Sweet treat for charity after winning special competition
A Black Country palliative care charity has been celebrating a sweet competition win.
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Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge has won a competition to have its own special message embossed on Love Hearts sweets.
The hospice is one of seven winners of the Love Hearts 70th Anniversary competition, celebrating the history of the iconic sweets made by British sweet maker Swizzels.
More than 12,000 entrants shared their stories of love and appreciation, alongside the messages they would like to see printed on the sweets should they win the competition.
Ruth Radley, spiritual care lead at Mary Stevens Hospice, entered the competition in recognition of the hard work and dedication of the staff, who work to help patients in the last months, weeks, days, and hours of their lives and to support their families through tough times.
Mary Stevens Hospice provides free, specialist care and support for people living with an incurable illness, and their families and offers a broad range of support, including an in-patient unit, day services, care at home, spiritual care, and complementary therapies.
The hospice will now receive a supply of 500 rolls of Love Heart sweets, each embossed with the message “MSH Staff Rock” in appreciation of their work.
Ms Radley said: “I am so excited my entry to the Love Hearts competition was chosen as one of the winning designs.
"Since I was a child, Love Hearts have been my absolute favourite sweets, so this chance was a dream come true.
“What makes it even more special is that they'll be dedicated to the amazing staff at Mary Stevens Hospice.
"They embody the true values of care, compassion, and kindness every single day, making a real difference in the lives of patients and families.
"I can't wait for these Love Hearts to bring them some extra joy.”
Claire Lee, senior brand manager at Swizzels, said: “We were blown away by the number of incredible, emotive entries we received for the competition.
"Selecting winners was no easy feat, but we were touched by the story of Mary Stevens Hospice and are honoured to help them share the love for their staff and the wonderful work that they do.
“We can’t wait to work with them to bring their message to life and give the inspiring staff a well-earned boost.”
