Hospice gets a helping hand

The fundraising pot at Wakefield Hospice has just received a welcome boost of over £1,000 from a local house builder – helping toward the mammoth running costs needed to keep the charity going.

The hospice works tirelessly to support terminally ill patients and their families, and needs to raise £2.5 million a year toward running costs – and Redrow, also based in Wakefield, has stepped in to contribute for the second time this year.

Holding a sale of show home accessories and furniture, Redrow themselves raised over £600, before handing over some larger items of furniture for the hospice to sell through their charity shops direct – including a bright pink sofa, which has just been snapped up for around £400.

Helen Knowles, director of fundraising for Wakefield Hospice, is delighted at the growing relationship between the two organisations, saying: “Only 18% of our running costs are met by the government, which means we have to raise the rest through fundraising initiatives. And so having the backing of local businesses is extremely important, which is why we’re so happy that Redrow chose to help us again.”

“Both being based in Wakefield means that we could be working with some of the same people, and so ultimately, it’s all about us teaming up to make the area a better place to live.”

Julie Rayner, sales director for Redrow Homes (Yorkshire) agrees, adding: “Wakefield Hospice is such a worthy charity, and we will do anything we can to assist them with their work. Helping the local community is something that we at Redrow are passionate about, and I hope that by donating to the hospice, we can make what can be an extremely difficult time a little bit easier for the people of Wakefield.”

The hospice provides specialist palliative care and is comprised of a 16-bed inpatient unit that provides symptom management and support for those, and their families, facing terminal illness. Services and therapies, such as arts and crafts sessions, complementary therapies, lunch and a drop-in service are also available through the day therapy unit.

Redrow has long been committed to charity work throughout the UK, and last year set up the Redrow Foundation – a charitable trust dedicated to providing financial support for the relief of poverty and sickness in the UK and, in particular, to providing accommodation and related assistance, including respite care, especially to children, the elderly and those who are sick or infirm.

To find out more about Redrow’s work in the community, and details of their new homes portfolio across Yorkshire, visit redrow.co.uk.

If you’d like to find out more about how you can help the hospice, call Helen on 01924 213900 or go online at wakefieldhospice.co.uk. People can also take part in the hospice’s lottery, where £1,500 can be won each week, with all the profits channelled back into the charity.