TV stars support campaign for new hospice
Thames Hospice today announced the launch of ‘RAISE THE ROOF’, the most ambitious public fundraising appeal in the charity’s 30-year history, to help raise the final £3million urgently needed to complete the build of a new state-of-the-art hospice for the community. With up to ten families a day not getting the hospice care they need, Thames Hospice desperately needs to expand the care it can provide for local families with the new hospice.
To raise awareness and the final £3 million needed to complete the new hospice, the charity will launch its ‘RAISE THE ROOF’ appeal in the heart of its community with a day of celebrations at its Maidenhead store on the High Street, on 14 September 2019 from 11.00am. Shoppers will have the opportunity to get autographs and selfies (for a donation!) with TV superstar Ross Kemp, as well as enjoy lots of entertainment and refreshments throughout the day.
Debbie Raven, Thames Hospice Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have the support of Ross Kemp, one of our greatest TV stars. Ross recently spent time with patients and staff at our Hospice on Hatch Lane to learn more about our work and we were delighted to show him around the new hospice by Bray Lake.
“We are all so excited that Ross, together with Deputy Mayor Gary Muir, will be joining us in Maidenhead to celebrate and help spread the word about our appeal to raise the final £3 million we need to complete your new hospice.
“Please come and support us and let’s Raise the Roof together!”
The Maidenhead celebration is just one of a series of exciting roadshow events taking place between 7 – 14 September 2019. The charity is delighted to have further support from other TV stars throughout the week - much-loved actress and Thames Hospice Ambassador Sue Holderness will delight shoppers in both Windsor (7 September) and Dedworth (12 September), whilst actor and author Tim Brooke-Taylor will launch the campaign in Wokingham (14 September). Thames Hospice also has support from Dani Harmer, one of the biggest stars of children's television, in Bracknell (11 September).
Thames Hospice is one of the busiest independent hospices in the UK, but is no longer able to keep up with the increasing number of people who desperately need the charity’s services. Every day the Inpatient Unit and Community Services are full and each day there will be up to ten people left at home or in a hospital bed when it is not what they want or need. The current situation will only get worse as the local population continues to grow and age. The Hospice’s much-loved existing building in Windsor has been added to, altered and expanded and cannot be adapted any further to meet the growing demand.
To put that right, construction started at the beginning of this year on a new £22 million state-of-the-art hospice which will provide urgent hospice care and support to even more local families now, and for generations to come. Set in eight stunning acres by Bray Lake, the new hospice will include 28 private inpatient rooms all with their own bathrooms and space for families to stay overnight. Thames Hospice will be able to double its day services provision in a dedicated Day Therapy Centre, and a brand new education centre and library which will allow the charity to support community healthcare professionals involved in end-of-life care as well as carers.
Lisa Parris-Cambridge, a patient who is currently accessing the services at Thames Hospice, said: “Thames Hospice has been there for me and my girls. They provide the care, counselling and support that make my diagnosis better to deal with. I can’t imagine what life would be like for others in the same situation left without Thames Hospice’s support.”
To find out how you can support Thames Hospice Raise the Roof appeal and for more information about our roadshows, please visit
www.raisetheroof2020.org.uk Text RAISE to 70970 to give £5 for a roof rafter
Text RAISE to 70191 to give £10 for ten bricks
