Les Bourgs Hospice opens this week

The redeveloped Les Bourgs Hospice opens to patients in Guernsey this week.

The £4 million project to renovate the facility in St Andrew began in June 2010.

The new hospice will be able to look after seven patients as well as up to ten day visitors.

Director of Nursing Jo Boyd said: "Well it's very different from what we had before and when were showing it off to the public on the open days they were all amazed by the size of it. So we have seven single suites all with en suite wet-rooms, we've got beautiful assisted bathrooms. There's a day hospice which has room for arts and crafts. We've got a therapy room for complimentary therapy for our patients. And we've tried to future-proof the building for what we might need ahead."

A major fund-raising appeal has included a million pound lottery draw and a number of community initiatives.

Last summer the Bailiff announced a charity appeal would also support the hospice, to reflect Prince William and Kate Middleton's wish for communities to make charitable donations rather than give them wedding presents.

The hospice costs £750,000 a year to run and was founded in 1990.

It aims to provide the highest levels of compassionate and professional care to patients suffering from life-limiting illnesses, as well as their friends and family.

The running costs are covered entirely by public donations.
(from CTV)