Staff 'overwhelmed' as Katharine House Hospice appeal raises £46k in two days
Staff and volunteers at the under-threat Katharine House Hospice have said they feel "overwhelmed" by the support received in response to their emergency appeal.
The Stafford hospice, which cares for around 1,300 people with life-limiting conditions, launched an urgent appeal at the end of last week, revealing it needs to raise £1 million to remain open after being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
More than £46,000 was raised in the first two days, but there is still a long way to go to get to their target amount by January next year.
Chief executive Richard Soulsby said the support received so far "meant so much".
He said: "Since we launched our Just Giving page over the weekend we have been overwhelmed by the kind support of local people.
"Katharine House Hospice is for the people of our area, funded by local people. To have the support of our wonderful caring community means so much in our time of need.
"Please continue to visit our shops and support our £1m emergency campaign, we have a long way to go together to ensure we can continue to provide our vital free care."
The hospice is facing an "uncertain future" due to the pandemic, as many of its fundraising events and activities had to be cancelled.
Many charities have faced a similarly hard time during the crisis – as the majority of charitable organisations receive the bulk of their revenue through events and sponsored activities.
Katharine House has launched an emergency appeal to raise £1m by January after it revealed four charity shops would close and 20 jobs would be cut.
Chiefs have said they cannot yet reveal which shops have been shut due to "ongoing discussions". Currently there are charity shops in Stafford, Penkridge, Rugeley, Norton Canes, Hednesford, Cannock, Eccleshall, Newton Bridge, and Newport.
The hospice provides care free of charge and needs funds to be able to keep doing so.
Bosses have called on people to donate to ensure it can continue to offer care to those in need.
To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/savekhhospice
