A letter in this week's Isle of Wight County Press reads:

From Stephen Holmes, Ventnor:

"HAVING just spent three long days fundraising at the Isle of Wight Festival, can I say what a fantastic weekend it has been?

The public, from far and wide, have all been so generous in purchasing the famous Mountbatten sunflower, and I very quickly lost count of the number of times I was told to keep the change and 'keep up the good work'.

Working alongside two Mountbatten nurses, there were tears and hugs and a genuine appreciation for the good work they do.

There will undoubtedly be the complaints about noise, traffic and a few minor offences, but my first-hand experience was the festival attracted a mass of beautiful people of all ages, all intent on having a good time together, which I believe that they certainly did.

Macmillan Cancer Support were chosen to be the Festival's charity partner for 2019. A worthy and noble charity deserving of such an accolade, but, what many people fail to realise is the fact they do not service the Island; that is solely down to Mountbatten.

So, as plans are being made for next year's festival, can we push for an Island charity, such as Mountbatten, to be the next charity partner?"

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In response, Mountbatten Chief Executive Officer Nigel Hartley has said:

"I would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone who volunteers for us, including those at the Isle of Wight Festival who helped raise over £20,000 towards the £8m we must find each and every year to continue providing and growing our wide-ranging end of life services in the face of rapidly increasing demand. Every penny raised by you ensures the Islanders we care for are able to continue living as well as possible until they die, and ensures we are there afterwards for those they love throughout their bereavement. We are here for everyone, no matter what their illness or where they want to be cared for – at home (including care homes), in hospital or in our hospice. We currently have over 1300 people on our books on any one day. Our bereavement support also extends to anyone who needs it, not just those who have had a connection with Mountbatten.

I want to be clear that our Mountbatten nurses, carers and other staff are directly funded by our Island community; whilst we have historically benefited from funding from Macmillan Cancer Support, in more recent years, we have not and do not receive any financial support from them. We cannot comment on any other services provided by Macmillan on the Isle of Wight.

Thank you to everyone who supports Mountbatten; whether through our shops, volunteering, fundraising and donating in many different ways, including leaving a gift in your will. Everything you do helps to share our story to a wider audience. Everyone is touched by death and dying – we will all die and we will all be bereaved. Every person on the Isle of Wight will need our support in some way in the future.  Each and every one of us has a part to play in ensuring Mountbatten can continue to be by your side through the last years of your life. Thank you to everyone for helping this to happen".

Nigel Hartley, Chief Executive Officer, Mountbatten