Hayward House Appeal reaches first fundraising milestone

Our appeal to raise £1.5 million for Hayward House specialist palliative care unit, at Nottingham City Hospital, has reached its first significant fundraising milestone.

The Hayward House Appeal was launched in March 2022, and has now reached its first fundraising milestone of £250,000 – enabling work on the centre’s garden to begin, alongside the ongoing services and support funded by Nottingham Hospitals Charity.

The first phase of the appeal aimed to raise £250,000 for transformative enhancements to the unit’s garden area, including improved accessibility for patients, and a new ‘contemplation zone’ where patients, family members or staff can spend time with their thoughts away from the busy hospital environment.

Money raised through the appeal will also fund ongoing services and support for patients, such as counselling, emotional support and complementary therapy.

Hayward House is a unique home-from-home environment, where patients with life-limiting illnesses, including those at the end of their life, are cared for by a team of staff trained in palliative care. More than 1,000 patients are treated at the centre each year, including in outpatients clinics, on the inpatient unit, and at a special day therapy centre.

The £1.5 million Hayward House Appeal will help to fund a range of enhancements to the specialist palliative care unit, including improvements to the garden area, a more welcoming reception and waiting area, and an expansion of the centre’s research and training facilities. 

Barbara Cathcart, Chief Executive of Nottingham Hospitals Charity, said:

“We are delighted that we have reached our first target within the Hayward House Appeal and are able to begin working with landscape gardeners and hospital staff to create a range of enhancements to the Hayward House garden.

“In a city hospital it can be rare to find such a lovely, green space, and we would like to provide better access, facilities and garden furniture to help make the most of this special area. This will give patients and their families a place to go and spend precious time together, away from the ward environment, in pretty and peaceful surroundings.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has donated to the Hayward House Appeal so far, to help make this first step of our plans possible.”

Sarah Radcliffe, Assistant Divisional Nurse and Palliative and End of Life Lead at Nottingham Hospitals, said:

“Staff at Hayward House work hard to provide a high standard of holistic care for patients and families who are in need of palliative and end of life care. This appeal will enhance the environment for patients and their families, and we are really pleased that the first fundraising milestone has been reached, and plans for the garden area can commence.

“The garden is a very special space, and relatives often go there for some time to reflect. We hope that the improvements funded by the appeal will allow more patients to be able to access the garden and spend time outdoors, either just to enjoy the fresh air, or to spend time with their loved ones somewhere special."

Colette Farley, whose mother Margaret Farley – known as ‘Angela’ – was treated at Hayward House until she passed away in November 2021, said:

“Hayward House is such a beautiful place, and my mum received such loving care there. The garden is wonderful, it’s such a beautiful oasis in the middle of the hospital – when I was visiting my mum it gave me somewhere to sit and reflect. My only regret was that my mum didn’t feel able to get outside and spend time in the garden, so I would love to see it become more accessible to patients.

“The day I lost my mum was a beautiful autumn day and the last thing she asked me was ‘What’s the weather like?’ I told her it was a beautiful, sunny day. When you’re at that time of your life, you want to see some natural beauty around you and be able to spend time outdoors. The contemplation zone sounds like a wonderful idea, having the time and headspace to come and reconnect with nature in such a beautiful oasis.

“The care my mum received at Hayward House was absolutely second to none, and it’s an honour to be involved in helping improve facilities for future patients and families. Being involved in the Hayward House Appeal has been a positive focus for me in the year since I lost my mum. I’m so thrilled that the first milestone has been reached in such a short time.”