A PATIENT on just his seventh visit to Kemp Hospice has told how he has already started to regain his self-belief.

John Hill has coronary heart disease and unstable angina - a condition that is not necessarily terminal but could kill him at any time.

He started his weekly trips to the Sutton Park Road centre after his doctor recommended it for his psychological health - and says he was amazed with what he found.

"Everybody gets the idea hospices are morbid places until they come. I've started to believe in myself again - there's still a lot of living to do," said Mr Hill, 63.

The 6 ft 2 ins tall former opportunities manager at Severn Valley Railway gets out of breath and suffers aching muscles even slicing beans for lunch, and his state had began to get him down.

"I used to be a very strong man and I can't do anything now. It would be easy for me to sit and cry about it but Kemp has helped me get on with my life.

"People here are in the same condition and they understand. They don't patronise you. There are people who are a lot worse off than I am. You see how they cope with it and it encourages me with my illness."

He added: "The volunteers are also understanding and staff are excellent, so full of life themselves. They encourage you to get on with life and not to sit around feeling sorry for yourself.

"And when I come here I feel safe. If I'm taken ill they can get me help."

Mr Hill is enthusiastic about Kemp Hospice's ambitious £2.2 million expansion plans, which will see purpose-built premises ready by 2004 and widen the range of services and the space available.

"I'm sure there are a lot more people out there who could get the kind of benefits I get. Kemp Hospice is a place to come and live."