St Mary’s Hospice has appointed its first ever head of communications and community engagement.
Karl Connor, 39, joins the Ulverston based charity from Sellafield, where he held a number of roles over the past decade, in both internal and external communications.
Karl, who is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, said: “I am delighted to join the family at St Mary’s.
“It’s an interesting time for anyone to change jobs, in the middle of a pandemic, but I have been really impressed at the way the team at the hospice is managing its response to COVID-19, ensuring that our patients are just as well looked after as ever, both in the hospice itself and by our hospice at home team.
“It is also remarkable to see how our fund-raising and retail teams have adapted to the challenge of bringing in funds when they can’t open shops or host events – there is some really interesting and innovative work going on which I’m excited to get involved in.
“The staff I’ve been able to meet so far have been very welcoming.
“What really strikes me is the love they all have for what they do, and for the contribution St Mary’s makes in its community. I am really proud to be part of such a committed team.”
Prior to working in the nuclear industry Karl was a journalist, and had work published in a host of local and national titles.
Chief executive Val Stangoe said: “We want to expand the impact of our communications so that we can extend our reach.
“We believe that having a member of our senior team with a specific communications remit will help us do that.
“Every year we look to increase the numbers of people who access our services, and we want to make sure that people from all kinds of different backgrounds not only know about us, but know that we are here for them and that they can use our services should they need to.
“Of course, as a hospice, we provide end of life care – but there are so many more services we provide which, sometimes, can go under the radar.”
Val also paid tribute to Cumbria’s biggest communications firm, 32West, who have been volunteering communications support to the hospice for the past 18 months.
