There's just five months to go until a major refurbishment is complete at Macclesfield's East Cheshire Hospice.

It concerns a sprucing up and extension to the existing Sunflower Wellbeing Centre, a daycare unit.

Plans were approved in January 2023 by Cheshire East Council.

The Millbank Drive good cause provides care for those affected with life-limiting illnesses, and have told Macclesfield Nub News what to expect from the renovations.

East Cheshire Hospice is investing in its facilities to meet the growing demand for, and to future-proof its services.

Rachel Allcock is Income Generation Director at the Hospice located in the Upton Priory area of Macclesfield.

"The new Sunflower Wellbeing Centre will be a valuable resource for the community," she said.

"We anticipate being able to accommodate local support groups and other community activities.

"It's an exciting project and something we've wanted to carry out for a long time, but just haven't been able to do.

The works will cost over £1.2m.

"The previous centre served us well, but was no longer fit for purpose. We've saved money over time to fund the project, knowing that at some stage we wanted to undertake this work.

"We've also applied for specific grants and trust donations so that no income from fundraising which covers day-to-day running costs will be used."

The cost of the refurbishment is £1,252,333.

Work commenced in June and should be completed in January 2024 (approximately 26 weeks).

During the refurbishments Day Hospice and Outpatient Services have been relocated to other areas of the Hospice and the number of patients using these services reduced.

Construction will only take place within the hours of 8 am and 6 pm on weekdays and 9 am – 2 pm on Saturdays.

The refurbishments will be made with sustainability in mind.

Centre running costs are not envisaged to increase significantly as the operational floor space is being extended only slightly. Any increased heating costs as a result of extended opening hours will be offset in part by the use of more efficient heating/cooling systems and the solar panelled roof.

East Cheshire Hospice Marketing Manager Luke Brightmore had more to add on the development.

Macclesfield: What do you make of the plans?

"As a community-centred organisation, East Cheshire Hospice and its contemporaries have a responsibility to foster a sustainable and environmentally conscious society," he said.

"By doing our part for the environment, we can contribute to the well-being of patients, staff, and the broader community while leaving a positive impact on the world around us. Not just now, but in 50 years and beyond as well."

The Hospice, which is 36-years-old, relies on donations from the public. It is one of the best-known brands in Macclesfield.

In a further statement, the Hospice said: "The proposed radical design, developed over the past three years and based on patient, staff and volunteer experiences, reflects changes to how the whole site will be used to support outpatients, day hospice users and those staying with us for symptom management.

East Cheshire Hospice is a warm and welcoming space for adults facing life limiting illness. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

"The design involves creating independent access routes to the increased number of spaces, which means that more services can operate simultaneously. Furthermore, extended seven-day working will facilitate greater community engagement and improve integration with the local healthcare strategy of living well for longer.

"Once reopened the newly refurbished centre will give us the perfect opportunity to relaunch existing services, promote new activity and collaborate with health care professionals, faith and community groups to increase our overall engagement.

"We will work hard to meet the rising demand for Hospice services in the months and years following the refurbishment, recognising that we may never have enough resources to solve all the issues for all of those affect by a life limiting illness.

"We fully expect our patient and carer capacity to increase from a weekly current rate of 179 to 400 people within two years following the refurbishment."

In other news, the Macclesfield charity are hosting upcoming fundraising events like Pie and Pint, Trek Iceland, and Fire and Ice Walk.

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