St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood is just outside my constituency boundary but provides excellent end of life care and support for patients with life limiting illnesses when they need some extra care in difficult times. I know it has offered services to people living in Ongar and the surrounding villages and for that I thank the staff, fundraisers and management team.
As with St Francis Hospice, which I visited last year, St Clare Hospice is struggling with the impact of the Labour Government’s decision to impose an increase in employer National Insurance Contributions while hospices are still trying to balance their budgets following the increase in energy costs in the last couple of years.. I will continue to oppose the Government’s decision and bring the hospices’ concerns to the attention of Treasury Ministers.
In good news for Ongar however, St Clare Hospice is preparing to open a small shop on the High Street near the Budworth Hall. This will not only provide an outlet for sales of second hand clothes and new and pre-loved items, but also a great way of helping local people support their local hospice and find out more about it services.
St Clare Hospice has to raise six million pounds a year to keep running, and the support for the local community is vital. So whether you are going to Café Clare for a cup of coffee, or popping into the new shop when it opens on the High Street to pick up a bargain be assured you are being a great supporter of a wonderful and much-needed local service.
St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood is just outside my constituency boundary but provides excellent end of life care and support for patients with life limiting illnesses when they need some extra care in difficult times. I know it has offered services to people living in Ongar and the surrounding villages and for that I thank the staff, fundraisers and management team.
As with St Francis Hospice, which I visited last year, St Clare Hospice is struggling with the impact of the Labour Government’s decision to impose an increase in employer National Insurance Contributions while hospices are still trying to balance their budgets following the increase in energy costs in the last couple of years.. I will continue to oppose the Government’s decision and bring the hospices’ concerns to the attention of Treasury Ministers.
In good news for Ongar however, St Clare Hospice is preparing to open a small shop on the High Street near the Budworth Hall. This will not only provide an outlet for sales of second hand clothes and new and pre-loved items, but also a great way of helping local people support their local hospice and find out more about it services.
St Clare Hospice has to raise six million pounds a year to keep running, and the support for the local community is vital. So whether you are going to Café Clare for a cup of coffee, or popping into the new shop when it opens on the High Street to pick up a bargain be assured you are being a great supporter of a wonderful and much-needed local service.
