Supporters have got behind Nottinghamshire Hospice’s Forget Us Not appeal, raising more than £50,000 in just six weeks.

Since the hospice launched its appeal in early April, people have devised innovative ways of raising funds during lockdown and donations have flooded in to help the hospice address a £150,000 shortfall caused by charity shop closures and cancelled events.

The amount raised includes money from the 2.6 challenge, various online fundraising events, individual donations and proceeds from sales of commemorative hand-painted forget-me-not flowers.

Leigh Sherwood, of Mansfield, bought a flower in memory of her mum, Pat, who received care from the hospice in her final days, enabling her to stay in her own home with her family around her.

Pat was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in 2018 and died just six weeks later, aged 85. After her diagnosis, family members stayed with her day and night, catching what sleep they could on the sofa near their mum’s bed. Nottinghamshire Hospice stepped in with Hospice At Home care, which enabled them to get some much-needed rest.

Leigh said: “Mum hadn’t long to live and wanted to be at home, so we decided we were going to look after her 24/7. We were really grateful for the help from the hospice as it gave us some rest. It helped to know there was someone caring for her who would be awake all night.

“I wanted to put something back so I bought one of the flowers, which I’ve planted in the rockery in my garden. I used to have my mum here every Sunday to dinner and she liked to look out of the window at the rockery. Blue was my mum’s favourite colour so it’s a lovely memorial.”

Leigh’s family all live in the Mansfield area. Her sister has also bought a flower and other family members have supported the appeal too.

Supporters also got behind the 2.6 challenge, timed to coincide with the date of the cancelled London Marathon. People aged two to 81 thought up creative ways of supporting the campaign during lockdown, including a 26-jigsaw marathon, an all-day danceathon, a board games extravaganza and numerous running and walking challenges.

Gemma Taylor-Mahon, fundraising and marketing manager at Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful to all those wonderful supporters who have bought flowers and fundraised for us and for all the fabulous donations we’ve received. It’s heart-warming to know we’re not forgotten. To raise a third of the money in just six weeks is a major milestone.

“Of course, our work is far from over with a gap in funding of £100,000 still to tackle, so please keep spreading the word and doing what you can to help us keep closing this considerable deficit.

“We have more exciting events coming up over the next couple of months, including our virtual open gardens and there are lots of other ways to support us, including buying one of our beautiful Forget-Me-Not flowers for your home or garden to remember a special someone.”

Nottinghamshire Hospice anticipates a loss in funding of £150,000 over a three month period, but cumulative losses could reach £450,000 depending on the longer term effects of lockdown. To support the Forget Us Not appeal, go to www.notts-hospice.org/forgetusnot