Peterborough hospice to get £50,000 cash boost in charity partnership deal with leading city employer

Staff at insurance giant BGL Group's offices in Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, and in Bretton, voted for the hospice as the charity they wanted to support for the next two years.

It means the Sue Ryder hospice will get an immediate donation of £50,000 and will benefit from the fund raising ventures of the 1,900 BGL staff who work in Peterborough.

The partnership follows the launch of BGL's new regional charity partnership programme, called the BGL Make a Difference Fund.

The cash gift will help fund a Clinical Educator role at the hospice.

The Clinical Educator will ensure every member of staff at the hospice, volunteers and those working with people at the end of their lives in other settings have up-to-date knowledge and skills to enable them to provide the best care.

Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice is the only specialist palliative care inpatient unit in Peterborough. It provides expert palliative care and support for people who are living with life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families.

The hospice says the role will be instrumental in developing the hospice workforce and will make a significant contribution to the development of the wider healthcare workforce in the region.

BGL’s chief executive Matthew Donaldson said: “Supporting the community is part of who we are at BGL.

"We are delighted to partner with Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice to make a real difference to the many people who will benefit from this project.

"We will be supporting them not just with substantial funding but with our people’s time.

“The success of our existing community programme is very much down to the commitment of our people and I know this is a cause close to their hearts.”

Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice’s Director, Allison Mann, said: “Thank you to everyone at BGL for their kind support.

"Our doctors, nurses, carers and volunteers give people the compassion and expert palliative care they need to help them live the best life they possibly can.

"The role of education and training plays a vital role in helping us to be able to deliver this care.

"We are looking forward to working with BGL over the coming months.”

More than 70 organisations applied to be a partner charity with BGL and Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice was selected for Peterborough after a shortlist was put to a company vote.

The BGL Group is aiming to positively impact 250,000 lives and donate £3 million to good causes by 2020 raised across its sites in the UK and France.