HOSPICE ISLE OF MAN RE-OPENS THERAPEUTIC DAY UNIT

Manx Lottery Trust has awarded Hospice Isle of Man a grant which has enabled it to increase resources and provide additional support to local patients.

The grant of £50,000 from the Trust’s Dormant Assets Fund assisted with the costs needed to re-launch a therapeutic day unit – a well-established and popular initiative, which previously halted due to Covid-19.

Hospice Isle of Man originally established the day unit for people with life limiting illnesses, carers, family members, or bereaved persons to attend interactive workshops in a social and psychologically safe environment. The Hospice team provide first-class holistic care and support helping people positively manage the way ill health impacts on them and their loved ones.

The charity has re-opened the day unit for one day a week and will offer a varied programme to give patients and their families the opportunity to make informed choices about what might be important to them. This may include reflecting on life experiences, important relationships they cultivated or the achievement of personal goals.

Funding has been put towards staff salaries, bank staff, refreshments, transport for patients and craft resources.

Vanessa Smith, Head of Income Generation at Hospice Isle of Man, said: ‘The Hospice ethos is to empower people to adapt to their new state of living, with dignity and compassion. Before it was paused during Covid, the feedback we received from those who attended our Day Unit was incredibly positive. Sadly, we have not been in a financial position to cover the cost of re-opening the Day Unit service, particularly with the cost of living crisis and falling income streams.

‘We are therefore extremely grateful for the generous support of the Manx Lottery Trust which has allowed us to restart this hugely beneficial service!’

Stephen Turner, Chairman of Manx Lottery Trust, said: ‘We’re pleased to be able to support Hospice IOM with the re-launch of the Therapeutic Day Unit. The service was a valued support system for many before it had to pause, and I’m sure it will offer comfort to many now it has resumed.’

To find out more about Hospice Isle of Man, head to www.hospice.org.im/

This grant has been awarded from Manx Lottery Trust’s Dormant Assets Fund. To find out more, head to: www.mlt.org.im/grant-programmes.