Rowcroft Hospice opens new philanthropy role to help thousands of people
A unique opportunity to make an incredible difference in people’s lives has been unveiled by South Devon-based Rowcroft Hospice, as it begins the search for the person to lead the new Ella Rowcroft Endowment Fund.
As part of its strategy to develop more long term income to fund its ambitions, the hospice has recently launched the Ella Rowcroft Endowment Trust with the goal of raising £5 million over the next five years.
The Trust has been set up to build a long-term income stream for the hospice, giving donors the opportunity to leave a legacy that will help to secure Rowcroft’s work for the future, directly benefiting patients now and for decades to come.
The fund will be a pivotal part of the charity’s efforts to provide end-of-life care and specialist palliative support, free, to thousands of patients and their families in Devon.
After the tough two years of the pandemic, as demand for services grows, charity chief executive Mark Hawkins believes there has never been a more important time to start this new initiative.
He said: “So many people have had an incredibly tough time these past two years, losing loved ones, not being able to say goodbye in the way they wanted. This role will not only help to provide the highest possible quality of life for our patients, but it will leave a legacy of high quality, dignified care for more people in the future. Philanthropic work is hugely rewarding. This is about the opportunity to change so many people’s lives for the better.”
Supporting more than 2,400 patients every year, 80 per cent of the care provided by Rowcroft is in patients’ homes. The charity is now able to support one in three people in the local community, with ambitions to increase this to two thirds by 2030.
As the elderly population continues to rise, along with an increase in the number of people living longer and with more complex health needs, demand for care is expected to continue to grow, placing more pressure on charities like Rowcroft.
Mark said: “Although eighty percent of people in the UK say they want to spend the end of their lives in the comfort of their own home, less than a quarter are currently able to do so. The pandemic has highlighted just how precious that time is, and how important it is that people get to spend it with loved ones.
“Our aim is to ensure that as many people as possible are able to spend the end of their lives as they wish, and to play our part by continuing to provide the highest quality care, whether in our dedicated hospice, or in people’s homes.”
The Head of Philanthropy will lead on the major gifts income stream for the Ella Rowcroft Trust; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to leave a legacy for the future of the hospice. The paid role will centre around building relationships for the charity, developing long-term funds to support the hospice’s vital work.
For more details about the job, email info@ellarowcroft.org.uk or call 01803 210823.
To find out more about the Ella Rowcroft Endowment Trust, visit https://ellarowcroft.org.uk/
