The project: In the last year we supported over 75 children and families from our hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk. However there are over 400 children and young people in the area who would benefit from our services. The size of the current hospice building places constraints on delivering the existing service and the amount of care we can give. Some of the limitations include: • a lack of sufficient bed spaces • no dedicated space for specialist services – all spaces are multi-purpose • limited private space for grieving families and friends • a lack of designated space for providing end of life care and care for the child’s body after death • insufficient storage space, garden space and car parking facilities • inadequate space for administration and case conferences Planning Permission has been granted by Ipswich Borough Council to build a children’s hospice on a four acre plot of land on the outskirts of the town, which has been donated by a local benefactor. The new hospice: The single storey building will be set in mature woodland with views from each of the six child bedrooms and activity spaces. The hospice will also include en-suite family accommodation, designated areas for play, music therapy and family support as well as offices, training & resource rooms. The new accommodation will enable us to provide: • improved quality of end of life care and imrpoved care for bereaved families • more care to more families • more choice and flexibility for families • more bed spaces • designated overnight accommodation and private support areas for parents and families • increased specialist equipment and improved facilities such as tracking systems which assist with the lifting and moving of children enabling full disability access to all areas • play and recreation spaces designed for children and young people with complex care needs • the capacity to offer care in the hospice for up to 50% more children & families The cost: The total project cost to build and equip the new hospice is £3.75m. A local benefactor has donated the site (valued at £250k) to our charity and the EACH Trustees have allocated £500,000 from a designated development fund to cover all professional fees related to the project (which included us gaining planning permission in 2008). To date (April 2010) grant-making trusts, companies and individuals have donated close to £1m to our Treehouse Appeal, leaving us £2m left to raise as the building of the new hospice proceeds over the next twelve months. We have strong media and fundraising partners in the main regional newspaper and BBC Radio Suffolk and many events and pledges of public support over the coming year. Our aim is to have the new hospice fully funded and open to children and families by soon after Easter 2011. We invite you join us in helping to make this project a reality so that many more children with life-threatening conditions, and their families, can access the specialist support they so urgently need.