Children’s Hospice gets Funding Boost

Members presented £834 to representatives from St Andrew’s Children’s Hospice in Grimsby at their meeting last week.

The money had been raised by a collection at Tesco in Market Rasen, organised by Rotarian Keith Patrick just before Christmas.

Accepting the money was Lauren Alexander, who has recently joined the Hospice team and is responsible for collections in much of West Lindsey and Kesteven.

She spoke of the history of the Hospice, the introduction of the children’s section in the 1990s and, most importantly, gave an overview of the current development plans.

This involves the addition of a further 12 bedrooms to the Hospice, including rooms for teenagers and young adults, up to the age of 25.

As the Hospice grows in bed and day care space, then obviously dining room and activity space also has to grow.

The children’s section of the Hospice is available to children from the Humber and throughout Lincolnshire, as far south as Grantham.

It costs £1.8m per year to operate, based on a day care cost of £400 and an overnight care cost of £1,000, with the government contributing just three percent of running costs, the rest coming from fundraising and donations.

And the redevelopment is going to cost a capital sum of £6.5million, with funding of £4million achieved to date.

The Hospice is currently inviting people to subscribe £250 to purchase an inscribed brick, which will be used in the construction work, and will be a lasting memorial to the donor.

Alternative donation schemes are also available from the Hospice.

For more information visit www.standrewshospice.com or call 01472 350908.