Hospice plans furniture warehouse to boost income

A hospice being able to open a furniture donation warehouse is vital to help it keep caring for people needing end-of-life care, its boss says.

An application has been submitted to Shropshire Council by St Michael's Hospice, based in Hereford, to use a manufacturing unit in Ludlow, Shropshire, for the scheme.

Under the plans, the site on Orleton Road would be used to take in donations of furniture and sell them alongside books, clothing and bric-a-brac.

"Approval of this application is essential for the hospice to grow its income to support the increasing demand and costs of their services," chief executive Matt Fellows said.

In a letter supporting the plans, he added St Michael's was under increasing pressures from inflation and rising costs and needed the base in Ludlow to allow it to answer rising demand for its help.

The number of patients the hospice cares for has risen from 1,070 in 2016-17 to 2,353 in 2023-24.

Requests for the hospice's counselling and therapy services had also increased, especially since the Covid pandemic, Mr Fellows added.

The hospice has 300 staff and 800 volunteers and the new scheme would create six full-time and four part-time jobs, according to the application.

St Michael's had had a lot of requests to collect unwanted furniture from the Ludlow area and spent several years searching for a site for a new warehouse, a spokesperson said.

"Each year our shops prevent 500 tonnes of items going to landfill," they added.

About 200 people were expected to bring in donations each week, if the plans were approved, they said.

The council is due to take a decision on the application at a future date.

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