Devonshire Freemasons in association with the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) are very pleased to be able to donate £4000 to Hospiscare in Exeter.
Assistant Provincial Grand Master W.Bro Dr Reuben Ayres and Provincial Press Officer Bro Alec Collyer met with the team at Hospiscare and learnt that the Charity is having to scale back it’s operations due to a large shortfall in funding.
From the Charities website:
https://www.hospiscare.co.uk/service-cuts/
The scale back comes into effect in April 2024 and includes cutting bed numbers from 12 to 8 and reducing the weekend community nursing service.
In November 2023, we reported that we would have to cut our services unless our statutory funding was brought in line with the average level of national hospice funding.
As an independent local charity, it costs close to £10 million each year to provide our services — 82% of which we fundraise with the help of local people.
Despite serving a large population and supporting more patients with complex clinical needs, we have been receiving only 18% of our annual funding from the Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB) — the statutory body responsible for allocating government funding within the county. This is in comparison to the national average of 37%.
Andrew Randall, CEO of Hospiscare, said: “We have raised the issue of inequitable funding with Devon ICB on countless occasions and there is no satisfactory answer as to why Hospiscare only receives 18% of funding, whereas other hospices elsewhere receive up to double this.
“But inflation and the cost-of-living crisis means we can no longer rely on local fundraising. We desperately need Devon ICB to increase our funding in line with other hospices to ensure we can be here in the future for the thousands of Devonians and their families we support every year.”
Laura Robertson (Public Fundraising Manager Hospiscare):-
“Hospiscare is incredibly grateful to the Devonshire Freemasons for their generous donation of £4,000. This significant contribution could cover the cost of 82 home visits from our specialist nurses, providing vital care and comfort to patients in their own homes.
With our hospice facing a funding deficit, as highlighted in our recent announcement about service cuts, support from the local community and organisations like the Freemasons has never been more crucial. Their generosity ensures we can continue delivering care to those who need us, during some of the most challenging times.
Thank you, Devonshire Freemasons, for standing with us and helping us to make every day count for local patients and their families.”
W.Bro.Dr Reuben Ayres (Asst Provincial Grand Master Devonshire Freemasons):-
“On behalf of the Provincial Grand Master RtWB Nicholas Ball, it was both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to present this donation to the Exeter Hospice. Their invaluable work in providing personally tailored end-of-life care on both an out-patient and in-patient basis is rightly regarded as a beacon of compassionate healthcare and has favourably touched the lives of countless individuals, their families and loved ones. It was therefore sincerely heart-warming to be able to give a small token towards their invaluable work.”
Bro. Alec Collyer MBE
Provincial Press Officer