COVID won't wilt Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Appeal

• Pandemic forces cancellation of all public collections for first time in campaigns 35-year history
• Loss of collections will leave the charity with potential £3m deficit for the campaign
• Charity has seen a 16.5% rise in the number of people they are caring for at the end of life despite fundraising restrictions

End of life charity Marie Curie's flagship fundraiser the Great Daffodil Appeal, which is reaching its 35th anniversary in March, has for the first time, had to cancel all of their public collections for the campaign, leaving the charity with a potential loss of over £3 million.

The Great Daffodil Appeal is the largest fundraising campaign in the hospice sector and, since it began in 1986, the money raised has helped Marie Curie run its essential frontline services providing care and support to people with terminal illnesses and their families across the UK.

The last 12 months have been extremely difficult as key fundraising events have been cancelled and all Marie Curie's charity shops have had to close. Despite the cancelled collections, the charity is calling on the public to dig deep and donate online, where they can also order their iconic daffodil pins too.

Last year, the charity saw a 16.5% rise in the number of people they cared for at end of life, compared to 2019 and their support line saw a 20% increase in calls too. All donations from the Great Daffodil Appeal will ensure that Marie Curie Nurses, doctors and hospice staff can continue working on the frontline throughout the pandemic caring for people and their families in the charity's nine hospices and in their own homes.

The pandemic has also exposed the fragility of the hospice and end of life care sector, which is reliant on donations from the public to survive. Figures show that within the next 10 years, more than six million people will die in the UK and of this number 75% will need end of life care.

Meredith Niles, Executive Director of Fundraising and Engagement at Marie Curie, said:

"The Great Daffodil Appeal is vitally important to us. Having been held every March for over three decades, this is the first time we've had to cancel all of our public collections which is a huge blow as each volunteer would raise £80 from a collection shift, enough to pay for the equivalent of four hours of nursing care.

"The campaign would normally bring together millions of people across the country to volunteer, fundraise, donate and wear a daffodil and we're still encouraging people to do this in any way they can in a safe manner.

"Around 300 people a day already miss out on the end of life support they need and we expect this figure to rise as a result of the pandemic, combined with usual winter pressures associated with seasonal flu and the backlog of people who have missed diagnoses.

"In these unprecedented times we need people's support now more than ever in helping us raise money to continue our vital work across the country and ensure Marie Curie Nurses can be there to provide end of life care when people need it."

Alison Steadman, actor and Marie Curie Ambassador said: "I have seen first-hand the incredible difference Marie Curie makes and just how important their work is in caring for people with a terminal illness and their families. The loving care they gave my mum when she was dying is something that I'll never forget and will always remember. I don't know how we would have managed as a family without the Marie Curie Nurses and doctors and dread to think about what it would mean if they weren't there for all the families that need them.

"The work Marie Curie do is needed now more than ever and the Covid pandemic has had a big impact on their ability to fundraise. That is why I'm encouraging people across the whole of the UK to show their support in any way they can in March for this year's Great Daffodil Appeal. Every donation means that when the time comes, Marie Curie can be there for people and their loved ones when they need it most."

During the Great Daffodil Appeal the first annual National Day of Reflection will take place. Since the first lockdown began in 2020, millions of people have been bereaved. Join Marie Curie on 23 March, the first anniversary of UK lockdown, for a day to reflect and commemorate this tragic loss of life.
For more information on how to fundraise, donate or set up a virtual collection for Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Appeal visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil
ENDS

For more information please contact:
Adam Orr
Media & PR Manager
07469993215
Adam.Orr@mariecurie.org.uk

Marie Curie - Please note we are 'Marie Curie' (not 'Marie Curie Cancer Care').
About Marie Curie
Marie Curie Nurses, doctors and Hospice staff are on the frontline of the Coronavirus crisis. Every day they are helping to support dying people to be cared for away from hospital when every bit of available capacity is needed to care for people diagnosed with the virus, and we are also providing care to those who have tested positive for coronavirus in our Hospices and who are suspected as having the virus at home across the UK.

About the Great Daffodil Appeal
• The Great Daffodil Appeal is Marie Curie's biggest fundraising campaign, held every March.
• Every donation and daffodil worn helps Marie Curie provide vital care for people living with a terminal illness and support for their families.
• 8 million daffodil pins are normally distributed each year.
• Around £100 million in total has been raised since the campaign began in 1986 which is the equivalent of 5 million hours of nursing care.
• Daffodil pins are available from the Marie Curie website and shops on high streets across the country such as Morrisons, Superdrug, Savers and SPAR UK
• Visit mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil or call 0800 304 7025 for more information.

National Day of Reflection
During the Great Daffodil Appeal the first annual National Day of Reflection will take place. Since the first lockdown began in 2020, millions of people have been bereaved. Join us on 23 March, the first anniversary of UK lockdown, for a day to reflect and commemorate this tragic loss of life. Visit mariecurie.org.uk/dayofreflection to find out more.

Marie Curie Free Support Line
If you, or someone you know, is affected by a terminal illness and concerned about Coronavirus, our Support Line team are ready to help with the information you need when you need it. Call free 0800 090 2309*. You can also find more information on our website: mariecurie.org.uk/coronavirus

Based on ONS population projections, 2018.
Source: www.mariecurie.org.uk/globalassets/media/documents/policy/marie-curie-reports/state-of-the-nations-mariecurie-report-england.pdf
3 Based on the estimated number of people dying with palliative care need, a quarter of those would be potentially missing out on a palliative approach (1 in 4 estimate: LSE)
https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/globalassets/media/documents/policy/campaigns/equity-palliative-care-uk-report-full-lse.pdf

Source: www.mariecurie.org.uk/globalassets/media/documents/policy/marie-curie-reports/state-of-the-nations-mariecurie-report-england.pdf
3 Based on the estimated number of people dying with palliative care need, a quarter of those would be potentially missing out on a palliative approach (1 in 4 estimate: LSE)
https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/globalassets/media/documents/policy/campaigns/equity-palliative-care-uk-report-full-lse.pdf