A major project is under way to transform the Sunflower Wellbeing Centre at East Cheshire Hospice.
Work on the £1.25m refurbishment began last month and is expected to be completed in January 2024.
The modern stylish complex will be much better equipped to meet a rapidly growing need for the charity’s services.
Patient and carer capacity is expected to more than double from a current weekly rate of 179 to 400 within two years of completion.
Crucially, more services will operate simultaneously and in the evenings and at weekends.
The extended seven-day working will facilitate greater community engagement, improving integration with the local healthcare strategy of everyone living well for longer.
The Sunflower Centre – the hub of the Hospice’s outpatient services – opened as a day care centre with the Hospice welcoming its first day patients in May 2000. The facility has been extended since but is now outdated and unable to meet demand.
Rachel Allcock, Income Generation Director at the Hospice, said: “The new Sunflower Wellbeing Centre will be a valuable resource for the community. We anticipate being able to accommodate local support groups and other community activities.
“It’s an exciting project and something we’ve wanted to carry out for a long time, but just haven’t been able to do.
“The previous centre served us well, but was no longer fit for purpose. We’ve saved money over time to fund the project, knowing that at some stage we wanted to undertake this work.
“We’ve also applied for specific grants and trust donations so that no income from fundraising which covers day-to-day running costs will be used.”
The Sunflower entrance is located to the side of the main reception which is unaffected by the changes.
The radical new design was developed over three years, based on patient, staff and volunteer experiences.
The refurbishments have sustainability in mind, with running costs not expected to increase significantly since the operational floor space is only slightly extended.
Any increased heating costs due to extended opening hours will be partly offset by using more efficient heating/cooling systems and a solar-panelled roof.
The projected number of users excludes off-site programmes co-ordinated by the Sunflower team. It also excludes separate work to expand dementia services into community venues.
In total, the Hospice will reach an estimated 1,360 people, some 80 per cent of those living with, or dying from, a life-limiting illness.
This website uses cookies to improve the experience our website users receive and to track page hits and the like. If you continue to use our website then we are assuming you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead More
I ❤ Macc Cookie Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login