Hope House at 21: Guiding hand at hospice haven

"That was also the first time I met Mike Mortimer and Sally Day."

Mike was to take on the chairman's job for several years while the hospice was in its embryonic stage and Sally, who was then first director of the Acorns Children's Hospice in Birmingham, had been temporarily 'borrowed' to help steer the new project until permanent officers and other personnel were in place.

These are just some of the relationships which have survived the years and seen Hope House grow and serve in a most remarkable way.

And Barbara, who lives in Shrewsbury, has been the guiding hand since the hospice opened and Mike Mortimer handed on the chairman's baton. She looks back the more than 21 eventful and fruitful years in the job and chuckles as she remembers that first money-raising Christmas.

"We had raised £40,000 and we thought it was wonderful. And so it was. But we also quickly realised that actually we needed at least £1million," she says with a wry smile.

Barbara also remembers that was about the time that we at the Shropshire Star took on the project and ran many stories and features about its beginnings, those making it happen and most importantly of all, the children and families who would be using it. We support it still in this 21st birthday year of its opening.

And it is wonderful to look back to the beginnings with someone who has been at the helm for all that time. Hope House was finally built at Morda, a delightful little village just outside Oswestry which was a perfect site for them.

Barbara recalls: "We wanted something near to the orthopaedic hospital if possible because we thought everyone would know where that was and we might also have some children staying with us who needed it. Then we had the chance to buy some land from a farmer in Morda. It was perfect."

And perfect it has been over all these years as Hope House became established and has own with other key buildings, play areas and lovely gardens to meet the expanded services it offers.

There was a big bonus for Hope House after a Moreton Hall School charity fashion show raised funds for the children's hospice and the Moreton Hall Foundation.

The cheque, for £750, was presented to Vanessa Thomas from Hope House. Pictured, from left, at the presentation are Olivia Holroyd, Vanessa, Imogen Bullock and Sophie Mercer.

Rarely a night goes by in Shropshire without an event that helps Hope House Hospice.

If you fancy a Big Night Out, you could join Oswestry Events Committee on March 12 for a fantastic treat featuring live music from the 1950s to the present day at Oswestry Cricket Club. Tickets are £10 and include a hot meal. A raffle and other fundraising activities will be held during the evening.

Tickets are available from Joan Fjelle on (01691) 653085 or jfjelle@hotmail.com or from the fundraising office on (01691) 671671.

The Drayton Gate restaurant in Wem is also hosting two events over the next couple of months to raise funds for Hope House.

On March 23, it presents a Spring Fashion Show by Wysteria Lane, complete with jazz band. While a Casino Night with cocktails, canapés and casino games is on Bank Holiday Sunday, May 1.

The Give a Little Love campaign, launched last week, is the latest to capture the attention and hearts of supporters and hopefully, says the hospice, harness others to help with the so necessary fundraising – about £7 million a year for the two hospice buildings at Morda and Conway, the care, the expansion of vital services and the difference it all makes to the children who need hospice care and families who know their beloved young people are in the safest of hands.

If you can help or would like to know more, call the fundraising office. A call to the same number will give you information on events like a Llangollen Canal Walk on March 13 and a spring coffee morning on March 19.

Hope House wants people to sign up for a series of sporting fundraising events and join Team Hope House to mark its big birthday year. And the charity is backing a range of events from 10kms, half marathons to triathlons, as well as organising the popular annual cycle challenge.

The Chester Half Marathon on May 15 will be followed by running events at Llangollen, Shrewsbury, Rhyl, Conwy and Lake Vyrnwy.

Each challenge has a reduced registration fee of between £20 and £30 with minimum sponsorship of £100 for each event entered.

The very best in fact it can offer for sick children and their worried families.

It was much the same with Ty Gobaith (Hope House in Welsh), its second hospice building in Conway, which the Star will be featuring more fully throughout the year.

Barbara recalls: "That was our Millennium project. Hope House's Sarah Kearsley-Wooller and myself were driving around and saw a garden centre for sale. So we went in and when we got back in the car we just knew and said 'that's the site for us.'

Barbara says: "We have no plans at the present time for any more buildings but we continue to support all the expanding services like neonatal and transition to the adult facilities, for instance.

"So many of our young people are living longer, some conditions have become more complex and we have to be mindful of regulatory requirements. We have always prided ourselves that we are a centre of excellence for our young people.

"But so many things have changed over the years, especially with rules and regulation."

But led by this very able and committed lady and a range of experienced trust members plus the most amazing people with their hands-on care and years of devotion to these very special children, young people and their extended families, Hope House truly is a haven for so many.

Barbara also had the perfect professional background for this role. Committed to social work since she left school, she had a particular interest in children with disabilities, anxious that they shouldn't live in isolation. No surprise then that Barbara became head of safeguarding for children and families at Telford &d Wrekin Council, makingher perfectly placed for her role at Hope house.

Nowadays, she also enjoys being a guide at the National Trust's Attingham Park and is also pursuing a passion for ancestry. She and husband Neil – a great support down all these years – will shoot off to visit an ancient monument whenever they can. Daughter Charlotte and the little dog to which they are all devoted, complete the family. Above all, Barbara still gives her best to the children's hospice movement. Hope House has been so lucky to have her.