Fresh appeal to raise money for hospice refurbishments
19 March 2018
Barnsley Hospice has issued a fresh appeal for help to raise the rest of the money it needs to upgrade patient bedrooms.
The charity launched the Comfort and Care campaign in November to raise £200,000 to substantially transform its inpatient bedrooms and bathrooms. Over half of the target has already been raised.
The planned improvements will include new specialist beds, furniture, flooring and décor, and will help patients and their families feel more comfortable and relaxed during their stay - whilst also providing a peaceful and homely environment.
The hospice has released a breakdown of some of the costs associated with the refurbishment, to highlight the difference that donations will make.
They range from £175 for safety rails to be installed in en-suite bathrooms, to £5,000 for a specialist hoist that will enable immobile patients to be moved in and out of bed with dignity.
It will cost over £3,000 for each room that is adapted to allow oxygen to be piped inside, helping patients to breathe easier during their stay. Wall-mounted seats to allow them to safely enjoy a hot shower will cost £350.
Malcolm Eastwood, 69, is backing the Comfort and Care campaign after spending ten nights at the hospice to help control the pain caused by his Multiple Sclerosis.
Malcolm, who lives in Oxspring, said: “As well as helping me with my pain, my stay also took some pressure off my wife, who cares for me full-time. I wasn’t just a number, I felt like I was amongst friends. Barnsley Hospice has transformed my life, which is why I’m supporting this appeal.”
Julie Ferry, chief executive of Barnsley Hospice, said: “We’re really grateful to everyone who has so far helped us raise over £100,000. It will mean so much to patients and their families to feel more at home during their stay with us, at a time when small things make such a difference. We’re asking people to give whatever they can afford to help us raise the rest of the money and be part of creating a more comfortable and relaxed environment for those who need us.”
Last year the Morrisons Foundation, a charity set up by the Bradford-based supermarket, pledged to fund £300,000 towards the project, which will cost a total of £500,000.
The rest of the money so far has come from community fundraising activities, individual donations, corporate support and funding from grant making charitable trusts.
Donations to the Comfort and Care campaign can be made online at http://bit.ly/2ADsmKB, in person at the hospice reception in Gawber, or at one of the six hospice shops across Barnsley.
A video about the campaign, featuring Malcolm Eastwood, can be viewed at http://bit.ly/2tKE0RS
Barnsley Hospice provides specialist care for anyone in the borough with a life-limiting illness, including cancer, motor neurone disease and heart disease. As well as ten beds for inpatient care it also provides support through its day therapy unit and offers counselling and complementary therapies to many of its patients and carers.
Notes to editors
Attached photographs show Malcolm Eastwood and Julie Ferry.
About Barnsley Hospice
Barnsley Hospice is based on Church Street, S75 2RL. It has been providing care for people in Barnsley with life-limiting illnesses, and their families, since 1994, when the Limes Support and Therapy Centre opened. The inpatient unit, which has ten bedrooms, opened in 2001.
For more information about Barnsley Hospice go to www.barnsleyhospice.org
Media contact: Mary Ferguson at Capital B Media on 01226 766900 or at mary@capitalbmedia.co.uk
This press release was prepared by Capital B Media, a public relations and media training agency based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. For more information, please visit www.capitalbmedia.co.uk.
