Since launching our Willen at Home appeal last September, so much has happened and we simply couldn’t have come this far without you.
Thank you for your incredible support
We’ve been truly overwhelmed by the kindness of our community. Over 8,000 of you have pledged support for fairer funding, and together you’ve raised an incredible £200,000 for our Christmas Appeal. Your generosity means the world to us, and to the families who rely on our care.
A challenging time for Hospices
You may have seen news about the funding crisis affecting hospices across the country. Many have had to make heartbreaking decisions to cut services and jobs – but thanks to you, Willen Hospice has been able to keep caring for those who need us.
In December, the Health Secretary announced a one-off £100 million boost for the sector—a sign that the Government is listening and recognises the vital contribution of Hospices. We’re still waiting to hear how this will be shared among the UK’s 200+ hospices and what it will mean for us here in Milton Keynes.
Whilst this is very welcomed, it is however a one-off grant and it’s important that this is supplemented with regular annual funding from the Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Fighting for fairer funding continues
Willen Hospice remains one of the worst-funded hospices in the UK, with only 13.8% of our costs covered by ongoing funding (the average is 33%). We’ve been meeting with our local MPs and the ICB, who allocate NHS funding, to push for a fairer system. Thanks to your support, those conversations are now happening at the highest levels and are set to continue. I remain hopeful they will result in more equitable, sustainable funding for our growing City.
Since our appeal launched in September, our Willen at Home nurses have made over 448 visits—entirely funded by supporters like you.
Willen at Home: a lifeline for families
Over 86% of our patients receive care at home, thanks to our specialist team. Since our appeal launched in September, our Willen at Home nurses have made over 448 visits—entirely funded by supporters like you. As the only provider of palliative care at home in Milton Keynes, our community relies heavily on the Willen at Home team to provide expert support to patients, and their loved ones, in their own homes, where they feel safe, comfortable and surrounded by the people and things they love.
We still have a long way to go to reach our £1.4 million goal—the cost of running Willen at Home for a year. But if just 20% of Milton Keynes residents donated £20.25, we’d exceed our target.
What’s Next?
We still have a long way to go to reach our £1.4 million goal—the cost of running Willen at Home for a year. But if just 20% of Milton Keynes residents donated £20.25, we’d exceed our target. Find out more about our 20.25 challenge.
We are so proud to be your local hospice, and we remain committed to securing the funding we need so we don’t have to rely so heavily on your generosity. In the meantime, thank you for standing with us—you make everything we do possible.
With heartfelt thanks,
Kate Broadhurst
Chief Executive
