St Columba's Hospice brick appeal tops £100,000

Published on Monday 5 July 2010 09:41

THE Evening News-backed campaign to raise funds to rebuild the city's St Columba's Hospice has soared past the £100,000 mark in under three months.

An incredible response from readers and fundraisers has kick-started the four-year project to find the 7 million needed to complete the rebuild.

Readers across the Lothians have carried out a range of activities and challenges as part of the Buy a Brick campaign, which was launched in April.

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However, with millions still to raise, the Evening News is asking people to donate whatever they can to keep the momentum going.

Lesley Christie, the hospice's fundraising director, said the response to the campaign had been extraordinary.

She said: "We're extremely grateful for the support our community has shown to us so far.

"However, we still have a lot more to raise to help us undertake a much needed redevelopment of our hospice. We're calling on people to dig deep and give whatever they can to help us. If only 10,000 people give 15 a month over the four-year rebuild project, we will have raised the 7m that we still need."

The project will transform and modernise the current buildings and facilities, adding more single rooms for patients. There will also be extra space in all patient rooms for families to stay, more family rooms, and upgraded catering, laundry and administration facilities. A new Centre for Excellence in Palliative Care will also be built to further develop the hospice's education programme in palliative care.

Tom Little, editor of the Evening News, said: "The generous reaction of News readers to our appeal shows just how much local people care for this caring institution."

Among those who have got involved so far are police officer Tom Dunnigan, and Sarah Broadley from Leith.

Mr Dunnigan set off in blizzard conditions to cycle from John o' Groats to Land's End in just ten days, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

However, the 38-year-old – whose father Frank passed away 15 years ago at St Columba's following a five-year battle with lung cancer – raised so much that he was able to donate 1,000 to the hospice as part of the Buy a Brick campaign.

Meanwhile, Ms Broadley organised a gathering for 250 women to wear their old wedding dresses in Leith last month.

The 36-year-old, whose mother Mary Steele was treated at the hospice before her death in October 2006, auctioned a Hearts football strip signed by the team, a ball signed by the Hibs squad, and a cycling jersey signed by Sir Chris Hoy, as well as taking hundreds of pounds on the door.

The first phase of work on the development, which is costing 26m in total, is set to get under way later this year.