A HOSPICE has entered the final stage of a major upgrade to its in-patient facilities.
The first of 17 newly refurbished light and airy patient bedrooms – with the very best technology and equipment to support complex illnesses – are already in use at St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester, with the project set to complete this spring.
The improvement work is also creating two Jacuzzi spa suites and enhanced ensuite showering facilities. Two new, cosy family rooms will enable patients and loved ones to spend quality time together, offering a sense of normality away from a bedside.
St Richard’s began fundraising for the project in April last year when 150 hospice champions raised £540,308 towards a £1 million target in just 36 hours. All donations were doubled by generous hospice funders matching pound for pound.
The hospice has continued its fundraising efforts into 2024, including via a mailing campaign to supporters and residents in Worcestershire.
Project funding was further boosted by a £125,000 grant awarded by the Wolfson Foundation. St Richard’s is now working to raise the final £127,000 of its target.
Tricia Cavell, Fundraising Director for St Richard’s Hospice, said: “St Richard’s has always been a warm, welcoming place where patients spend precious moments with their families. With the help of our amazing supporters we’re now creating the next generation of hospice care for Worcestershire.
“A £125,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation this week is a huge boost as we pull out all the stops to complete our new and improved patient facilities this spring. We’re so grateful to the Wolfson Foundation for such generous support and to our amazing wider community without whom our care simply wouldn’t be possible.”
St Richard’s Hospice is an independent charity caring for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment to their last days and supporting those important to them.
Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: “It is so important for hospices such as St Richard’s to create a warm and welcoming environment. At the same time, it is a tough moment for fundraising. We are therefore delighted to contribute to this crucial overhaul of the in-patient accommodation which will benefit both patients and families.”
Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,100 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
It costs £10.28m to run the hospice (22/23 audited accounts), which includes patient care and all the necessary support services.
St Richard’s relies on donations and gifts in Wills for the majority of its income with the remainder funded by the NHS.
For more information about St Richard’s Hospice visit www.strichards.org.uk
More information about the Wolfson Foundation
The Wolfson Foundation is an independent charity with a focus on research and education. Its aim is to support civil society by investing in excellent projects in science, health, heritage, humanities and the arts.
Since it was established in 1955, some £1 billion (£2 billion in real terms) has been awarded to more than 12,000 projects throughout the UK, all on the basis of expert review.
Twitter: @wolfsonfdn