FNHC FUNDING SHORTFALL

Hospice crisis appeal

Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity launched a crisis appeal last month to help bridge a £1m shortfall in income due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Charity needs to raise £2,740 each day to run services at the Hospice, but at the moment is raising less than a third of that, due to the enforced closure of its shops and cancellation of fundraising events. The Charity has also been excluded from the Government’s coronavirus relief funding for hospices, due to its partnership with the NHS. Whilst care and support at the Hospice is continuing, this huge drop in income is putting the future of hospice services in our local area at risk, the Charity’s Chief Executive, Jo Turner, explains: “The Hospice was funded and built over thirty years ago thanks to a huge local fundraising campaign and it is thanks to the continued generosity of our supporters that we have been able to extend our services and increase the number of patients we can support over the years. We have been overwhelmed by the support and words of kindness we have received over the past few weeks – our local community have really got behind us again to help ensure that patients in the future can be offered the same high-quality end of life and palliative care as patients today.” You can donate or get involved with the Crisis Appeal at www. fnhospice.org.uk/crisisappeal or call 01296 429975 to donate.