Mike Kennedy, 26, is a Prospect Hospice community and events fundraiser. His team is currently offering a coveted Silver Bond place for the London Marathon, and is looking for a runner to raise money for the hospice. Mike lives in North Swindon

 

WHEN people are introduced to Mike Kennedy they’re often surprised that he’s so young.

Mike is pleased by this, as it’s a reminder that the hospice serves people of all ages and backgrounds, whether patients or their loved ones.

“When I go out and meet different groups and organisations to do talks and presentations, people are surprised to see someone of a younger age doing what I do and enjoying doing what I do.

“I think that has a positive impact on what we do over all – that we’ve got quite a wide range of ages in the team. I think it works very, very well.

“I’ve enjoyed what I do ever since I came here.

Everyone who I work with has the same passion and the same goals, but it’s the community and what they do for Prospect that makes my job worth doing.

“It’s what gives me the drive to do better things, bigger events, to be out and about more to raise more funds for the hospice and awareness of the services and care that we provide.”

Prospect Hospice currently serves some 6,300 people, and last year alone cost £7.3m to run. Of that, more than £5m came from fundraising by the public, many of whom have had personal contact with the hospice and its services. The job of Mike and the seven colleagues in his department is to help and inspire those fundraisers.

He added: “They like to see that we’re there to support them.

“What they want to achieve is to raise money for the hospice, and when t h e y see someone w h o ’ s out there a n d willing, sup- porting t h e m a n d cheer- i n g t h e m on, that means a lot.

“ N o t everyone c a n put on an event or do a fundrais - er as such, but everyone tries because they want to achieve the best at the end of the day.”

Mike, the youngest of seven siblings, is originally from Covingham. His mother is an administrator and his father works in electronics.

Long before he left what is now Dorcan Academy, Mike’s ambition was to be a chef, and he studied hospitality and catering at Swindon College.

Having worked at Blunsdon House Hotel, he moved to Jury’s Inn in the town centre and was a food and beverage supervisor when it opened.

By the age of about 21 he was the hotel’s food and beverage manager, and then moved to Alexandra House in Wroughton as restaurant and bar manager.

After about two years there, Mike spent a year in Birmingham as hospitality and events manager at Birmingham City University.

His next move saw him become one of those fortunate people whose career skills lead them into a vocation.

He joined Prospect Hospice in April of last year, having seen the job advertised and realised his skills would transfer.

“From a very early age, about 19 or 20, I’ve always been very much interested in events, whether that be corporate events, weddings, f u n c t i o n s , conferences, things like that – hence the year in Birmingham.

Events became the role I wanted to progress in.

“This is the local hospice to us, and an opportunity came up at the time when I was looking for a role. It was to organise events in the community I grew up in, so what would be better than to put on events at the hospice and raise awareness around my home town?

“I’ve got a really big passion and everyone comes to work with the same goals. It’s the amazing things that people do for us that gives us the motivation.”

He has helped to organise everything from familiar events such as runs, swims and cycle rides to more ambitious projects such as sponsored overseas treks.

Mike’s professional role appeals to values instilled in him very early in life.

“I was always brought up to treat people how I would want to be treated, and to do things the right way. Obviously, this is a perfect way to support people. I think that as you grow up things change, and your outlook on life changes as well.

“The transferable skills I could bring from the hospitality side of things to this role made me think it was something I would really enjoy doing. Here I am nearly two years later and very much enjoying what I do.”

He is constantly aware of the hospice’s role in the community, and full of admiration for the members of the public who do their bit for the cause.

“What Prospect Hospice does is end of life care, so you’re always dealing with families, friends of families, bereaved partners and loved ones. That’s where you have to be sensitive and understanding and know what they’re going through.

“As much as we’re putting on events and doing all sorts of things in the community to raise awareness and funds, we’re also involved with patients’ families and friends, and they are the people who give us ongoing support.

“We’re here to support them through the activities that they want to do to be able to give back.

“Without the volunteers’ support for the events that they put on in and around the community we wouldn’t be able to do such large scale events.”

Mike, like his colleagues, is also aware of and grateful for the goodwill felt by the public toward the hospice, which he puts down simply to its guiding principles.

“It’s a combination of things. It’s that all the staff and volunteers – and I include the board of trustees – are acutely aware of the role that we play in the community, and that we are of the community.

“We are the community and we have to use the funds that we have in a way that makes the most benefit for local people.

“Working with the local community to provide the services that they want and that they need is how we achieve that.”

Would be Silver Bond London Marathon runners have until Thursday, November 12 to register an interest.