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25-year celebrations for Kirkwood Hospice
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IRKWOOD Hospice will celebrate its 25th anniversary in March.
Opened in 1987, it has served the people of Kirklees admirably from its premises in Albany Road, Dalton, and remains a highly regarded healthcare provider. Now however, it is entering a new phase with a £3m refurbishment of the 16-bed inpatient area. This will mean that in June, the whole inpatient unit will move to a temporary home in Ward 11 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. As well as the current patients, all staff and facilities will move together to maintain the same high standard of care. Beds, furniture and even meals will be transported from Dalton to the unit’s temporary home in Lindley. But patients and their families can be reassured that the same high standards of care will be maintained. Day patients will remain unaffected and day-to-day palliative and family care will carry on as normal. Garry Wilkinson, the hospice’s director of fundraising and marketing said: “The only part of the hospice affected by the refurbishment is the inpatient unit, which will move as a complete unit to HRI. Everything else and all other departments will remain at the hospice. “Patients who face a move to HRI need not worry as the whole ethos of Kirkwood Hospice will be transported to Lindley with the same standards of care and nursing staff.’’ Work will start on the hospice refurbishment in June and although there will be no more bed spaces available, it will mean that more patients will have single rooms, en-suite facilities and space for their families. “Several new family lounges and private rooms will be created so that patients can spend quality time with their family members coming to visit, and of course we will have our lovely garden, although it will be slightly smaller,’’ added Garry. When the idea of creating a hospice for the Kirklees area was first suggested, it was at a time when hospices were few and far between. At that time many people had not even heard about the work of a hospice so in this area Kirkwood Hospice was trailblazing in the field of care for the terminally ill. The idea was first mooted in 1981 when fund raising appeals were launched in both Huddersfield and Dewsbury. Planning permission for the hospice was granted in 1984 and the foundation stone was laid in 1986. After a public competition to choose the name, Kirkwood Hospice opened on
■ HOSPICE: The familiar building and gardens of Kirkwood Hospice, established for 25 years at Albany Road, Dalton, to serve local people. Garry Wilkinson, director of fundraising and marketing, is pictured (inset) March 18, 1987. It has gone on to help thousands of people and their families come to terms with terminal illness. Since it opened, a network of hospice shops has opened across Kirklees and fund raising continues apace to maintain the high standard of care.
The Department of Health and local primary care trust contribute less than 20% towards the annual running costs, so the majority of the revenue comes from fund raising, donations, legacies, support groups, the hospice’s own lottery and investments.
It is essential that support for the Kirkwood Hospice continues so it can look forward to the next 25 years. After all, a member of your family or a close friend may need its valued help one day.