GENEROUS public donations have ensured St Richard's New Hospice Appeal is off to a good start with the purchase of a 3.5-acre site.

But more, much more, is needed and this is why we are asking you to join our campaign today.

The hospice has become an integral part of the Vale community since it was established in 1984.

Now 60 per cent of cancer patients in South Worcestershire, including more than 20 per cent of Vale sufferers, are treated at St Richard's.

Last year the hospice's 60 staff and 600 volunteers cared for 800 patients with life threatening illnesses including multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and AIDS. Support was also provided for 300 bereaved families.

St Richard's is already recognised as a Centre of Excellence in the provision of palliative care and the new £5.25m hospice will build on that.

Currently South Worcestershire only has five palliative care beds - 10 below the national average.

The new hospice will open with 10 palliative care beds, with provision for five more in the future.

Care director Rachel Bucknall said: "Our bedded unit will mean that patients can come to a hospice that is a haven of quality care, peace and comfort for patients and families. They will be looked after by a specialist team they know and trust and who understand their wishes."

The annual cost of running the hospice is almost £2m and when the new development opens this will increase.

All the services offered by St Richard's, which include the day hospice, home care team, counselling groups and physiotherapy, are free of charge and funded solely by donations.

Over the years the hospice has developed a reputation for providing pioneering services, including a lymphoedema clinic - the first full-time clinic of its kind in South Worcestershire.

The clinic opened last October and treats lymphoedema, a swelling condition that can occur after radiotherapy.

Since its launch, clinic staff has treated 325 patients, with around 20 new patients referred each month who would have previously had to travel miles for treatment. St Richard's new hospice will have a fully equipped lymphoedema suite, enabling the service to expand further.

Former hospice governor Andrew Grant said: "I'm all too aware of the acute need for the new hospice. People in South Worcestershire deserve to have access to the care they need, the same level of care available in other areas of the UK."