Hospice in Worcestershire marks 40 years

This year marks a milestone for St Richard’s Hospice, which is celebrating 40 years of offering free, expert specialist care and support to patients, their families and bereaved people in Worcestershire.

From very small beginnings, the vision to set up a hospice in south Worcestershire became a reality in 1984. Since the hospice began, St Richard’s has received more than 73,000 referrals for people to access their services for patients, their loved ones, carers and the bereaved.

There are now 256 staff and 790 volunteers who make St Richard’s what it is today.

Chair of Trustees, Jenny Cowpe said: “Everyone within our community should feel proud of their part in ensuring St Richard’s has been able to grow and care for many thousands of people at a very difficult time in their lives. We remain an independent charity and throughout the years our total focus has always been with the patient, their carers and the people they love. This remains our top priority as we look to the future.”

Mrs Cowpe added: “As we celebrate it is right to thank those founders who sat around a kitchen table in Droitwich and had the vision to build St Richard’s for the benefit of local people. Their hopes and dreams have been achieved and surpassed but we have always endeavoured to hold strong to their vision that love, care and compassion should be at the forefront of everything we do.”

“St Richard’s now offers a wide range of services for adults with a serious progressive illness, and support for their loved ones and carers. Whether they need to receive 24-hour In-patient care, home care from our specialist community team, therapeutic activities in the Living Well Centre, or benefit from our Family Support Team – St Richard’s is here to help.”

Chief Executive, Mike Wilkerson added: “We have the most incredible and dedicated team of staff and volunteers at St Richard’s who work tirelessly to make our care possible.

”We cannot thank our supporters enough for everything they do for St Richard’s. It’s only with their involvement and generosity that we can make a difference to so many people.

“We know life does not stand still and St Richard’s cannot stand still. We embrace the future and look forward to caring for life, together, for many more decades.”

Everyone is invited to join a Fortieth Anniversary Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving at Worcester Cathedral on Wednesday, 1 May at 7pm.

The service will provide an opportunity for supporters and the wider community to celebrate the hospice and the four decades of dedicated care. For more information please visit here

What does St Richard’s mean to you?

“I could not even begin to put into words the love, care and support that my late husband was given during his stay at St Richard’s. This support was then extended to his family with bereavement counselling. The staff qualify as earth angels caring for individuals at a most difficult time. I am now privileged to volunteer at St Richard’s and remain eternally grateful for their very existence.”

A brief history of St Richard’s Hospice

1984 – St Richard’s began from the Droitwich home of one of our founders, Dr Jenny Bulman.

1985 –moved to a terraced house in Castle Street, Worcester

1991 – St Richard’s moves to Rose Hill, a Georgian house in Worcester and services expand. Officially opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1992

1995 First St Richard’s Charity shop opened in Mealcheapen Street, Worcester. We now have 17 shops.

2004 – Launch of £5.2m New Hospice Appeal

2006 – First patients in the new hospice at Wildwood Drive. Officially opened by HRH The Duke of Kent

2011 – Snowdrop Community Centre opens offering more Family Support

2014 – Expanded and redeveloped In-patient Unit opens

2020 – Living Well Centre completed

2024 In-patient Unit upgrade

St Richard’s Hospice is an independent charity, caring for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment to their last days and supporting those important to them.

Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,100 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.

It costs £10.28m to run the hospice (22/23 audited accounts), which includes patient care and all the necessary support services.

St Richard’s relies on voluntary support, including from donations, gifts in Wills, retail and events for the majority of its income with the remainder funded by the NHS.

For more information about St Richard’s Hospice visit here

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