Naomi is directing the Hospice’s production of Calendar Girls (and also works in our furniture showroom, Returned to Glory). Naomi explained why the Hospice means so much to her. 

“My mum became really unwell in 2011. Her time in the Hospice was the only part of the journey that gave our family real comfort, time to think, to pause and just ‘be’.

I had no experience of hospices, let alone the incredible end of life care offered by The Hospice of St Francis. I asked questions like, “Can I visit when I want? Can her friends visit when they want? Will I be able to sleep in Mum’s room?’ I had no idea that they’d say, ‘Yes, of course!’ 

At the Hospice, my mum was an individual again. And as a family, we were able to honour her personality and self-expression. Mum was a musician, so her friends came and played classical quartets in the Hospice garden. You want to do everything you can to make things beautiful and precious and normal.

Calendar Girls resonates because it is a musical about love, loss, and finding a new way of living alongside grief. It is the journey of ordinary people facing new challenges and achieving things they never thought they could.  

You may want some tissues to hand, but Calendar Girls is ultimately a piece of very funny and uplifting musical theatre. All performers and crew are volunteering their spare time, rehearsing for almost 5 months, so we can bring our audiences a first class production.

The Hospice of St Francis made a huge difference to my family. I hope that Calendar Girls raises as much money as possible because I know the difference the Hospice makes to people’s lives.

Calendar Girls is on at The Berkhamsted Centenary Theatre from 21st-23rd February with all profits going to the Hospice. You can buy tickets at stfrancis.org.uk/calendargirls