Our history

Weston Hospicecare was founded by a small group of people associated with Christ Church in Montpelier. They had a vision, that “There must be something better for those who are in need of end of life care”.

After 18 months of planning, the support from local doctors and donations from individuals and community groups, the charity was officially launch and an office was opened at 7 The Boulevard, Weston-super-Mare.

A shop in Baker Street was offered to the hospice. Volunteers cleaned, painted and stocked the shelves. £70 was raised in the first day and ‘Weston Hospicecare Mart’ was in business.

Shop income, coupled with non-stop fundraising efforts led to the appointment of two Clinical Nurse Specialist who visited people in their homes to offer care, advice and pain relief.

Volunteers received bereavement training and met the first hospice Grief Counsellor for adults and children.

A group of volunteers were trained to provide non-stop nursing support to patients and their carers.

Day hospice care began and the very first Mendip Challenge took place. Today, it is the hospice’s biggest participation and fundraising event.

Weston Hospicecare purchase Branton House after an abundance of public donations. Several rooms were used to care for Day Hospice patients.

Community Nurses make 753 visits to patients in their own homes. Meanwhile, the inaugural Christmas remembrance event takes place and the Friends of the Hospice ramp up fundraising activity.

Jill Dando was welcomed as a patron and headed up ‘The Mercury Millennium Appeal’ for a new inpatient unit. The hospice now employed seven nurses and day hospice provided care for four days a week.

The hospice received a sizeable level of funding from the lottery for a new inpatient unit. The charity received £303,000 which was invested in producing the facility at Branton House.

It also covered the cost of 11 nurses, a bank of 20 cover nurses, two unit assistants and a clinical assistant to provide extra cover.

140 patients had already been cared for in the IPU. The need for more beds was urgent so the conservatory was adapted to take an additional bed.

The very first Hospice Guardian, Enid Sybil Jackson-Barstow, left a gift in her will to the hospice.

Jackson-Barstow House in Uphill was purchased. This remains the home of Weston Hospicecare today.