Looking after Sue was an absolute privilege,” says Doug. “But nothing prepares you for the physical and emotional strain, especially through the night. Our girls were brilliant during the day, but with work and families of their own, I didn’t like to disturb them later. Calling St Clare Hospice was the best thing we did.”

Doug and his daughters are so grateful for the care they received from the services at St Clare that they did not hesitate to be part of an appeal to raise funds for the hospice’s night-sitting service this winter. If you would like to find out more, or to support the appeal – which is being run independently of the National Garden Scheme – you can watch the appeal video below and support the appeal here