Earlier this year, we made the sad announcement of redundancies at St Cuthbert’s Hospice across many different teams and departments. This action was due to unsustainable rising costs, growing pressure due to the cost-of-living crisis and an increasing reliance on donations, with only 42% of funding coming from central government.
This action resulted in the closure of the Adult Bereavement Service and a reduction of our Living Well Centre care. In Patient Care and our Children’s Bereavement Service were unaffected and continue to operate as usual.
Sadly, despite our best efforts, we have not been able to secure funding to pay for the continuation of our Community Outreach and Dementia Services. The original funding for these services was thanks to grant funding, which finishes at the end of September.
With a heavy heart, we have said a sad farewell to a further three valued members of the team. We have worked closely with staff members and volunteers to ensure the Community Outreach and Dementia services have ended in an ethical and respectful way. We will continue to deliver Cognitive Stimulation Therapy sessions through the Living Well Centre, which remains an important part of our support for people living with dementia.
The loss of these services is significant – especially at a time when the need for dementia support in our community continues to grow and many other services in the community face similar challenges.
Because of these service changes, we have made the decision to pause and take stock. This period will allow us to reflect on what is needed, what is possible, and what can be delivered in a financially sustainable way. Any future decisions will be informed by this evaluation and by our ability to meet the needs of our community in a way which is both impactful but also viable.
Throughout the year, we have been fortunate to receive generous one-off donations and an incredible response from groups and businesses in our community, organising fundraising activities and donating to our charity shops. Many have joined our lottery or have set up or increased their regular direct debit donations, both of which will provide much-needed sustainable funding for the Hospice. We have also had members of our community pledge to leaving a gift to the Hospice in their Will, which will help to secure the future delivery of our services.
We would like to thank our community for once again coming together to support the Hospice and would encourage anyone wanting to do so to contact the Hospice for more information about the difference their support could make.
If you are able to donate to the Hospice or support in any way, please click one of the links below, call 0191 386 1170 or email hello@stcuthbertshospice.com
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