Hospice appeal raises almost £270k in three months

A hospice charity which launched an urgent appeal to raise funds to tackle increased demand said almost £270,000 had been raised in three months.

The Myton Hospices, in Warwickshire, launched a fundraiser in September, amid annual running costs which it described as being "at an all-time high".

The charity said £240,000 could fund the recruitment, training and salary of five registered nurses for a year, to help more people access a hospice bed.

Ruth Freeman, chief executive, thanked supporters who had made a donation and said they had been "absolutely blown away" by the response.

Myton, which has three hospices across Coventry, Rugby and Warwick and dozens of shops, said three out of five people on their waiting list for a bed died before they could access one.

Ms Freeman said the money would help to ensure more people could access a hospice bed and the palliative and end of life care they required.

"We strongly believe that every person who needs a hospice bed should have access to one and that no one who is at the end of their life should be on a waiting list," she added.

The charity launched the appeal at Leamington Spa Town Hall on 17 September, where it recreated a photo from 1982 when the hospice first opened.

It said only 20% of its costs were covered by statutory funding and that annual running costs were at an all-time high of £14.3m, meaning it needed to raise £11m every year to continue to provide services free of charge.

The increase in national insurance contributions and the minimum wage announced in the recent budget would also cost an additional £190,000 next year, a hospice spokesperson added.

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.