9:13am Thursday 5th August 2010
By Michael Pickard
Cuts to vital services at the Peace Hospice in Watford have been avoided, despite fundraising levels dropping to more than £60,000 below target.
The hospice, in Peace Drive, provided care for more than 1,000 patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families last year.
But it also recorded a £500,000 financial shortfall, forcing it to dip into its reserves to balance its budget.
This was attributed to the recession and a fall in charitable donations.
Three months on, however, fundraising is continuing to fall. At their meeting last month, trustees were informed the hospice is £62,000 below its target for the past three months.
This figure includes £100,000 raised with the help of Watford Observer readers for the hospice's urgent spring appeal and the £125,000 collected so far from the 1,000 women who completed this year's Starlight Walk.
But instead of pushing forward with cuts, it has agreed to monitor fundraising on a month-by-month basis to ensure current levels of service, which include in-patient and outpatient care and hospice at home programme, are maintained.
This has been backed by a decision to release £250,000 from the hospice's reserves.
Sue Plummer, chief executive of the hospice, said: “Fundraising continues to be very challenging. However, the trustees endorsed the current fundraising plans, and will be carefully monitoring these plans and performance on a monthly basis.
“It was felt that the reserves should be used during ‘rainy days’ and the recession has had a significant impact on our fundraising over the past year which really warrants reducing them. This brings the hospice’s reserves down to eight months, which still falls within the charity commissions recommendations.”
To boost income, however, the hospice has revealed plans to open two new shops, one in Watford High Street and another in Rickmansworth High Street, which it is hoped will boost the charity's income.
More than £1 million of the £3 million the hospice must raise each year is already raised by its current network of nine shops across south-west Hertfordshire.
A further £12,000 will be raised when dancers perform in a spectacular show entitled Strictly Come Hospice.
Watford Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and former pop star Shirlie Kemp will be among the judges casting an eye over couples competing in ballroom and Latin dances.
Twenty men and 20 women are wanted to take part in the show, which will see them take part in eight weeks of training led by Paul Alex, from the Moonglow Dance Studios, and culminate in a live performance at Watford Palace Theatre on Friday, November 5.
Nicky Maxwell-Braithwaite, community events co-ordinator, said: “This event provides a fantastic opportunity for people to have a go at ballroom dancing, perhaps for the first time.
“It’s a great chance to meet new people, have lots of fun during the training and all participants will get a chance to perform in front of an audience at the Palace Theatre.
“This is the first time that we’ve run this event and we are expecting people of all ages to get involved. It’s a great opportunity for people to learn new skills but also to help support the Peace Hospice."
For more information, telephone Nicky Maxwell-Braithwaite on 01923 335365 or email nmbraithwaite@peacehospice.org.uk.
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