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The first phase of the Hospice has been completed with the opening of the Day Unit, education courses, Outreach team and our Appeals team. The new facility in Telford cost £5million to complete; it has eight en-suite bedrooms (not yet in use), and provides purpose built facilities for the Hospice to support patients at home for clinic visits, day care and, in the fullness of time, 24 hour care. It is hoped that part of the second phase, the in-patient unit, will open in 2008. This is subject to ongoing fundraising success as we rely on the public for over two thirds of our funding. The first days at Apley were emotional as patients said goodbye to the old Day Hospice, Portway House in Wellington, and were reunited with friends in their new environment. One of the first patients to use the new Day Hospice at Apley Castle was Robert Webb, who said ‘It feels like a family; when you walk in you are a member. Everyone is always willing to chat to you.’ Our aim is to enable people with progressive illness to lead as normal and high quality a life as possible. This can be achieved in many ways; for some people, the priority may be seeking medical advice to aid symptom control. For others, it might be receiving emotional support or relaxing in our jacuzzi bath or it might be trying a new skill, our diversional therapist organises many artistic and creative activities, which people are free to join in with as they wish.
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