Why actress Caroline Quentin was at St Peter's Hospice in Bristol

Actress Caroline Quentin was at St Peter’s Hospice to mark the anniversary after she became patron of the charity's Room to Care Appeal - an ambitious fundraiser to collect the remaining £1.5 million needed to build the state-of-the-art unit.

Head of Fundraising Sarah Allen Gunn said the hospice has cared for 255 people in their new inpatients during the last year and 3,000 people in the community.

"We have an ageing population and the demand for our services keeps growing," explained Sarah.

Staggeringly the NHS only funds 19 per cent of the hospice's annual budget of £7.5 million. The rest comes from fundraising events, sales from charity shops and direct donations.

Previously the hospice's inpatient unit had 18 bedrooms, of which only half were single. And crucially rooms did not have facilities for loved ones to stay overnight.

Now there are 15 single, ensuite, fully fitted bedrooms, each of which has access on to a private garden terrace.

"Having this space has made such a huge difference to the families," said Sarah. "

Full Article https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/find-out-actress-caroline-quentin-3565042