£400,000 legacy to create new hub building for hospice in Boston

St Barnabas Hospice received the £393,000 from the estate of Lincolnshire philanthropist Stefan Novak in 2019.

He left the legacy to increase services in Boston, and the hospice has now announced plans for the multi-functional wellbeing hub to replace the current site on Green lane.

Work will start on the re-development next Spring, and once completed it will be named Novak House in recognition of the benefactor.

Mr Novak, who died in 2018, who lost his sight at the age of 10, was a successful investment banker, and was also known for creating audiobooks for the blind and charity fundraising.

Mandy Irons, Head of Wellbeing at St Barnabas Hospice, said: “Stefan Novak and his family have enabled us to create a custom-designed hub that brings our wellbeing and clinical care together, which will help us to achieve the very best we can for local people. Novak House will be our flagship wellbeing hub and our blueprint for developing further hubs across the county.”

The Wellbeing Hub will support patients and their families. The hospice’s welfare and benefits team will also provide advice and guidance through the hub, as well as palliative care consultants, palliative rehabilitation teams and talking therapies teams. It will also boast relaxation areas and outdoor space.

St Barnabas CEO, Chris Wheway said: “Simply put, if this generous legacy had not been gifted, we would not be able to continue with the plans for the Wellbeing Hub in Boston. It is a testament to Mr Novak, who had a vested interest in palliative and end of life care in Lincolnshire.

“2020 has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone, including St Barnabas Hospice. We have lost a substantial amount of funds through our shop closures and cancelled fundraising events and have a lot of work to do to recoup these losses.

“I am proud to say that our clinical and non-clinical team have kept working throughout the Pandemic. We have been forced to change our ways of working, but our care has remained, and our patients and their families have been supported.”

Chris continues: “I hope 2020 has reminded everyone that end of life care is essential, our goal remains the same - everyone in Lincolnshire deserves the right to a good death. The development of our services in Boston has been required for a long time, and we are excited to see the project move forward and benefit all our patients and staff in South Lincolnshire.”