The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Diane Hawkins JP LLB, visited St Ann’s Hospice in Heald Green last week to find out more about their Build It Together campaign to build a new hospice.
During her visit, Diane had a tour of the inpatient and outpatient units and got the chance to speak to some patients about the care they receive at St Ann’s.
The visit was an opportunity for Diane to hear first-hand from patients about the amazing care they receive from the clinical staff at the hospice. But it was also an opportunity to see the realities of running the hospice in its current building.
The tour of the hospice finished with an opportunity to meet with the Executive team at St Ann’s and Chair of the Board, Jackie Oldham, to discuss the plans for the new hospice and their campaign to raise the last £2m in their ambitious £21m project.
The current hospice at Heald Green is in an old Victorian building that has served St Ann’s well, but which is now showing its age and costing the charity many thousands each year in expensive repairs and maintenance. Unlike the more modern hospice in Little Hulton, it has very few private bedrooms for patients and very limited outdoor space.
The plans for the new hospice on the land next to the current building, will transform the environment for patients. There will be more individual rooms to give patients the privacy they deserve with their loved ones, as well as access to private terraces.
During her visit, Diane said: “It has been wonderful to see the incredible work that is being done here and I have been very keen to hear about the plans for the new hospice. As one of the oldest hospices in the country, it is so important that St Ann’s is able to continue to thrive in a modern building.
“I hope to help in any way that I can to help bring the plans for the new hospice to life.”
Rachel McMillan, Chief Executive at St Ann’s Hospice, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant to our Heald Green hospice. I am always so proud when I hear patients talking about the care they are receiving from our team and the difference they are making to their lives.
“It was also so important that we showed Diane ‘behind the scenes’ of running a hospice in such an old building. We struggle for storage and our shared wards are not the ideal space for patients who on the whole would prefer a private bedroom.
“The whole team at St Ann’s is so excited about our plans for the new Heald Green hospice and it has been great to share our vision with Diane. We are so grateful for her support and for getting behind our Build It Together Campaign to make our new hospice a reality.
