Malmesbury League of Friends (MLOF) has donated £10,000 to Winsley-based Dorothy House Hospice Care in response to its recent Stepping Up Support appeal.
In its appeal, Dorothy House (DH) explained that it could soon be facing a financial crisis with the closure of all its charity shops – one of which is in Malmesbury – and the cancellation of hundreds of community fundraising events. As a result, it faces a weekly loss of £144,000 in planned fund raising income, which is a similar sum to the weekly cost of providing its core nursing and support services.
As part of the key changes DH has made to its operation, it has opened a second eight-bed inpatient ward at Winsley to help relieve pressure at NHS hospitals by helping to keep more hospital beds free for Covid-19 patients.
Wayne de Leeuw, Dorothy House Chief Executive, said: “ We are so thrilled to receive this wonderful donation from MLOF. Dorothy House is a part of, and is driven by, its community. In these unprecedented times, it’s so gratifying to know that groups and supporters, like the MLOF, are behind us and are stepping up their support to empower Dorothy House to continue its vital work in new ways and offer extended support where needed.”
MLOF chairman David Hide said: “ We have supported DH in the past because we know how important their work is. Clearly, now, during the coronavirus crisis, it’s even more important that this work continues, so we are very pleased to be able to help with this donation.”