Hospice facing more woe with shops set to close

Severn Hospice will, like other charities and retailers, be closing its shops in line with fresh government lockdown measures om Thursday.

The charity has already raised concerns about the impact of the Covid-crisis on its finances – the organisation has to raise more than £8 million a year from the public to provide its services.

Its finances were devastated by the spring lockdown, removing its ability to raise £100,000 a week and bosses were already predicting it would end the year with a £500,000 fundraising deficit.

Shops in Wales are currently closed because of the two week 'fire break', now it fears more financial woes as another four-week lockdown looms in England.

Hospice chief executive Heather Tudor said: “We have to raise £2 for every £3 we spend on care and this is getting serious now. We were fortunate that we started the pandemic with a strong reserves position thanks to pre-donated funds, but we can’t rely on these forever.

“We already knew we would be drawing down on these reserves to fill our fundraising shortfall to get us through the next few months, and that’s why we have them, but we are increasingly worried about how long this can continue.

“Our supporters have been wonderful throughout but they are also coping with a pandemic and facing their own uncertainties so it is a huge cause for concern for us.

“We can’t stop caring and every person we are helping is someone who might otherwise need direct help from the NHS, so the part we play in the community’s healthcare network has never been more important.

“Supporting us has never mattered more."

She urged people to help where they can.

She said: “Our website gives people lots of options to help us, from buying their Christmas cards online to giving us a donation instead of a birthday present, to joining our lottery or setting up a regular donation. Our Christmas raffle is still running too.”

Pepole can visit severnhospice.org.uk for more information.