A new Neighbourhood Hub has been officially opened in Redruth today (Friday 3rd March 2023) by Cornwall Hospice Care.
In a first for the healthcare charity, the community-based support initiative is co-located at the charity's bargain outlet in Chapel Street and will provide palliative help for patients and their carers and support for those who've been bereaved.
"We’re so much more than the beds in our hospices"
The charity’s Neighbourhood Hubs were originally set up back in 2017 to help patients and carers in the community achieve the best quality of life possible. They offer one to one outpatient therapy appointments (occupational therapy and physiotherapy) and living well workshops (managing fatigue, stress and anxiety and breathlessness). Unfortunately, Covid-19 forced the team to move to telephone support. “It was frustrating but allowed us to review the service” says Hub Lead Gwendoline Treseder, “and here we are opening a new Neighbourhood Hub in Redruth alongside our charity shop. Over the coming weeks we’ll be offering a monthly bereavement support group, workshops for managing fatigue, stress and anxiety and well being groups that’ll be based around complementary therapies. We also plan to introduce activities aimed at encouraging patients to plan for their future.”
Gina Starnes is Cornwall Hospice Care’s Director of Clinical Services: “This is about working together to reach out to those in the community who need our support and about joining with other providers, such as local GP surgeries to do this. We’re so much more than the beds in our hospices. They’re vital but so too is our aim to be there for people living with their diagnoses in the community or who’re trying to cope with bereavement. I think this new idea of co-locating with one of our charity shops is really positive. It allows us to work with our retail staff and volunteers who raise the funds we need to provide our care and can now see what a difference they make. We can also be there for our customers, some of whom may need our support now or in the future.”
The new Redruth Neighbourhood Hub rooms, of which there’ll be three, have been funded with support from The Hospital Saturday Fund, the Sylvia Waddilove Foundation, the WG Edwards Charitable Foundation, The Heathcoat Trust, the Liley Benevolent Trust, The Grace Trust, the February Foundation, the Percy Bilton Charity and the Hobson Charity.
For more information about the Community Services provided by Cornwall Hospice Care, visit the charity’s website - www.cornwallhospicecare.co.uk/our-community-services/