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After years of planning and fundraising, the ground is broken and work can now begin on extensive upgrades at Franklin Hospice.
“We are absolutely thrilled,” chief executive Lydia Charteris says. “This is an incredibly important milestone for our community and one that has been a long time in the making.”
As previously reported, the new facility will ensure the hospice grows alongside the Franklin community.
“It will enable us to provide a much higher level of care, comfort and support for patients and their whānau at what is often the most difficult time in their lives. It has been thoughtfully designed to create a peaceful, welcoming environment so people can receive compassionate, specialist care in a setting that truly feels like home.”
As our last edition went to print, guests braved the weather to attend a groundbreaking event complete with a heart-felt blessing by kaumātua Robert Clark (Ngaati Tiipa).
“It went really well,” Charteris confirms. “We had an amazing turnout and everyone enjoyed themselves. The blessing was beautiful and felt very special. The rain held off. It was a bit cold, but everyone was prepared and dressed appropriately. We had to loosen the soil before asking people to dig – it definitely wasn’t muddy!”
For decades, the hospice has featured in the lives of many Frankliners. The new facility is intended to help future-proof its care in one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing regions.
This is no mere add-on – the (approximately) $7.5 million project will take 12–18 months to complete. The new hub will include spaces for clinical care as well as for families, bereavement support, education, volunteers and the wider community.
“It’s much more than a building project. It’s also a story about a community rallying together to ensure local people can access compassionate, specialist palliative care close to home, surrounded by whānau and familiarity,” Charteris adds.
“[The groundbreaking] is an exciting step forward, but we still need to raise around $3 million to bring the full vision to life.”
For details or to donate visit franklinhospice.org.nz. franklinhospice.org.nz.
