Warning over Hope House expansion plans
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, which is based in Morda, near Oswestry, needs to raise £5 million a year to keep running, with only £1 million of that coming 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 members of 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 £5 million a year and of that we raise about £1 million from our lottery and the charity shops, which currently bring in about £500,000 a year.
"We have 15 charity shops and are looking at opening more and although I do appreciate people don't always see that as good news for the high street, they are vital to our fundraising in a really competitive market.
"In addition to this we get about £1 million 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 then leaves us with somewhere in the region of £3 million to find each year from generous donations from members of the public. Our research shows the average donation to be about £60 to that is an awful lot of people we hope are kind enough to donate each year."
"Sadly though we don't have enough money for any grand expansion which is what we would really like to do. Every year we care for more and more people and last year alone dealt with 650 families and we need to run a steady ship, offering the best quality care that we can."
Mr Goldsmith said the hospice previously dealt with children who were not expected to reach the age of 18, but now regularly cared for youngsters up to the age of 25.
He added: "I think there is scope for this side of things, maybe not in the Oswestry are but maybe in the Telford & Wrekin area but with things the way they are it would be very difficult.
"We could afford to probably build somewhere, but not to then run it."
