AFTER six years of planning and building, a new Acorns hospice in Worcester for seriously ill children is to open its doors to families for the first time - thanks to you.

Years of fund-raising by literally thousands of Worcestershire residents now means more than 250 life-limited children from this county, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire will receive desperately-needed care.

The £4m, state-of-the-art facility in Bath Road, St Peter's, will welcome in families to stay at the unit for the first time on Monday, giving specialist therapy and help to the children and respite and support for their families.

And without Worcester News readers backing the charity's plight the dream would never have become a reality, said chief executive John Overton.

"Just three years after launching the new hospice fundraising appeal, here we are getting ready to welcome the first children and families," he said.

"It's an indescribable moment, and it is so wonderful seeing it all come together.

"The fact that we will open next week and the first fami

lies will arrive to use the new hospice is a huge tribute to all our fantastic fundraisers and the groundswell of support we have had from so many local people, communities and businesses."

He described the building as "outstanding", adding that it would and "undoubtedly" be used as a model by the children's hospice movement the world over.

"It is something we and the local community should be really proud of and means so much to the many local families, who up to now, have been struggling to cope with a life-limited child without the special care and support that a local children's hospice can provide," he said.

"On behalf of all Acorns families, thank you for helping us get us this far."

Celebrities, pensioners, toddlers and even prisoners have lined up and helped raise cash since the appeal was launched officially.

The outstanding fund-raising effort has truly captured the hearts of the county, and cash has been clocked up in every way imaginable - from foam races to sponsored head shaves.

The appeal also saw male staff at the Worcester News stripping off and posing for a fund-raising calendar and the village of Earl's Common's 38 families collectively raised £40,000.

FACTFILE: Everything you

wanted to know about Acorns

This is Acorn's third hospice and is the newest children's hospice in all of Europe.

Children who stay at Acorns' hospices have an illness that means they are unlikely to live to adulthood.

The hospice will offer respite, emergency and terminal care and a community team will provide 24-hour emotional support for families at home.

Acorns also provides special support for siblings, parents and the extended family as well as bereavement counselling.

Bright colours fill the building and every piece of furniture - from wheelchair height sinks to a specialist door system - has been designed to make the young people who will use the facility feel as comfortable as possible.

Each of the 10-bedrooms is specially equipped and has a glass door leading to landscaped gardens - big enough to push the hi-tech electric beds outside on a

summer's day.

Every time a child comes to stay at the hospice, staff will change the bedroom to include bedding, pictures and posters individual to each child to create a home-from-home environment.

There is an adolescents' wing, where teenagers have their own bedrooms, a lounge complete with large screen TV, stereo and games systems, a kitchen area and a barbecue area in the garden, giving them some space away from younger children as well as privacy and independence.

The hospice has its own hydrotherapy pool, an essential tool in unlocking the potential of many disabled children as well as a multi-sensory room and jacuzzi to help the children and their parents unwind.

Upstairs are two family bedrooms, living room and kitchen so parents can stay knowing that their child is receiving wonderful nursing expertise nearby.

Other features include a lounge, dining room, hobbies room and music room, with activities for different age groups.

Outside an acre of interactive gardens provide lots of opportunities for play and socialising, including a Caribbean-themed garden complete with its own desert island palm tree, and a sun, stars and moon garden. There is also a memorial garden with its own stream.

Other special facilities include two special bedrooms where bereaved families can spend time with their child before the funeral.

The hospice has also been designed to include all faiths and each child will receive a tailor made package of care which respects their culture.