A HOSPICE has thanked supporters who helped raise the money so that a major expansion could become a reality.
St Richard’s Hospice’s £5.2m building project has been completed, with the hospice’s chief executive describing it as a “stunning” building.
The extended and renovated hospice now includes The Green, in the central courtyard at the heart of the hospice and which will be a place to relax and eat for patients, families and carers as well as visitors to enjoy.
The Green is surrounded by living well therapy rooms including an exercise studio, art studio, horticultural therapy room, hair salon, family support rooms as well as an occupational therapy training kitchen and music and film therapy room.
The bigger, multi-purpose spaces will mean St Richard’s can support more patients and their families and offer a wider choice of activities to help people manage their illness, such as sessions to cope with breathlessness and fatigue; exercise-based groups and therapies which can increase confidence and independence; bring relief from symptoms, reduce stress, anxiety and depression as well as improve sleep.
St Richard’s Hospice embarked on the Build 2020 Appeal to grow the hospice’s Wildwood Drive-based home three years ago. Tricia Cavell, St Richard’s Hospice fundraising director, said: “Although the pandemic has caused financial challenges as fundraising events were cancelled and our shops temporarily closed in lockdowns, we were very fortunate that the money needed to complete the build project was secured and committed before the impact of Covid-19.
"We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated to our appeal; it was incredible how everyone came together to raise the funds we needed.”
The pandemic had also looked like causing disruption to the building of the extension, but construction work was able to continue throughout the pandemic with Covid-secure measures in place.
Malvern-based construction company, Speller Metcalfe, completed stage two of the building programme and with John Christophers of Associated Architects, officially handed back the development to the hospice’s recently-retired chair of governors, John Bawden and hospice chief executive June Patel.
Mr Bawden, who stepped down from his role at the end of March, said: “I’ve been honoured to work on the Build 2020 project and it’s been a massive team effort with hospice staff, supporters, volunteers and the community coming together to achieve a fantastic result.
"Now we have a bigger hospice we can better support our current patients and reach the unmet need of thousands of local people in the future, offering the right care and support when they need it most.”
The hospice’s chief executive, June Patel, added with the roadmap to easing lockdown continuing St Richard’s was looking ahead to being able to safely welcome back out-patients, loved ones, volunteers and visitors, to see the new building.
"We are keen to welcome everyone in to see this stunning new building and make use of its fantastic spaces as soon as it’s safe to do so,” she said.
Currently most of the out-patient care and support is provided virtually – over the phone and by video call – and face-to-face where essential to ensure the hospice team is there for those who need them most.
Fundraising events continue to run virtually with plans being made to hold face-to-face fundraising events again later in the year. St Richard’s Hospice shops in the county are planning to reopen from Monday.
Mrs Cavell said: “The challenge now is to continue to raise funds to run all our much-needed services, and we’re hopeful that with the ongoing support of our community we will do just that.”
Matthew Bailey, from Speller Metcalfe, said: “Having worked on a series of projects for the hospice over the years and with our own personal connections to patients and staff, this has been a significant project for Speller Metcalfe.
"It has been an absolute pleasure to have had a hand in a build that will prove invaluable for the hospice in the years ahead.”
St Richard’s Hospice cares for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment and to their last days. It also supports their loved ones.
Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,300 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
St Richard’s is an independent charity and relies on donations and gifts in wills for the majority of its income with the remainder funded by the NHS.
For more information about St Richard’s Hospice visit strichards.org.uk.
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