Member Article

New era beckons for The Kirkwood, as it seeks to support even more of those living in Kirklees with a life limiting illness

Built on strong foundations and a simple mission to support local people affected by a life limiting illness, The Kirkwood is a charity known and loved by many of its patients and families. But what many of us in Kirklees don’t appreciate is the extent of the charity’s services and how many more people facing a progressive illness could experience a better quality of life by simply reaching out for care and support.

Every year the people of Kirklees need support, with over 3,000 people currently living with an illness from which they will not recover. The reality is that only half of these people reach out and experience the dedicated support available to them. But The Kirkwood is on a mission to change that.

Through the launch of its new brand identity, the charity is seeking to challenge the perceptions of hospice care and dispel the myths around the services and care available for people living in Kirklees with a life limiting illness. Not just a logo tweak or set of guidelines, this new identity is much more deep rooted than that, harnessing the pioneering spirit of when The Kirkwood first began to widen the charity’s reach into all corners of the community, so that everyone who needs support is able to receive it.

Created in partnership with Huddersfield-based design studio Kenyon Western, this new brand is the stake in the ground, a start of a new era that sees the charity communicate with the local community in a way that engages and inspires those facing a life limiting illness to reach out at the very start of their journey. Through raising awareness of what the charity does, The Kirkwood is determined to increase the number of people it supports in the local community so that they can make a positive impact on their quality of life.

“Our goal is to support more people than ever before,” explains Chief Executive, Michael Crowther. “The stark reality is that we currently support about half the people affected by a life limiting illness and that there are thousands more who would benefit from our care. Our focus is, and always will be, on quality of life for everyone in our care, we just want more people to access it.

“This is not a vanity project or solely about changing the way we look. It goes much further than that, to the core of what we do. We need to challenge and change perceptions that Kirkwood is a place in Dalton where people go to die. Those in need don’t reach out for support soon enough, if at all. Too many people tell us they wish they had known about all the different services we offer sooner. What people in Kirklees need to know it that our amazing team support local people in many different ways at every stage of illness and in bereavement.”

Now The Kirkwood, the charity has a new rallying cry and call to arms, asking everyone in the Kirklees community to Support Life. Whether you are affected personally by the loss of a loved one, are experiencing health issues due to an illness, you’re a business owner or just someone who cares, The Kirkwood needs you to join its movement of people. Through thick and thin, the good and the bad, we can all make a difference to the lives of those who need it most. Together, we are The Kirkwood.

Michael continues: “We want more people to reach out for our care and to inspire new supporters to make a positive difference. We cannot succeed alone, and need more help than ever before from our supporters, our team and the community.”

The new brand, which has been a labour love for the team at Kenyon Western, is a far cry for the agency’s usual global client list, but it has been a project that has resonated with the whole team.

Matt Kenyon, (insert job title) “The opportunity to create something lasting and meaningful that benefits the whole of the local community is probably one of the most rewarding things we can hope to do as an agency. I have vivid memories of visiting my grandfather at In Patient Unit at Kirkwood when I was boy, so we were honoured to offer our services to the charity at no cost. We don’t just want to thank Kirkwood for their collaboration and trust in us, but for making Kenyon Weston part of this amazing community of people. We’re all now life supporters of Support Life.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Unify PR & Marketing .