Readers of the North Wales Weekly News can take much of the credit for securing a £480,000 grant which will allow St David’s Hospice in Llandudno to continue and expand its work.
Grateful hospice chiefs say that without the Trinity Mirror paper’s vigorous campaign in support of their application to the Welsh Assembly and the fantastic response of readers to boost the charity’s funds, its survival was at risk.
The announcement by health minister Jane Hutt that she has approved the funding – to be spread over two years – has given a massive morale boost to hospice staff.
Hospice chief executive Joe Ashton said the Weekly News’ campaign was the significant factor in ensuring the latest submission for cash support was successful after an initial application for the grant was turned down by the Assembly.
The hospice was successful last year in gaining a £250,000 slice of a £10m pot allocated by the Assembly to help hospices throughout Wales.
But the application for this year and next was turned down because the Assembly was not happy that the hospice was financially viable and had close enough links with the NHS.
The Weekly News stressed the value of the work done by the hospice and persuaded Hutt to pay her first visit..
“I saw at first hand the good work being carried out at the hospice,” she said.
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