Hospice funding crisis: See how to support hospices in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Wyre Forest in cash and kind
Hospices are a vital service for patients needing end of life care, but with rising costs some in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Wyre Forest are cutting costs and considering job cuts.
Centres across the West Midlands are rallying in the face of rising costs and uncertainty over future government and NHS funding with Lichfield's St Giles Hospice announcing around 40 redundancies in a bid to plug a £1.5m budget black hole.
Bosses at the charity are blaming unprecedented financial pressures caused by rising costs and funding challenges for its woes.
Residents, community groups and charities remain a key vein of giving to all of our hospice centres by donating cash, grants, organising an array of sponsored activities and signing up for the many fundraising capers being put in by the hospices themselves.
We can support an hospice in cash or kind by giving our time to volunteer. Here are the most popular ways to give.
St Giles Hospice - Lichfield:
The charity is considering service cuts and job losses to balance the books this financial year.
For one-off donations, regular donations, sponsor money, leaving a gift in your will, donate to the charity shops, buy lottery tickets and volunteering. See the website stgileshospice.com/how-you-can-help-us/donate/
Donate by telephone: 01543 432031
Acorns Children's Hospice (Acorns Trust):
The trust operates children's hospice centres, in Walstead Road, Delves, Walsall; in Birmingham and in Worcester. Liz Bishop, whose daughter Lily-Mai was cared for by the hospice last week delivered a 10,000-signature petition to 10 Downing Street as part of a funding campaign. The seven-year-old died in 2018 from a brain tumour.
For one-off donations, regular donations, sponsor money, donate in memory, leaving a gift in your will, donate to the charity shops and volunteering. See the website acorns.org.uk/donate/
Compton Care - Wolverhampton:
While it is in a stable financial position Compton Care is feeling the effects of rising costs and decreasing statutory funding.
Ways to support it include, cash donations, booking house clearances, posting donations for free, purchasing a memory lock, corporate sponsorship, donating to the charity shops, visiting the cafes, buying a lottery ticket, and volunteering. See the website comptoncare.org.uk/support-us/
Telephone: 0300 323 0250 for more details.
Katharine House Hospice - Stafford:
Katharine House Hospice, in Weston Road, Stafford, ST16 3SB, is in a stable financial position, but rising costs means it is receiving £300,000 less in real terms than it was five years ago.
Support it via online, cheque and postal donations. Donate by bank transfer using details Katharine House Hospice
Lloyds Bank, Stafford, account number 07048387, sort code: 30-98-00.
Donate by phone: Using your credit or debit card Monday to Friday 9am-4.30pm on 01785 270808 or see the website khhospice.org.uk/donate/how-to-donate/
Mary Stevens Hospice in Hagley Road, Oldswinford, Stourbridge is fully behind the national campaign for higher funding.
Ways to give include Giving in celebration, legacy gift, funeral donations, donate in memory, regular donations, single donation, buying a lottery ticket gift, volunteering and donate to the charity shops.
Telephone: 01384 443010 for more details. see the website marystevenshospice.co.uk/get-involved/donate/
Goscote Hospice is operated by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and is a short stay unit based in Goscote Lane, Goscote.
Ways to support its work include fundraising your own activities, collection buckets, legacy giving, cash and cheque donations, volunteering, school fundraising, and corporate giving.
Telephone: 01922 656643 for more details and see the website walsallhealthcare.nhs.uk/charity/make-a-donation/
