'This money will make a huge difference': Hope House hospices overwhelmed as appeal smashes £500k target and moves closer to £1 million
Hope House said it was blown away after generous supporters helped its fundraising appeal smash its £500,000 target - and took it above £800,000.
The charity’s 36-hour Quality Moments Matter campaign started on Sunday (November 23) and finished yesterday evening (Monday).
By the time the 10pm deadline arrived the fundraising total had surpassed a staggering £811,000, flying past the original target of £500,000.
Alison Marsh, head of fundraising at Hope House Children’s Hospices, said they had been overwhelmed at the response - adding that the kind-hearted supporters would be making a huge difference to the lives of the children the charity cares for, and their families.
She said: "We have been blown away by the support of our local community.
“We initially needed to raise £500,000. But thanks to the generosity of everyone who donated - including Shropshire Star readers - and thanks to us securing extra match-funding, we have absolutely smashed through this target meaning we can bring more smiles, giggles and precious moments of joy to children living with life-threatening conditions.
“This money really is going to make a huge difference for children and families who need Hope House and Ty Gobaith, and we would just like to say the biggest thank you to everyone who has got behind Quality Moments Matter – the support has been amazing.”
The Shropshire Star signed up as a Champion for this year's campaign and its readers generously donated money to help build the total.
Every pound raised by the public across the 36 hours of the appeal was doubled by kind-hearted local businesses who pledged to match the public donations – meaning one donation has twice the impact.
Hope House and its sister hospice Tŷ Gobaith in Conwy, North Wales, provide specialist nursing care and support to children, and their families, who live in Shropshire and across Wales and Cheshire.
It supports more than 750 local families who are either caring for a terminally ill child, or whose child has died.
It costs more than £10 million a year to run its services, with only two months of that total coming from statutory sources – meaning it is dependent on the support of its local community.
