Children's hospice in bid to secure land for a permanent base
A CHILDREN'S hospice that has spent its first nine years without a permanent base may have its own home at last. Noah's Ark Children's Hospice provides practical, medical or emotional support to some 350 children with life-limiting illnesses and their f
A CHILDREN'S hospice that has spent its first nine years without a permanent base may have its own home at last.
Noah's Ark Children's Hospice provides practical, medical or emotional support to some 350 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
Michael McInerney founded the free respite care service in 1999, to care for youngsters from south Hertfordshire and north London.
After years with no fixed mooring, the Ark may at last have found a place to land - hospice bosses have made a bid to secure a building in Byng Road, Barnet.
On Sunday there will be an information day at the proposed new site, to discuss its future and the work of the hospice.
Diane Parry, fundraising development manager, told the Potters Bar Edition: "We are currently negotiating for a piece of land in Barnet and will know if we have been successful before summer.
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"At the moment we offer respite care to people in their own home.
"If we get the site in Barnet it may be useful for families in [Times Territory] to go to there rather than Keech Cottage Children's Hospice in Luton."
If the hospice's bid to secure the site is successful, the hard work will really begin - as it will need to raise �6m to fund the project.
Other plans for the year include the maintaining and increasing the charitable funding which is its sole income, and establishing a nursing-led team of trained carers.
The hospice needs businesses and individuals to keep the donations coming during the recession as the hospice relies totally on charitable donations.
This is backed by chief executive Gill Dodge, who has headed up the operation of the charity since August 2005.
She added: "'Helping more families, more often,' that has to be the motto underpinning our service development in 2009."
Everyone is welcome to attend the information day.
Pop along to Byng Road between 11am and 4pm.
If you would like to find out more about the hospice, events, how to donate or volunteer, visit www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk
