Phoenix Appeal is extended to £1.25m

Perdita Chamberlain, head of income generation at St Michael’s Hospice, says she is ‘very pleased’ to announce the total money pledged towards the Phoenix Appeal, launched at the beginning of the year, has exceeded the original target of £1m and reached over £1,131,000.

“This tremendous result reflects the importance of St Michael’s Hospice to the local community, and the generosity of a wide range of individual donors and grant giving trusts,” she said.

“During the course of the rebuild project, additional work has been identified to improve the building still further and to ensure the highest safety and care standards.”

This additional work includes an upgrade to one of the lifts, the installation of ceiling mounted hoists in some of the patient rooms, and significant work to the hospice drainage system. The total cost of these additional works will be in the region of £220,000.

Perdita added: “This will all further enhance visitor comfort and accessibility and ensure that patients, families, staff and volunteers alike can move more easily around the building.”

The devastating fire in July 2015 caused extensive damage to the main hospice building. The repair and refurbishment costs were estimated to be in the region of £4m. The insurers covered the cost of the fire damage (approximately £1m) and St Michael’s level of reserves (which every charity is required to maintain) allowed them to contribute £2m to the project. The Phoenix Appeal was launched to raise the remaining £1m.

To date the Appeal has raised £1,131,000, and Perdita says the aim is to reach £1.25m by the end of 2016.

“We are very grateful for the many grants we have received from both local and national trusts which have enabled us to reach this total,” she said.

“Together with the donations we have received from our wonderful supporters we are hopeful we can reach our new target by the end of 2016.

“I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Phoenix Appeal and also those who continue to support St Michael’s Hospice in so many ways.”

Visit www.stmichaelshospice.com/phoenixappeal.