WORK has begun on the new multi-million pound St Richards Hospice building in Worcester.

The first piece of turf was dug at the site yesterday, signalling the start of the £5.25m campaign and marking a historic moment in the charity's 21-year history. Campaigners, guests, patients and volunteers were due to be gathered at the site at Wildwood Way, near County Hall, to mark the event and celebrate after years of planning and fundraising. The building work to transform the four-acre site is expected to take up to a year.

The Building Beds Together campaign has raised £4.85m towards the scheme, meaning £400,000 has to be found through donations and fund raising events, to build and equip the new hospice. It will include all the current free patient services plus 15 urgently needed specialist beds.

Jeannie Young, Chairman of St Richards Governors said: "It is a wonderful moment to see the building project begin.

"The new beds are desperately needed by our patients. I'm sure that they and their families join all the Hospice staff and appeal team in thanking everyone who has made all this possible. It will make an enormous difference to the quality of life for patients across Worcestershire."

Around 350 patients a year will be cared for in the Hospice and staff numbers will increase to more than 100. The new building will be able to accommodate families staying overnight, and will include medical treatment rooms, rooms for counselling, social work and new terraces will overlook a garden and newly created lake.

Director of fundraising Marilyn Peachey said: "We are very grateful to everyone involved and now we need to keep that momentum and ask the community to raise the final £400,000 still needed."

To make a donation visit any of the ten St Richards Hospice shops or call the appeal hotline on 01905 727444. If anyone wants to hold an event or help the Journal's Hospice Appeal in any way then contact the newsdesk on 01386 765678.