OCTOBER: Ros Taylor at the site when the foundations were being dug.
Every brick and every dab of mortar used to create the new look Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted is testimony to the generosity of local people who have donated to the building appeal.
As these pictures show the project is smack bang on schedule and will be completed before the end of the year.
But none of it would have happened without the steady flow of cash that has come in. Small children have emptied their moneyboxes to make gifts of perhaps just 20p or 30p and so far the largest single gift from a private individual has been a staggering £50,000. No matter how small or how large the gift every penny goes towards the £2.5million needed for the new purpose-built facility at Shootersway.
Readers of The Gazette and our sister paper the HeraldExpress have done their bit and have already contributed £200,000 to the hospice's Dig Deep appeal.
Once finished the new facility will enable the dedicated hospice staff and volunteers to offer so much more to those who need the care and their families. The work of the hospice will be totally centred on the one site instead of being split between three. The new building will cater for 14 patients rather than just eight that can be cared for at present. There will be room and facilities to give more privacy to patients and their loved ones at times of need.
The day hospice facility will also be expanded from two days to three and there will be room for 12 patients instead of the limit of eight who can be accommodated at present.
With the new buildings now clearly taking shape project manager Gordon Yearwood said: "It's all going excellently. It's totally on schedule and will be completed before the end of the year. All the brickwork is completed and about 80 per cent of the roof is done. We have started on the plastering and under floor heating."
Gordon added that they have managed to avoid making the new hospice look too institutional.
He said: "It's really taking shape and it's looking like a friendly and inviting building which is a hard thing to do, but it's coming across.
"This is what the money is being used for and you couldn't get a better use of the money.
"We are spending it wisely."
NOVEMBER: hospice staff take a trip to the see the early stages of the building work.
APRIL: the inside of one of the buildings.
APRIL: hospice staff look at the site plans at a recent visit
APRIL: builders start putting on the roof.
APRIL: the Shootersway building at the present time.
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