Latest news with #Zoe'sPlace
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New home for Zoe's Place officially signed off by Liverpool Council
Plans for the new home for a much-loved Liverpool children's hospice have been officially rubber stamped by city council planners. Last Autumn, just weeks after a new £3.5m location for Zoe's Place was signed off, the future of the site was plunged into turmoil after it was revealed that fundraising issues had emerged. Fears rose that jobs would be lost and a vital centre that supports families throughout the city and beyond would be lost for good. After a remarkable campaign that brought people together from all walks of life, the millions of pounds needed to keep Zoe's Place going was found. It was confirmed last month that a new independent city charity had been created to allow services to continue. Liverpool Council's planning committee has now signed off formally on the plans put forward for a new home for the charity at Hayman's Green in West Derby. READ MORE: Victims of Liverpool parade named for first time READ MORE: Why the media can't name six of those hurt in Liverpool parade crash Members of the committee gave the green light to proposals in September last year, subject to a legal agreement regarding biodiversity net gain through the purchase of an off-site biodiversity unit worth £25,000. However, officers conceded they had made an error in holding up the approval during a meeting at Liverpool Town Hall earlier today. As a result, the plans can now go ahead as envisioned, with the new single storey development able to support six young people and their families. Officers also gave the green light for a grade II listed former disused church to be repurposed as a meeting place for the city's Kurdish community. For the past 21 years, the former Church of Protestant Martyrs on Salisbury Road has sat dilapidated. In that time it has been subject to trespass, vandalism, theft, and damage from fire and water ingress. Bulldozers had been proposed for the church during its long malaise but an organised campaign secured its place on the listed register almost a decade ago. The site will now be transformed into a centre to be used by the city's Kurdish community, managed by the local Salahaddin Community Organisation. During the building's vacancy several alternative uses have been considered, but not have been financially viable. One scheme that won't go ahead as yet is a new start for the former Bogans Carpets warehouse on New Bird Street. The site has been subject to a number of proposed designs ever since, with Liverpool Council turning down plans in 2022 for an American-style co-living scheme. Ascot Luxury Living Limited had sought permission from the city's planning committee to develop 194 new apartments on the site in a block up to 10 storeys high. However concerns were raised by former Lord Mayor Cllr Richard Kemp about the amount of affordable homes as part of the development. As a result, the application was deferred to allow for further viability studies.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Four MPs visit North East baby hospice struggling to survive on local fundraising
Zoe's Place baby hospice in Middlesbrough welcomed four local MPs as they highlighted the need for greater financial support to sustain and expand its services. Anna Turley (MP for Redcar), Luke Myer (MP for Middlesbrough South and Cleveland), Andy McDonald (MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East), and Chris McDonald (MP for Stockton North) visited the hospice to witness firsthand the essential care provided to some of the region's most vulnerable children. MPs around the table with the leadership team of Zoe's Place Middlesbrough (Image: ZOE'S PLACE) The visit, on Friday (February 7), provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by the hospice, particularly around funding and long-term sustainability, to ensure families continue to receive the vital care they rely on. With 70 per cent of its income dependent on local fundraising, Zoe's Place, like many other children's hospices, faces growing financial pressures. The announcements in last year's Budget of increased Employers NI and minimum wage costs mean that they cannot increase their opening hours, leaving families waiting for the specialist care they desperately need. MPs with Joan Stainsby Exec Trustee (Image: ZOE'S PLACE) While demand for its services remains high, funding constraints mean the hospice cannot currently recruit additional staff, thereby limiting its capacity to offer more support to families in the region. Despite these challenges, Zoe's Place remains committed to delivering the highest standard of care, offering palliative and respite support that brings comfort, relief, and joy to families facing incredibly difficult circumstances. MPs being given a tour round the hospice by Deputy Head of Care, Ashleigh Rickards (Image: ZOE'S PLACE) The MPs' visit helped highlight the need for more equitable and sustainable funding for children's hospices and explored ways to work together to safeguard these essential services into the future. READ MORE: Zoe's Place Middlesbrough needs help fundraising as Liverpool closes When Zoe's Place, Middlesbrough made a desperate appeal Annual Christmas Light Switch-On at Zoe's Place Baby Hospice Joan Stainsby, Executive Trustee at Zoe's Place, said: 'At Zoe's Place, we are dedicated to creating a warm, loving environment for babies and young children with complex medical needs. "We know how much our care means to the families we support, and we want to ensure we can continue providing this essential service for years to come. "We are grateful for the opportunity to welcome local MPs and discuss how we can work together to strengthen and improve hospice care for the future.'
