Struggle is not over Hospice facing £1.6m gap ‘desperately’ needs help
robin.jenkins@reachplc.com
ASUE Ryder hospice in Gloucestershire has predicted a £1.6 million funding gap for the rest of this financial year and has made a desperate plea for help.
The Leckhampton Court Hospice in Cheltenham says its struggle to survive is not over.
In April, the charity launched an emergency appeal after Covid-19 closed its charity shops and put a stop to its fundraising activities.
The hospice, in Church Road, Leckhampton, provides inpatient palliative care for people living with a terminal illness, a neurological condition or who have lost a loved one.
Nationally, Sue Ryder was facing a funding gap of £4m for every month during lockdown affecting its hospices.
Sue Ryder said a “wonderful” response in Gloucestershire has led to more than £420,000 being raised, for which it was very grateful.
However, the hospice’s director Elise Hoadley said: “Unfortunately, our struggle is not yet over.
“Our fundraising events remain cancelled for the rest of this year, we have no clear indication of how long it will take for our shops to return to normal trading levels and we continue to incur the additional cost of purchasing PPE for our doctors and nurses.
“As the Prime Minister recently announced, £3 billion is being made available in order to support health services in the UK, but this will not include hospices.
“This means that, even if we are able to avoid a second wave of this dreadful virus, by winter Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice will be struggling again financially.
“Leckhampton Court Hospice is anticipating a funding gap of £1.6m for the rest of this financial year alone, which is why we still so desperately need the support of our local community.”
She added: “We know that times are tough for everybody at the moment, so
We know that times are tough for everybody at the moment, so please be reassured that every bit really does help
Elise Hoadley
please be reassured that every bit really does help.”
To make a donation, visit sueryder. org/donate