FROM CARE staff walking to work in the snow, to the CEO cooking lunch, St Michael’s Hospice and St Michael’s Home Care didn’t let the snow put them off.

Over the snowy weekend beginning on February 1, the vital services supplied by both the Hospice and Home Care teams in Basingstoke continued with the help of staff and the community.

Volunteer drivers from Hampshire and Berkshire 4x4 Response, a group that aids services in emergencies, helped staff, Basingstoke hospital staff helped shovel the snow from the car park, and staff doing their rounds on foot all contributed to keeping the service going.

Planning for the snow began as soon as it appeared in the weather forecast and the teams of volunteer drivers were ready to go early on Friday morning, taking the night shift home safely and spending three days making sure nurses and care staff got out to visit their patients in the community.

Staff came in on their days off to keep the paths safe so family could spend time with loved ones and ex-member of staff, Dr Alex Lee, came in to help shovel snow.

It wasn’t just the roads which were affected. With train travel suspended between Basingstoke and Winchester, director of medical services, Dr Michael Partridge, who walked to the train station, had to walk back again to the Hospice.

After spending the night at the Apollo Hotel, he was back at work early on Saturday.

After the CEO’s turn in the kitchen, the Health Care Assistants took over, ensuring everyone enjoyed a delicious Sunday roast.

Tom Benford, a farmer from Odiham and next-door neighbour to Dr Lee, arrived again this year with his land rover and spent the day driving community nurses to their appointments.

Without support from Tom and all the team at Hampshire and Berkshire 4x4 Response, Hospice and Home Care staff would not have been able to make their vital community visits.

Hospice chief executive, Iain Cameron, said: “We have got patients and we’ve got families in need of our services and it is absolutely vital that we keep running.

“This challenge was a wonderful example of teamwork and highlights what a superb group of individuals work and volunteer here.

“I was immensely proud of everyone.”