No cash available for Hope House Hospice growth
The chief executive of a hospice which cares for terminally-ill children and young adults across Shropshire and Mid Wales says it will not be able to expand further in the current financial climate, despite a need for more services.
Andy Goldsmith said Hope House Children's Hospice in Morda, near Oswestry, needs £5 million a year to keep running, but only £1 million of that comes from the Welsh Assembly and health board funding.
Mr Goldsmith said as it stands the charity, which cared for 650 families last year alone, will not be able to expand any further, despite the need for a young adult facility – possibly in the Telford area.
He told Oswestry Rural Parish Council that despite large expansion in recent years, including the opening of Ty Gobaith hospice in Conwy and a counselling service for youngsters affected by the death of a loved one, any further moves are on ice.
He said: "We have to raise about £5m a year and of that we raise about £1m from our lottery, and our charity shops currently bring in about £500,000 a year. We have 15 charity shops and are looking at opening more. I do appreciate people don't always see that as good news for the high street, but they are vital to our fundraising in a really competitive market.
"We get about £1m from the Welsh Assembly and local health boards, although this is never guaranteed for any period longer than 12 months due to budget restraints. This leaves us with somewhere in the region of £3m to find each year from donations from the public.
"Our research shows the average donation to be about £60, so that is an awful lot of people we hope are kind enough to donate each year. Sadly, we don't have enough money for any grand expansion, which is what we'd really like to do.
Every year we care for more and more people. Last year alone we dealt with 650 families and we need to run a steady ship, offering the best quality care we can."
Mr Goldsmith said the hospice previously dealt with children who were not expected to reach the age of 18, but now regularly cares for youngsters up to the age of 25.
He added: "I think there is scope for this side of things, maybe not in Oswestry but maybe in the Telford and Wrekin area, but with things the way they are it would be very difficult."
