Serving Our Local Community

Rennie Grove and Peace Hospice Care have merged to support people of all ages across West Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire who are affected by a progressive life-limiting illness, and those around them.

An exciting new chapter that will strengthen local hospice care in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Rennie Grove Hospice Care and Peace Hospice Care are merging to help meet the growing need for hospice services.

Here’s what it means for you and the people currently receiving support.

Why the change?

Whilst both of our charities are dedicated to providing people in local communities with care, support and advice, demand for these services has been increasing. And that means many are missing out on vital palliative care. We want to help meet that demand, so anyone can get support when they need it most.

By teaming up, we will both vastly extend and improve our range of services, enabling more people to access support and receive the very best care. As one larger charity, we will also have a stronger presence and a louder voice. And we can harness these benefits to secure more resources, which further enhance our services. This change officially comes into effect on 1st July 2023, when our two organisations merge to become Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.

How the merger will benefit people and their families?

Looking ahead, we have a three-year plan to provide localised care for around 7,500 patients a year through services across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, with a newly combined team of over 370 employees. This is based on an average of 1% of the people in our catchment area dying each year, 75% of whom are likely to need end-of-life care*.

In addition, we have a five-year plan to grow services already established at each charity by rolling them out across our new, larger catchment area. These include bereavement counselling, Compassionate Neighbours and Children’s Hospice at Home. Rest assured, current services will continue to operate without interruption.

Stewart Marks, Chief Executive of Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, said: “I am delighted with the sheer amount of hard work that has been happening to combine the two successful charities. We have already identified key growth areas to focus on to serve and support more people, reach all sections of the community and ensure every local person receives the care they need, when they need it.”

Tracey Hancock, Director of Fundraising at Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, added: “A major advantage of our merger is the ability to streamline operations and make efficiencies in the way that we both fundraise and spend income.”

Whilst we have grown our catchment area of support, we are still committed to being your local hospice. Except we can now offer a better range of services, and offer more choice about where you would like your care, at the time when you need it most.

Why we still need your support

As ever, the support of our local communities and corporate supporters is crucial. Your kind donations make it possible for us to continue running and growing our services. Without you, we can’t support people with life-limiting illnesses and their families – and make every day count.

Want to know more?

Our local hospice care extends beyond patient palliative, end-of-life care and bereavement needs by supporting from diagnosis and working in the community. All our care is provided free-of-charge, thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our supporters.

To find out about our care, call 01923 330 330 or email compassion@peacehospicecare.org.uk

To become a corporate supporter, call 01442 890 222 or email corporate@renniegrove.org

To find out more about the merger, please read our FAQs on https://renniegrove.org/about-us/our-merger/, or get in touch if you have any other questions.

Lord-Lieutenant honoured to attend Coronation of King Charles III

Attending the King’s Coronation was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Robert Voss CBE CStJ, as he tells Sarah Dale.

As Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss attends thousands of events, but without a shadow of a doubt, his highlight since he began his role as a Royal representative six years ago has been the Coronation of King Charles III. He was one of the first of the 2,000 invited guests to arrive at Westminster Abbey at 7.40am on May 6 and had the perfect viewpoint from the front row to participate in the ceremony.

“It was an incredible experience; an amazing, unreal experience,” said the Lord-Lieutenant, who was awarded a CBE for services to British industry and voluntary work in the UK in the New Year’s Honours List of 2014.

“It being a once-in-a-lifetime experience is an understatement. I was extremely privileged and honoured to attend. The King was right in front of us. He looked very emotional and a little nervous, in my opinion.

“The Coronation was a wonderful combination of religious, historical, ceremonial and constitutional traditions. It is incredible that he was the 40th monarch to be crowned at the abbey in over 1,000 years.

“I was on the front row and was on television several times during the ceremony. I must be the only person on the TV more than Ant and Dec, who were sitting near me, as was Lionel Richie.

“It was a fantastic experience. The music was amazing. American friends of mine, who were watching the Coronation, said to me afterwards that we Brits do these occasions so well – and they are absolutely right.”

“I have been extremely privileged to be LordLieutenant at this time,” he added.

“I feel very honoured to have attended these occasions that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Following the Coronation, the Lord-Lieutenant relived the prestigious event at home by watching the full ceremony and military parades on television. The day after the Coronation, the nation celebrated the Big Lunch and the Lord-Lieutenant attended several events, including making an address to the congregation of around 1,000 people at a Service of Thanksgiving for the King and Queen in St Albans Cathedral.

“There was a fabulous youth choir singing at the event, which was lovely,” he added.

On the Bank Holiday Monday, he made a tour of several events taking part in the national Big Help Out.

Now as his work representing The King continues, he returns to “visiting as many businesses, voluntary organisations, schools and people of Hertfordshire as I can”.

“Business is very important,” he said. “I’m very keen on entrepreneurship which fits very well with the Chamber.

“In 2019, I set up The Lord-Lieutenant’s Entrepreneurs Challenge, which Herts Chamber is very good at supporting. The final of the Entrepreneurs Challenge is held every year at The Herts County Show in May.

“I have always had a strong feeling that we need to promote young entrepreneurs. Hertfordshire is a young and growing county.

“We have businesses here of all shapes and sizes. During the pandemic, a lot suffered, but I believe there has been a strong recovery and businesses have been particularly resilient in the area. There has also been a huge growth in film and television in the area, which will bring a lot of job opportunities with it.”

Hertfordshire Global

Herts Chamber member Bob Gokani, Managing Director at EziDrops, spoke upon his export and international trade experience:

1. How long have you been exporting?

We started exporting in February 2022 with help from the Herts Chamber.

2. What got you exporting?

We went to a trade show in Germany called Medica, which is the largest Medical Exhibition in the world.

3. How did you go about it?

We reached out to the Herts Chamber’s Export Team to help provide some of the help and guidance including the need to have a Certificate of Origin.

4. Do you use an agent in country or just ship direct? Why is that your preferred option?

We were shipping directly, based on Ex Works, which meant we did not have to take on the burden of taking any risk of sending the stock and waiting to be paid.

5. What was your feeling when you won your first overseas order?

It was an incredible feeling. Knowing that you have the potential to supply your products, pretty much globally and proving that with sending orders to several countries.

6. How has Brexit affected your sales (if at all)?

Brexit has caused us a lot of problems. Firstly, we were able to sell on Amazon Europe without any problems and learn the do’s and dont’s in that market in a very small way. With Brexit, we then had to classify the products as Medical Devices and register separately for UKCA and CE. This process took many months, and we were unable to sell or recruit any distributors in Europe until the products were properly classified.

7. Are you actively looking at new markets?

Yes, in fact we have just launched a new product, a world’s first, an Ear Drop Applicator. Our first customer is Walgreens USA. Not only have we launched a new product thinking it’s going to take a long time to get any traction, then amazingly, our first customer is one of the world’s largest pharmacy chains. That’s a real testament to the quality of products and designs that help meet a real need. To date, we have sent trial orders, to Qatar, S. Africa, Switzerland, France, Greece, Montenegro, Finland and now USA.

8. What would you change in exporting if possible eg less paperwork?

Exporting is highly complicated. Personally, I think the DIT (Department for International Trade) should provide a special helpline for any questions to help hand hold companies setting out in exporting.

9. What advice would you give to new exporters?

Speak to Herts Chamber of Commerce Export Department. They have a valuable team ready to help. Seek guidance from the DIT (Department for International Trade) who too have a wealth of help and resources.