A Lens on Love: Resident Photographer Raises £13,300 for Thames Hospice

How Pegasus Homes resident Phil Laybourne turned personal loss into an inspiring fundraising journey

We're incredibly proud to share the story of Phil Laybourne, a resident at our Wooburn Bales community, whose remarkable fundraising efforts have raised £13,300 for Thames Hospice—bringing his total contribution to over £23,000 through his photography projects.

Phil’s fundraising journey is deeply personal. After his wife Gail was cared for by Thames Hospice in 2020, Phil channelled his love of photography into a series of charity projects to support the Hospice that meant so much to his family. His story has even been featured by BBC News, highlighting the impact of his dedication.

In 2025, Phil launched his latest initiative; a stunning 2026 nature and wildlife calendar, sponsored by Pegasus Homes, ensuring that every £15 from each calendar sold went directly to Thames Hospice. The calendar features six local landscape images and six local wildlife photographs, all captured by Phil.

Alongside calendar sales, Phil took his photography on the road, delivering a series of engaging and inspirational talks at 20 Pegasus Homes communities across the UK, sharing the stories behind his images through slideshows and commentary. These well-attended events helped raise both vital funds and awareness of Thames Hospice’s work.

The final roadshow of 2025 took place at Pegasus Homes, Wooburn Bales, where over 30 residents gathered to celebrate Phil’s work. The event was attended by Steve Bangs, CEO of Pegasus Homes, and members of the Pegasus Homes team, alongside Dr Rachael de Caux, CEO of Thames Hospice and Steph Peters, Head of Marketing.

Phil Laybourne said: “Following the death of my wife Gail at Thames Hospice in May 2020, I embarked on a fundraising project to bring in much-needed funds for an incredible organisation. I launched a charity calendar of local landscape photos in 2021 with the aim of raising £2,000 and raised £10,000 in just three months.

“Following on from this, in February 2025 I embarked on another calendar project, fully sponsored by the very generous support of Pegasus Homes. The 2026 calendar went on sale on 25 July, and by 25 December I had raised an incredible £13,300, all of which will go to the Hospice.

Steve Bangs, CEO at Pegasus Homes, said: “We’re so incredibly proud of Phil’s fantastic achievement in creating this wonderful calendar and using his passion for photography to raise such a significant amount of money for a cause close to his heart.

“We were thrilled to support him, connecting him with residents across Pegasus Homes communities. The nationwide support truly highlights the excellence of his photography and the strong community spirit within the entire Pegasus Homes network."

Steph Peters, Head of Marketing and Communications at Thames Hospice, added: “Phil’s commitment to Thames Hospice is truly extraordinary. What began as a deeply personal act of thanks has grown into an inspiring fundraising journey that has touched so many people. Through his photography, storytelling, and generosity, together with the incredible support of his corporate partners, including Pegasus Homes, Phil has helped raise vital funds and awareness for hospice care.

“We are enormously grateful to Phil and everyone involved, whose support helps ensure that compassionate hospice care continues to be available to local families when they need it most. We look forward to our continuing partnership and to seeing what his next project will bring!”

Find out more about Phil and his ongoing work - https://phillaybournephotography.co.uk/

Thames Hospice provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care to patients and families across East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire. To learn more about their vital work, visit https://www.thameshospice.org.uk/