Everyone at East Cheshire Hospice is celebrating the news that it is to receive a £550,000 Department of Health grant which, along with the recent receipt of a number of generous legacies, is enabling work to begin on a much needed building project to transform its Day Care Centre and build a new Out-patient annex.
The news was announced today at a hospice reception to launch its new business initiative, Friends of East Cheshire Hospice.
With places for up to 15 patients a day, the hospice’s Day Care Centre was built in 1999 and offers a range of services which help people suffering from life-limiting illnesses to live independently at home for as long as they wish and are able.
“However, several years ago, we recognised that the Centre was becoming unfit for purpose,” commented Hospice Chief Executive, Jayne Bessant announcing the news at the reception. “Space is the biggest single issue, limiting the number of patients who can be seen and the activities that can be offered, as well as reducing our ability to treat them in privacy and with the dignity they have every right to expect.
Due to the DoH funding and a number of large legacy gifts, therefore, East Cheshire Hospice is delighted to commence an exciting £1.5 million building development project. This will provide its Day Care Centre and the different patient services based there with the facilities they urgently need to treat both Day Care and Out-patients with privacy and dignity.
Specifically it will provide the Physiotherapy Team with appropriate treatment rooms and a properly equipped gym and its Complimentary Therapists with appropriate rooms to deliver a range of treatments for patients and those important to them.
It will provide a dedicated Activities Room, giving patients greater choice over whether to take part in different activities and a private consultation room where patients can have confidential discussions with members of the care team.
In addition, the project will give the hospice improved clinical training and meeting facilities, helping it to build upon its position at the centre of palliative care in the community, and also provide much needed office space, enhancing its capacity and helping attract more volunteers across the organisation.
Minister of State for Care Services, Phil Hope said: “We know that improving the caring environment is something that is very important to people. Today I am delighted to be able to make that a reality for everyone who benefits from the services provided by East Cheshire Hospice.”
“The project is the second and final phase of a much larger development plan,” explains Jayne. “When complete, this will transform the hospice’s facilities, providing it with a building which supports rather than works against the care team and enables the organisation as a whole to look to the future with confidence. We are all absolutely delighted and can’t thank enough all those who have helped to change our dreams into reality.
“The commencement of the project is wonderful news made possible only by this extraordinary grant and several generous legacies. We cannot afford to forget, however, that the hospice still needs to fundraise £6,000 every single day just to make ends meet and so we very much hope our friends throughout the community will maintain their ongoing support for this highly valued, local service.”
Photo: Ryan Giggs and Hospice Chief Executive Jayne Bessant, taken when they announced the first phase of our building project.
