For our 2023 conference, LUCID is proud to support Farleigh Hospice as its chosen charity. Farleigh provided outstanding care and support to our dear friend and colleague Calvin Cole and his family.

Farleigh Hospice is a registered charity (no. 284670) which provides hospice care to people affected by life-limiting illnesses across mid Essex.

Farleigh intends to use the funds raised by LUCID towards their Maldon Centre. Read on to find out more about the project, why it is necessary and how many people will benefit.

'Farleigh Hospice’s main building and services are based in Chelmsford and serves the community of mid-Essex supporting a population of around 400,000. Farleigh have provided a day hospice service in Maldon since 1995 a more rural part of the region, which was closed due to building defects. A new building was purchased in 2020, this needs a complete refurbishment for the people of Maldon.

Our plans are to create a bespoke hospice centre to offer a community venue with a range of services including counselling, group therapy and support sessions, actual and virtual clinical support and advice. It will also house a team for the locality who will make visits to people in the area to provide care, medical interventions and guidance on symptom and pain control.

This building will be a hub designed to complement human health and wellbeing. There will be a strong emphasis on providing a patient friendly, supportive and secure place that will welcome patients, families and carers alike.

The facility will be a dedicated environment, designed with the priorities of people, their clinical and social wellbeing and needs, recreational activities and their independence very much at the forefront.'

Who will benefit from the project?

People with any illness that is considered life-limiting, including cancer, neurological diseases, and chronic heart, lung, and renal diseases providing physical and emotional care. Families, carers and people who have been bereaved. We help patients to live as actively as possible from the point of diagnosis to the end of their life.

• Numbers benefitting

It is anticipated that 1,500 people will benefit from using the facility within its first year.

HOW CAN LUCID HELP?

Farleigh has launched an appeal to raise funds to support the refurbishment of this new site and has a comprehensive fundraising plan in place including application to Grant and Trust funders. It is envisaged that building works will start in 2023 with building refurbishment costs estimated at £700,000.