The boss of Havens Hospices has admitted the charity has no money to build a new £16million state-ofthe- art centre.

After a controversial four-year wrangle, the charity got planning approval last week to build on the former Ekco site in Priory Crescent, Southend, as a replacement for its “limited” Westcliff adult hospice.

But in an interview with the Echo, chief executive Andy Smith admitted the charity are starting from the bottom and currently have no cash for the new hospice.

Mr Smith said he could not guarantee whether the hospice would ever become a reality.

He said a huge fundraising drive would take place to raise the cash, but the charity is also have to continue to find £100,000 a week in donations to run Fair Havens, in Westcliff, and Little Havens, Thundersley.

The hospice wants to start building work in three years and open it in five.

When asked whether the charity had anymoney for the new centre, Mr Smith said: “No, but we are not in any way different to any other hospice that has embarked on a project like this.

“I don’t want to take for granted this will happen.

“But we have not got into a project that we believe was unachievable.

The glass is more than half full in that sense. We believe the strength and spirit of the community will be behind the project.”

The revelation comes as the hospice’s accounts show £1.46million has so far been spent on costs for the project to build a new hospice, derived from donations from a fighting fund.

Some £1.24million of that was spent in 2012/13, for design and planning fees for its controversial and failed attempt to build a hospice on green belt land in Belton Way West, Leigh.

The charity will also use £1million from its reserves to launch its appeal for donations to build the Priory Crescent centre. The public will be asked to help raise the £16million needed.

However, Havens was given a windfall when £2million was bequeathed by fundraiser Ivan Heath after he died, and this cash will be used to buy the 3.5 acre site in Priory Crescent.

Without the hefty donation, and another grant from the NHS, the charity’s surplus in 2013/14 would have been £263,000 which Havens admit is “modest”, and only £17,000 more than it made in 2012/13.

But Mr Smith said he is confident of seeing his dream become a reality, as many other hospices have been entirely donation-funded when building a new centre.

The charity will also bid for Government cash and grants from other organisations.

He added: “We would not have embafrked on this project if we did not believe it was possible to achieve it.

“It’s going to be an enormous challenge.

But it will be an enormous achievement for the community when the new hospice opens.

“We are confident when the time comes the public will help us and we will make this new hospice a reality.”

Havens has said it has not begun fundraising for the newbuild yet, and any donations will still be going towards the privision of its current services.

Echo:

Andy Smith

 

No regrets over controversial Leigh saga

Havens Hospices’ boss said the failed fight to build a new hospice in Leigh was an important part of the charity’s journey.

Andy Smith says that throughout 2011/12, there were no other alternatives in the borough.

The hospice caused controversy as it wanted to build on green belt land in Belton Way West.

After the plans were rejected by Southend Council, it was taken to appeal, then withdrawn.

In total, the charity’s accounts show that more than £1.4million was spent on the Leigh plans.

Mr Smith said: “The reason we wanted to build in Leigh was that there was no other suitable place for a hospice. As we went to appeal, Southend Council put forward the piece of land on the former Ekco site and that opportunity opened up.

“The rest is history, and in that sense, the appeal was an important part of our journey.

“I appreciate some people were upset by the Leigh proposals, but we have now got a solution.

 

Campaigners still believe

Campaigners still believe the new £16million will become a reality.

The new hospice, which will replace the charity’s existing one in Westcliff, is designed to care for people for 50 years and will have double the intake of the current facility.

The application was passed last week as part of a joint proposal along with Bellway Homes’ scheme for a 231-home estate in Priory Crescent, on the former Ekco site.

Mike King, who led the Save Our Green Belt campaign group against Haven’s Leigh plans, said: “I think the hospice will become a reality. The movement has an enormous public following and an extremely capable fundraiser, who does an exceptional job.”

Residents in nearby Thornford Gardens – earmarked for the exit route to the housing estate – say they welcome the hospice, but have accused Bellway of using Havens to force their application through.

With the charity not in a position to start building yet, they fear they will be saddled with a housing estate and no hospice for years to come.

Margaret Smith, of the Thornford Action Group, said: “We will be left with houses being built immediately and about five or seven years later we will get a hospice, maybe.

“There’s no way they are going to be able to build it without a lot of sustained fundraising and it means that all we will have for the time being is a major housing estate, and no hospice.”

Rosalind Daly, 63, of Crescent Road, Canvey, had her hair cut to raise £515 for Havens as they cared for her father.

She said: “I am sure it will happen because the charity has such a strong backing in the area.

“I have seen this happen with previous hospices that wanted to expand and it can be achieved.”

Echo:

THE new hospice will serve south Essex for 50 years, the charity says.

The state-of-the-art £16million newunit will encompass a 16-bed adult care ward in-patient facility, day care centre and day-treatment facilities, as well as a base for Macmillan nurses.

The centre will also include four treatment rooms for outpatient care, providing treatment such as blood transfusions and chemotherapy.

In addition, the new building will have space on site for family support, bereavement, and counselling, plus areas to train healthcare professionals.

Administration and support services will also be based there, as well as a chapel.

The centre will be separated by a fully landscaped garden.

Andy Smith said the new facility will be a major upgrade to Fair Havens in Westcliff.

He said: “This is for future generations and will provide care for 50 years, so it’s important we get it right.

“Our current buildings were never designed to cater for the demand we are facing now and there are big limitations on our Westcliff building.

“There is no lift there – only a stairlift. So it means we have various agonising factors when looking at admissions. We have to look at whether there is a bedroom available, and if there is, it’s usually upstairs. We don’t want to have that.”