100-Year-Old Phyllis on a Heartfelt Mission to Reach £10,000 for St Elizabeth Hospice

A remarkable 100-year-old fundraiser is calling on her community to help her achieve one final goal — raising £10,000 for St Elizabeth Hospice.

Phyllis, who celebrated her 100th birthday this March, has spent more than four decades raising money for the hospice, inspired by the care and compassion shown to a close friend in her final days.

Her journey began in the early 1990s, following the loss of her husband and shortly after, the devastating diagnosis of cancer in a dear friend and neighbour. Phylis regularly visited her friend at St Elizabeth Hospice, where she witnessed first-hand the kindness and dedication of the staff. Her friend sadly passed away just two months later, but the impact of the hospice stayed with Phyllis.

Determined to give back, Phyllis began fundraising in her own way.

What started as small afternoon tea gatherings, welcoming friends and neighbours for tea and cake in exchange for a small donation, soon grew into something much bigger. Over the years, friends, family, and members of her local church began donating unwanted gifts for Phyllis to sell from her living room. From puzzles and books to toiletries and handcrafted items (including crocheted gifts made by a close friend), almost anything can be found among her collection.

Operating from her spare living room, where two well-used piggy banks sit proudly on the table, Phyllis continues to sell these items, turning generosity into vital funds for the hospice.

Her dedication has already seen her reach an incredible milestone of £5,000, earning her local press recognition a few years ago. But she didn’t stop there.

For her 100th birthday earlier this year, Phyllis made a heartfelt request: instead of presents, she asked for donations to the hospice. The result was a further £700 raised, bringing her total to an astonishing £9,614.

Now, she has just a few hundred pounds left to reach her ultimate goal of £10,000.

In her own words, Phyllis is “determined to get there before I pop off”, a reflection of her humour, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the cause.

With the finish line in sight, support is now being sought from the wider community. Anyone with unwanted, unopened gifts is warmly encouraged to donate items to help support Phyllis’s fundraising efforts. Donations can be dropped off at the local Home Instead office in Ipswich, Ransomes Europark, IP3 8RL, where they will be passed on to Phyllis.

Every contribution, no matter how small, will help this incredible centenarian reach her goal, and continue her legacy of kindness and community spirit.