NHS England provided £436,000 towards the overall cost of the work on the Helen & Douglas House hospice in the city’s Magdalen Road, but the remaining £1 million was donated by residents through a fundraising campaign that began in Summer 2013.
The hospice, which closed temporarily in November to allow work to be completed, provides care and support to over 300 seriously-ill youngsters, as well as around 60 families coping with bereavement.
Although there is little evidence of the refurbishment from the exterior, once inside, visitors will be greeted by a larger, brighter reception and increased space between the family areas, bathrooms and bedrooms. The hospice will be able to make use of brochure printers in Oxford to show off the new, improved facilities.
One of the teenagers currently staying in the hospice, Brandon Robinson, told the Oxford Mail:
“It’s definitely an improvement. It’s got more space and it seems a lot more modern now.”
The facilities for children have also been significantly upgraded, with the addition of a ‘Magic Carpet’ offering interactive entertainment and a den for teenagers, featuring movies and gaming consoles within a room that has been fitted with surround sound.