Thirty years ago today (Feb 5) the first public meeting was held that led to the founding of Darlington’s own hospice. SARAH FRENCH looks at how the movement developed and hears about its big plans for the future

IT BEGAN simply with a letter that posed the question: could Darlington have its own hospice?

Inspired by what was happening elsewhere in the country following the work of Dame Cicely Saunders, credited as the pioneer of the modern day hospice movement, Yvonne Rowe put pen to paper because her friend Mary Hester was seriously ill.

Her letter, published in the Evening Despatch newspaper in November 1985, started the ball rolling in Darlington, although Yvonne admitted, modestly, that while she and a group of friends thought it was a good idea, they did not have the know-how to make it happen.

Others did, and motivated by Yvonne’s charming letter, a public meeting was held in the Dolphin Centre 30 years ago today (Friday, February 5) that led to the formation of a steering group to drive the concept forward.

Yvonne’s prompt came at something of a boom time for the movement with many hospice charities starting up, though chairman Dr Harry Byrne says the Darlington campaign should not be underestimated.

He says: “Yvonne’s letter was inspirational, but in a lot of other towns the size of Darlington it would have fallen on deaf ears. The fact that it led to what we have today is testament to the can-do spirit here.

“There wasn’t a lot of cooperation between GPs then and, in spite of the fact that we all knew it could be better, it took a letter from a member of the public to promote a public response.”

The temptation to rush headlong into opening a building for in-patients, however, was tempered by former chairman Dr Roger James. He felt the concept should start gradually by providing a sitting service for patients in their own home. It gave carers respite knowing their loved ones were in safe hands, thereby meeting Yvonne’s aspirations for care and comfort for patients and their families.

Hospice at Home, as it became known, was established as a cornerstone service and, from the outset, laid a firm foundation for the organisation in the local community, an ethos that has been critical to its continued success.

Chief executive Jane Bradshaw explains: “From day one when it was started by people in the town, the community of Darlington has been behind the hospice. Without that support it could not have continued and it’s because of that support that we have been able to develop our services to meet local need.”

As hospice staff and volunteers established the service, meeting more and more patients, it became clear there was demand for day care services provided at a location they could visit, to enjoy a change of scenery and the company of others. Although fundraising was on-going, the significant funds needed for a building was helped when the Carmelite convent sold some land and donated the proceeds towards a permanent hospice base. As a tribute the house was named after their patron saint and St Teresa's Hospice day centre was born at Harewood House, off Grange Road.

“It's not unusual for hospices to be named after saints, but we do need to make it clear that we are non-denominational and provide free care for everyone regardless of background,” explains Jane.

With the continued need for respite care, the hospice planned from an early stage to work towards providing an in-patient service. Harewood House, however, was impractical for this so, in 1998, the hospice moved to its current base in Woodland Road, an ideal location with its proximity to the hospital, town centre and major bus routes, yet private and an oasis of green.

Many people have benefited from the six-bed unit The Woodlands provides, although it has limitations. Maintaining the correct temperature is challenging in an old property and access to rooms can be difficult as the stretcher lift can only reach three bedrooms.

With demand for in-patient care increasing, and the hospice’s inherent pioneering spirit, work towards funding a new, purpose-built unit began in 2015. The single storey, ten-bed suite costing £1.2m is due to be handed over this spring.

The existing six-bed unit in the old Woodlands building will remain a day centre for a host of activities from specialists clinics to the hospice’s bespoke Choices rehabilitation programme for day patients.

None of the hospice's work would be possible without raising its £2.2m annual running costs. Donations and fundraising account for 70 per cent of the total, with the remaining 30 per cent coming from contract work.

Although the fundraising is a challenge, it’s a price worth paying for a proud charity.

Jane explains: “If we weren’t a charity, we would not be the organisation we are, providing hospice services that are embedded in the community.

“Our motto is Giving to Life. We’re very much about providing care that helps people to live with whatever illness they have, to give them back some control and help them make the end of life choices that are right for them and their families.”

It sounds exactly as Yvonne and everyone who attended that first public meeting hoped for.

Darlington mayor Tom Nutt will host an event marking the hospice's 30th anniversary at the Town Hall today (Friday, February 5) attended by more than 50 key figures in the organisation's establishment and development.