A hospice charity which reopened last year is appealing for help as it struggles to support their clinical care service.

Michael Sobell Hospice Charity at Mount Vernon in Northwood is facing huge financial shortfalls after closing its three charity shops, cancelling events and fundraising opportunities due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The hospice inpatient unit held a reopening event on December 14, 2019, after a three-month refurbishment project costing the charity over £385,000 from its funding reserves pot.

The inpatient unit initially closed due to previously identified health and safety issues.

After recovering from such previous costs, and the current burden placed by the coronavirus pandemic, the hospice is appealing for help from others.

Ophelia Chambers-Henry, the events manager at the hospice charity, said: “It’s a devastating time for the charity fundraising team.

“We need our supporters now more than ever.

“It was only last year that the local community fought to help us reopen the hospice inpatient unit, which saw an incredible refurbishment project undertaken and completed, costing the charity over £385 from its funding reserves pot.

“Yet now, due to Covid-19 we are experiencing a new setback to how we can continue to raise funds.

“Michael Sobell Hospice relies on the generosity of its valued supporters to help in funding the care and support of local people with life limiting illness in their time of need.”

She added: “In simple terms, we need to raise £5,750 a day to support our 10-bedded inpatient and day therapy unit – 60 per cent of the funding needed to support the specialist clinical care services, and in addition, those ‘little extras’ which make hospice care so special.

“Every donation made (however small) takes us one step closer to preventing the Hospice from closing and allows us to help patients who need our support right now– and for many more months to come.”

To make a donation to Michael Sobell Hospice, visit the Charity website at www.michaelsobellhospice.co.uk, or send via post at Fundraising Office, Michael Sobell Hospice, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, WD3 1PZ.