Under-pressure charity saved by merger with its neighbour

Charity

A small hospice charity has been saved after its larger neighbour stepped in to agree a merger.

The 31-year-old Bedford Daycare Hospice said it had found it “challenging” to sustain the charity in recent years.

But, following negotiations, the organisation has today revealed its merger with Keech Hospice Care, whose staff levels are 10 times higher than BDH’s.

BDH provides day care to adults in north and mid-Bedfordshire living with a life-limiting condition. It has a hospice in Linden Road, Bedford.

Its most recent accounts, for the year ending 31 March 2022, show that its income was £597,000 and its expenditure £508,000. It has 26 employees and 60 volunteers.

Keech Hospice Care provides care for adults in Luton and south Bedfordshire, and children throughout Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. Its hospice is in Luton.

Its most recent accounts, for the year ending 31 March 2022, show that its income was £15.9m and its expenditure almost £11m. It has 273 employees and 1,466 volunteers.

In a joint press statement, the organisations said: “The main purposes of the merger are to sustain the future of Bedford Daycare Hospice and to ensure that more people can benefit from the range of services offered by both charities.” 

Liz Searle, chief executive of Keech Hospice Care, will be chief executive of the merged organisation, which will use her charitys name.

Searle said: “The merger serves to strengthen and enhance our current range of services and our combined efforts will ensure even more people in our community benefit from them.”

All jobs at both organisations will remain secure, according to the statement.

Both hospices will remain open and in their current locations and shops run by BDH and Keech Hospice Care will continue to operate.

Donald Parsons, chair of trustees at BDH, said: “Bedford Daycare Hospice has a long history of providing comprehensive care for the people of Bedford.

“Over the years, sustaining the charity has sometimes been challenging. However, we are delighted to be merging with Keech Hospice Care, a charity that shares our vision and values.

“By merging together there is a bright and secure future and the opportunity to continue to expand services for our local community.”

Searle added: “The only change we will experience, which is a positive one, is that our services will grow and be available to more patients and families, where there are gaps.

“Volunteers will continue to be a major and important part of what we do and how we do it. We hope the merged organisation will create even more opportunities for further volunteers to get involved.”

The merger takes place with immediate effect.

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