Latest news with #StPeter'sHospice
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Gloucester: Friends raise thousands in memory of rugby campaigner
A group of friends and volunteers have raised more than £6,000 in honour of a rugby campaigner who fought to make the sport Morris, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, died following a brain tumour diagnosis on 25 November last year, at the age of Morris worked for Progressive Rugby, an advocacy group committed to improving player welfare by reducing the risk of concussions and brain money raised will be split between Head for Change, which supports ex-players with neurodegenerative diseases, and St Peter's Hospice, which cared for Mr Morris in his final days. Setting off from the Gloucester Rugby Club stadium in Kingsholm, Gloucester, on Friday morning, the group ended their cycle in Cardiff in the Welsh international Ian Gough, who took part in the cycle, has been part of Progressive Rugby since its inception. He told the BBC the organisation's aim was to make sure the game was "as safe as it possibly can be". "We don't want to take out the contact or what makes rugby great, but it's about making it safe so everyone can enjoy it," he added. Of Friday's cycling challenge he said: "If anyone wants to come out and push me up any hills or install a battery in my bike, I'm down."That's what rugby is like, when you're going through a bit of a dark place you've got your mates around to help and give you a little push," he added. "When you feel a bit better further on down the track, you can reciprocate that." Retired orthopaedic surgeon Prof John Fairclough, who was involved in the development of sports medicine and research in Wales and is a fellow member of Progressive Rugby, said: "It's terribly important that we recognise the impact that Tom made. "He brought together a group of people who were involved in concussions in sport, and injuries in sport, which produce long-term problems."The most important thing that Tom did was leave a legacy. It's incredible that after five years he managed to generate such a following of people who wanted to support what he had, which was the wish to carry on."To not stop rugby, which was his passion, but rather to make rugby the game that we all love, but to recognise there are dangers. "The legacy of Tom is the fact that we're all here today, all supporting people in the cycle race."
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Rising costs mean difficult decisions'
Hospice charities have warned "difficult decisions" could be on the horizon unless changes are made to "restrictive" government funding. On Wednesday, the government announced the release of £25 million for hospices across England, but this is reserved for facility upgrades and refurbishments only. Dorothy House Hospice Care, covering Bath and North East Somerset, is set to receive £298,000 of this funding and must spend it by the end of March. Facing a "significant rise" in demand and costs, hospices across the country have been rallying for a more sustainable, long-term funding solution for the sector. Stephen Kinnock, the minister for care, said the money would help "transform hospice facilities" across England. "Hospices provide invaluable care and support when people need it most and this funding boost will ensure they are able to continue delivering exceptional care in better, modernised facilities," he said. However, the cash is reserved for purchasing new medical equipment, improving gardens, refurbishing buildings, upgrading technology and modernising facilities. Penny Agent, chief operating officer for Dorothy House, said unless it received support with staffing costs, it would have no choice but to cut back on services. "We are really appreciative of this recent funding, however it is ringfenced, and we can only really use it on estate or capital use," Ms Agent said. "It's all well and good having a very pretty estate, but if you can't actually pay the staff who provide the care to our patients, it all crumbles." It currently costs Dorothy House £19 million per year to provide its services. Just 20% of this funding comes from government, with donations providing the rest. "The funding we receive has not kept pace with the increase in costs," Ms Agent explained. "Unless we get additional and appropriate funding, we're going to have to make some really difficult decisions around how we deliver our services." Susan Hamilton, CEO of St Peter's Hospice based in Bristol, said the charity supported around 3,000 patients per year, but that number was rapidly rising. "We welcome these ongoing discussions that the sector is having with government to achieve that sustainable solution," she said. "But this is only money for this year, the question is, what happens after that?" Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Zipline to run through city's iconic crescent Hospice must find £400k to cover rise in NI costs Hospices in England to receive £100m funding boost Dorothy House St Peter's Hospice
