Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex is to officially open Hospiscare’s new mid Devon centre Pine Lodge.
The Royal visit on October 17th rewards an outstanding community effort to raise £250,000 to convert the former residential home in Tiverton into a thriving, multi-functional centre for local patients.
Pine Lodge – bought with a Department of Health grant – was a dark and neglected building when Hospiscare launched the ambitious campaign to transform it.
The Countess of Wessex will now officially open a bright and welcoming centre offering patients a wealth of facilities including a day centre with complementary therapies, craftwork and a hair salon.
Her Royal Highness will be introduced to patients, the local nurses now based at Pine Lodge and Hospiscare volunteers who helped to raise the money for the centre.
The visit is the second royal honour for Hospiscare this year. In June the charity’s volunteers won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award of its kind for voluntary effort.
“This visit by The Countess of Wessex is a great honour for our charity,” said Hospiscare chief executive Glynis Atherton. “We are looking forward to showing Her Royal Highness just how much has been achieved for local patients in mid Devon and to explain how generous community fundraising made all this possible.”
Hospiscare is a charity which provides expert care and support to patients and their families throughout Exeter, mid and East Devon. Most patients are supported at home with regular visits from Hospiscare nurses. Pine Lodge is one of three day centres which provide extra support, helping patients to stay well and positive - enabling them to make the most of precious time with their loved-ones.
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