Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice has raised an incredible £234,000 through its recent ‘Raise the Roof’ capital appeal which launched last spring. The appeal was launched after the charities annual buildings survey showed that the flat rooves of its Selly Oak based Inpatient Unit had deteriorated so badly, that patient bedrooms would be affected when the winter weather hit if not repaired in time.
The hospice, which provides expert palliative and end of life care to over 500 people living with life-limiting illness and their families every day, was built in the late 1970’s. The buildings, although much loved by staff, volunteers and patients alike, are no longer keeping in the heat needed to keep patients and families warm and dry during their stays, with staff becoming accustomed to using portable radiators and to putting buckets in corridors and stairwells after heavy rain fall.
Katy O’Sullivan, Head of Fundraising and Supporter Experience said of the appeal “We launched this appeal back in April after finding out just how badly deteriorated our buildings had become. Just a few weeks after launching, we were blown away to have raised over £60,000, but to have now raised £243,000 is absolutely incredible.
“We’ve always known that our supporters were amazing, but to see how much our community has come together to help us, and at such a difficult time, we’re overwhelmed!”
Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, which has recently merged with John Taylor Hospice to form The Hospice Charity Partnership, faced a huge loss in income after the Covid-19 pandemic saw the cancellation of its mass participation events and the closure of its 16 charity shops.
Katy added: “I’ve been up on the roof myself to see the progress and whilst a huge amount has been completed, we’re not finished yet. In total we’re replacing over 19,200 square feet of roof, including a whole new layer of insulation to ensure those that those we care for are kept nice and warm throughout the winter months.
“We couldn’t have carried out this essential work without the support of our local community and so we want to say the biggest thank you to everyone that has donated and supported the Raise the Roof appeal. Whether you donated £1 or £10, thanks to you our vital services have been futureproofed, ensuring that we can continue to be there for people living with life-limiting illness and their families across Birmingham this winter, and beyond.”
