Member Article

Hospice’s Holistic Wellbeing Centre is officially opened

HARTLEPOOL and District Hospice’s brand new Holistic Wellbeing Centre has been officially opened.

The £550,000 facility was built by Gus Robinson Developments and will provide a range of care and complimentary therapies freeing up space in the existing Hospice building which opened in 2004.

The Holistic Wellbeing Centre, which was designed around a maritime theme by architects PMK Design Associates, was completed in just six months and will be followed by further expansion to provide six new private bedrooms.

The facility was officially opened by Dan Robinson, Chairman of Gus Robinson Developments, and Lorna Jones, who is the daughter of the Hospice’s founder Alice Bendle.

Mr Robinson said: “It was an immense privilege to work on this project because everybody who is associated with Hartlepool knows how much the Hospice means to the town and its residents. What strikes me every time I visit the Hospice is the dignity and compassion of the staff – it really is inspiring.

“Rarely have we worked on a project that has engaged staff as much as this one has. It’s a beautiful building, marvellous inside and marvellous outside with a fantastic design. We are all really looking forward to Phase 2.”

Work on the 282sq m building started last November with a bespoke design connected via a link corridor to the existing Hospice. The Holistic Wellbeing Centre will provide day services and social activities for Hospice patients such as hairdressing and craft sessions, as well as a bereavement and counselling facility away from the main residential building.

The Holistic Wellbeing Centre, which was funded via the Department of Health, will also operate as an activity hub for the community to use at evenings and weekends, bringing in essential funds to the Hospice through the hiring of rooms.

Tracy Woodall, Chief Executive at Hartlepool and District Hospice, said: “It really is a beautiful building of such high quality and design. Gus Robinson Developments has completed the work so professionally and their staff were friendly and courteous at all times on site.

“It’s fantastic that we have been able to use a Hartlepool business to complete the construction project. The majority of our funding comes from the people of the town so it’s good that we have been able to repay that by supporting the local economy.”

Phase 2 will start straight away and will provide long-term en-suite nursing beds for people who need the best high quality compassionate nursing care. The new bedrooms are expected to be completed by Gus Robinson Developments in September.

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