North London Hospice launches appeal to raise £1.7m for new inpatient unit

Work is already underway on the project but the full cost of completing the rebuild has not yet been covered by the charity

North London Hospice's site in Woodside Avenue, Finchley — North London Hospice’s site in Woodside Avenue, Finchley

North London Hospice has launched the “most ambitious fundraising appeal of its 40-year history” to help raise the final £1.7million needed to rebuild its “vital” inpatient unit.

As the sole provider of free end-of-life and palliative care for adults in North London, the hospice says it needs to ensure that it remains available “for all who need it, touching the lives of residents for generations to come”.

The charity – which serves Enfield, Barnet and Haringey – announced in June that it would be temporarily closing its inpatient unit in Finchley for a year, while a £10million rebuilding project gets underway.

While the work takes place, the charity is using a ward at Edgware Community Hospital as an alternative inpatient unit while construction takes place at its Woodside Avenue site.

However, now the hospice says that to complete the project, it needs to raise £1.7m to reach its £10m target. The remaining £8.3m has been part-funded through a mixture of major donors, trusts and private sponsors as well as some government funding, but the hospice must raise the rest through its public appeal to complete the build.

Declan Carroll, chief executive of North London Hospice, said: “We only have one chance to get this right. We would like our supporters to look beyond the building, to the care it makes possible for mums and dads, grandparents, siblings, spouses, neighbours and friends, facing a life-limiting condition.

“We can only keep our doors open thanks to our community and we really do thank them for their ongoing kindness. We aim to help people live well until the end of life, with comfort, compassion and dignity, and without fear and loneliness.

“By supporting our appeal residents will be investing in free care for people they know and love, and potentially for themselves in the future”.

When it became apparent that the old building in Woodside Avenue was no longer fit for purpose, hospice leaders concluded that a complete redevelopment of the inpatient unit would be the best solution to meet the future needs of patients.

Bigger rooms will make it easier for staff to bring equipment to patients making the delivery of clinical and personal care more practical and comfortable. Visits to patients won’t be so limited or cramped with spaces that can be comfortably shared, wheelchairs will be able to move more freely, and loved ones will be able to stay close by with overnight stays.

A dedicated entrance, away from the reception and café, will provide privacy and dignity for new arrivals. With direct access to the gardens or courtyard from most rooms, everyone will be able to enjoy the benefits of sunshine and fresh air. And air conditioning will also keep everyone cool during stiflingly hot summers.

It is still hoped that the newly rebuilt inpatient unit will open in the autumn of 2027.

For more information:
Visit northlondonhospice.org/build-it-for-north-london

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