Funding boost for Ipswich Hospice Care in trying times

Sunday, 12 July 2020

IPSWICH Hospice Care will continue to maintain its integral service for the community after a timely financial boost.

The seven-bed community facility received a $10,000 COVID-19 emergency grant from Hand Heart Pocket, which is the charity of Freemasons Queensland.

With hospice volunteers unable to undertake their usual fundraising activities in local shopping centres due to the pandemic, it is one of the larger donations received in recent months.

The facility provides a comfortable and homelike setting for palliative care patients and their families free of charge.

Ipswich Hospice Care director of nursing Carol Hope said the grant would go towards the purchase of vital equipment for the comfort of patients and refurbishing one of the older rooms.

"We strive to provide a peaceful place where terminally ill patients and their families can feel at home," she said.

"Each year, we enhance the quality of life of 200 patients from the West Moreton region, all of whom are cared for free of charge.

"However, we rely on the generosity of the public to help keep our services going, with an annual fundraising target of $1 million, so this grant is very much appreciated, given that our donations have decreased this year as a result of the pandemic."

Caledonian Freemasons Lodge representative James Hogg said they nominated the local hospice for the funding.

"Quality end of life care is vital in any community, so we are pleased to have championed this grant to support local palliative care services in our area," he said.

Hand Heart Pocket chief executive officer Gary Mark said the charity was focused on assisting its existing charity partners and working with Freemason lodges to increase support at a grassroots level during the coronavirus pandemic.

"So far, Hand Heart Pocket has provided more than $750,000 in COVID-19 emergency support and grassroots community grants to charities across Queensland during the pandemic," he said.

"Ipswich Hospice Care provides an essential service for the region, and we are glad we could provide this extra support at a time when they needed it the most."