Pictured Above: Lady McAlpine and lady Nicola Perowne
Admiral Sir James Perowne KBE, Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle, and his wife, Lady Nicola Perowne, welcomed more than 25 guests to their magnificent residence at Windsor Castle this month in support of Thames Hospice.
Guests, including Lady McAlpine and former Dreams entrepreneur Mike Clare, gathered in the historic Norman Tower at Windsor Castle to find out about how the new hospice, currently under construction, will help more families facing life-limiting illnesses.
Thames Hospice’s Chief Executive Debbie Raven and Chair of Trustees Jonathan Jones took the opportunity to update guests about the work of the Hospice and share the exciting new hospice plans. The Berkshire-based charity has been serving its community for more than 30 years but, with a growing and ageing local population, demand for the Hospice’s end-of-life and palliative care is increasing at a staggering rate, with up to 10 people each day urgently waiting for its services.
In 2017 the Hospice was granted planning permission to build a new, larger hospice by Bray Lake near Maidenhead, which will ensure the charity can serve its community for generations to come. The total cost of the build is more than £22 million and in September 2017 the Hospice launched an ambitious capital appeal to raise the funds needed to complete construction by 2020. In just 18 months £3.6 million of its £6 million target has been raised but there is still quite a way to go.
Sir James Perowne opened the evening with a fascinating talk about Windsor Castle and the role it plays in Royal life. He said: “It was an honour and privilege to host this special evening for Thames Hospice and its supporters. The Hospice plays a vital role in the community, supporting thousands of local people each year through life’s most difficult time. I hope many of the guests will get behind this very worthy cause and offer their support for the new hospice build.”
Debbie Raven, Chief Executive, Thames Hospice, said: “My sincere thanks to Sir James and Lady Nicola for welcoming everyone to their beautiful home, it was a very successful evening.
“It was an honour for us to be in the company of such esteemed guests and my colleagues and I look forward to raising the funds needed to complete our new hospice build.”
About Thames Hospice
Thames Hospice is the local charity for people living in East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire. We provide expert care to adults who have a life-limiting illness - and their families and carers.
We care for the physical, social and psychological needs of our patients, not just the condition. Our highly skilled medical team work with the patient and their families to develop a complete programme of care tailored to their individual needs.
Our services include nursing and medical care in our Hospice at Windsor, Community Therapy Unit in Ascot and in patients' homes, as well as practical and emotional support.
It costs more than £7million every year to keep our Hospice running. We rely on 80% of our income from charitable donations, which enables us to provide our services free of charge, 365 days a year, to the people who need us.
Find out how you can support us, volunteer or access our services at www.thameshospice.org.uk
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To keep up to date with all the latest new hospice news and developments, please read our weekly blogs at www.thameshospice.org.uk/new-build-blog/