The Louth & District Hospice was founded in 2002 in response to a very real and urgent need in the local community. Our main aims are to develop a range of services for people with diseases that cannot be cured, and to provide support for their families and carers.

In February 2002 a Company Limited by Guarantee was established and in July 2002 we became a Registered Charity with the Charity Commission. We are also registered for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Criminal Records Bureau and the Inland Revenue for Gift Aid.

A Business Plan was launched in October 2002 and in the following month November 2002 an initial Appeal for £250,000 was launched in conjunction with The Louth Leader and this target was achieved in October 2004.

Since 2002 community fundraising has enabled us to deliver Day Care Home Support Services and fund neccessary preliminary work for the new build.

A Membership Scheme was launched in January 2003 and currently we have some 400 Members (individuals and companies) who pay an annual subscription.

In June 2003 in partnership with United Hospitals Trust Limited and East Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust we were delighted to be able to open a new palliative respite daycare facility at the Woldside Day Unit at Louth Hospital.

During 2004 we sought to consolidate our position, work with potential partners in the NHS and pursue our efforts to find a suitable site for the hospice.

In May 2005 we announced the support of the EVAN CORNISH FOUNDATION and the appointment of Mrs Ethel Cornish as our first Patron.

In October 2005 we announced the gift of land for the building of the Hospice by Mr Frank Nicholson. Frank will also be a Patron of the new Hospice.

In February 2007 we launched our Home Support Service to support patients with life limiting and/or life threatening illnesses in their own homes as well as supporting their families and carers.

We are a not-for-profit organisation which will provide professional care free at the point of use.

Patrons

Mrs Ethel Cornish and Mr Frank Nicholson

Trustees
Mr D Crombleholme - Chairman

Councillor J D Hough

Dr C Cook

Mrs DA Stephenson

Mr HJ Waumsley

The Evan Cornish Foundation

A donation of £1million has been made by The Evan Cornish Foundation towards the building costs.

The late Evan Cornish, who died in 2002, founded LinPac the Louth packaging group in 1959 which eventually became an international packaging group.

Hospice is given a site of beauty

In the Autumn of 2005 the Trustees were delighted to announce the donation of two acres of land by retired farmer Mr Frank Nicholson for the building of a new Hospice.

Views from the Hospice will be amongst the best in the county thanks to Frank Nicholson who has donated the site.

The new Hospice will be built in an area of natural outstanding beauty on the outskirts of Louth, just off the A16.

It is planned that, initially, we will provide 6 in-patient beds and up to 15 Day Care places for people with diseases that cannot be cured. We will be particularly focusing on those people who are in the last year of their life and have complex care needs.

The Hospice will be nurse-led and the clinical workforce will be specially trained and have skills and knowledge in the field of palliative care.