League of Mercy honor for "remarkable woman"

STAFF, volunteers, supporters and patients at Saint Francis Hospice are celebrating after volunteer and
founder, 87-year-old Joan Matthews, received a national award for her outstanding service to charity.

Joan, a supporter of the hospice movement since the mid-1970s and a C of E Reader, was honoured by the League of Mercy for her contributions towards the "sick, elderly and dying" at the Havering-atte-Bower hospice, since its inception in 1977.

She was one of 25 people to receive an Order of Mercy badge at a ceremony at the Mansion House in London. She was presented with the award by League president Sir Robert Balchin in the presence of the Lord Mayor of London, John Stuttard.

Hospice chairman John McKernan said: "No one deserves this more than Joan Matthews. She has been
one of the major driving forces behind Saint Francis for more than 30 years.

She is still an active volunteer and member of our Council of Management at the grand age of 87 -
she is a remarkable woman."

After receiving her medal, Joan said: "I am overwhelmed. It was a lovely ceremony and I enjoyed every
minute of it. It is a privilege to receive such an honour.

"This beautiful medal represents all the wonderful work that has gone on behind the scenes at the hospice."

Joan was the organiser of the first public meeting that led to hospice project launch in 1977 and was
instrumental in establishing the groups to raise funds.

More recently, Joan has become one of the hospice's chaplaincy assistants where her duties include
regular visits to patients in the in-patient unit, and organising a "quiet time" for patients in the day hospice.

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