ellenor joins Kent’s hospices in asking the county to leave a gift in their will

Hospices across Kent have come together for the first time ever, to change perceptions of hospice care and highlight the vital importance gifts in wills has in providing this much-needed care.

ellenor is joining six other hospices across Kent, to join the 2-week national ‘This is Hospice Care’ campaign aimed at highlighting the importance of leaving a gift in a will, and the significant proportion it contributes to annual funding for the care we provide to adults and children across North Kent and Bexley.

ellenor, Demelza, Community Hospice, Wisdom Hospice Charity, Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent, Hospice in the Weald and Heart of Kent Hospice, have come together for the very first time, to appeal to our joint population of 2 million.

The seven hospices are taking part in national awareness campaign and appeal from Hospice UK, which launches today (Mon Feb 17).
The campaign includes a powerful national TV campaign based on real life stories from people who have experienced hospice care. It challenges misconceptions about hospices, showing the breadth of care and support they provide beyond clinical, highlighting their place at the heart of local communities. 

Hospices in Kent unite
Staff representing each of the hospices came together at ellenor in Gravesend, to highlight the parts of hospice care which are unknown to the wider public, each holding an image of someone who is a part of their hospice’s story – staff, volunteers, patients and supporters.

In addition to palliative care, Kent’s hospices provide a wide range of holistic care for patients and those closest to them – different hospices provide different care, including pre and post bereavement support, counselling, peer support groups, physical activity groups, music therapy, arts and crafts and creative activities, financial support, and drop-ins.

ellenor’s care is very much centred around living well for the time that’s left – our new wellbeing centre, opened in November (2024), allows us to offer so much more, under ellenor’s roof.

Thanks to the generosity of people who have left a gift in their will, 14% of ellenor’s annual income is from gifts in wills, helping us to continue supporting not only patients, but those close to them too – who also need support after a life-limiting diagnosis.

Sitting at the heart of the community we serve, ellenor often reaches people in many ways – not always through patient care.
They might have supported in a different way, such as taking part in one of our events, visited a shop, bought a raffle ticket, donated a prize, played in our lottery or volunteered.

New data released from Hospice UK suggests legacy donations to hospices in Great Britain fund the equivalent of hospice care for 30,000 people per year.

How people of North Kent & Bexley can help
ellenor’s Director of Income Generation Sue Piper, said: We’ve come together to ask the people of Kent, to consider leaving a gift in their will to their local hospice, to ensure that the vital care they provide is secured for future generations.
“A misconception about hospices is that only large legacies are welcome – but a gift in a will can be any size.
“Gifts can be pledged as a set amount, a proportion of their estate or specific assets, such as property or shares, which can then be sold to fund care. This flexibility means that any gift of any size will positively impact the care of people to live well from diagnosis of a life-limiting condition, until the end of their life.”

Hospice funding – the national picture
Last year, many hospices across the country were forced to announce cuts to services and jobs following spiralling costs and a surge in demand for care, which is expected to increase by 25% by 2040. Government intervention before Christmas saw a welcome £100m capital funding boost for both adult and children's hospices, and an additional £26m grant for children's hospices, but this short-term injection of funds does not solve the ongoing funding crisis affecting the sector. The campaign is hoping to secure hospice funding for the long-term future. 

Catherine Bosworth, Director of Income Generation and Grants at Hospice UK, says:
“It is great to see hospices in Kent come together to celebrate and raise awareness of the impact that gifts in wills have on quality of life and death for adults and children across the county. Hospices rely on charitable donations to keep their doors open, which is why we're asking everyone to consider leaving a gift in their will to a hospice close to their heart. By doing so, you can help us continue to provide this vital care, ensuring that everyone has the support they need for generations to come.”

The amount of NHS support that hospices receive varies, but the hospices involved in the campaign must raise millions of pounds each year to supplement the NHS funds.
Across the hospice sector nationally, gifts in wills make up 46% of total fundraised income, compared to 28% in the wider charity sector. This method of giving provides almost £180m of funding to hospices every year.

The campaign website launches today – find out more and watch the TV advert here:
www.thisishospicecare.org.uk

The website also helps people find their local adult or children’s hospice, ensuring that the legacy they leave will directly help members of their community.