15 May 2017

Positive progress for Pilgrims Canterbury hospice project

This time last year we received some wonderful news. We have secured permission and funding for a brand new, purpose-built hospice for Canterbury.

Pilgrims Hospices is 100% committed to providing quality hospice care for each of our communities in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet. However, our current buildings in Canterbury’s London Road cannot provide the modern facilities that new hospices deliver and to which we aspire.

Improvements ahead

This new development will mean Pilgrims can offer our patients and their families facilities designed to 21st century care standards, including:

  • Patients no longer having to share rooms
  • Family accommodation so that loved ones can stay with their relative
  • En-suite bathrooms.

This also means we can concentrate on what we do best – fundraising to continue to improve the quality of care, rather than for bricks and mortar.

Project latest

The Pilgrims team is working with architects on the overall hospice design for submission to planning this spring.

Cate Russell, Pilgrims Chief Executive, explains: “We are using RHP, the architects behind the new hospice builds in Eastbourne and Worthing. They have a deep understanding of the work hospices do.

“Pilgrims teams have visited these sites. Staff and volunteers at these hospices were very generous with their time and offered us some great insights.”

Cate and the team have also talked with various groups to consider how this facility should be developed to meet the needs of our future patients and families.

She added: “Overall, the project team are working to create a community feel. It was very encouraging to see the level of care and detail that’s going into the plans.”

As soon as we have agreement for our build design we’ll be sharing them with our supporters. This will be via our website so you can follow our progress.

Going forward, our mission remains the same. We will be fully committed to continuing to provide excellent care from our three hospices in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet. We’ll also continue to provide vital care in homes and communities across east Kent.

Visit pilgrimshospices.org/news for regular updates on our ongoing projects to continually improve facilities and spaces on each of our sites. Click here to read our recent update on the refreshed visitor facilities in Canterbury, or read about our wonderful ward garden revamp with BBC Gardener’s World’s Mark Lane here.