My mother-in-law spent the last two weeks of her life in Fair Havens Hospice and we shall always be grateful for the loving care she received during her final days from the dedicated staff.

Since then, our family has supported Fair Havens in the hope other families, if faced with a similar difficult time, may receive the same support we did.

It saddens me, therefore, to read the negative comments in the Echo regarding the new Fair Havens building project.

Some writers seem to have misunderstood what is proposed, and many of their alternative suggestions make no sense at all.

The new hospice off Belton Way, Leigh, would not be an “eyesore”. The outline plans clearly show the building would nestle into the natural contours of the land and would barely be visible from above.

Using land adjacent to Little Havens children’s hospice is not the answer to the problem either.

Little Havens is surrounded by woodland. This is also in the green belt. Nor could nursing staff be “shared” as was also suggested.

The needs of the patients and the families in each hospice are totally different and very specific.

A lot of money has been spent on refurbishing the Chalkwell Avenue site, but this was necessary to fulfill regulatory requirements, without which the hospice would have been closed and the local community would have lost the provider of a most valuable service.

Fair Havens Hospice is already unable to accept all the people who would benefit from the care it offers.

Expansion of the services provided cannot be achieved without a new building.

The hospice management has arranged open meetings where people can voice their concerns and ask questions. I do hope the objectors take the opportunity to attend.

If they are then still opposed to the plans for a new Fair Havens, I just hope they never find themselves in a position where they need its services.

Roberta Nichols
Yeovil Chase
Westcliff