News Date: Tuesday 20th December 2005
Tim on crusade to save Children's Hospices.
East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton has called on the Government to step in and ensure that children's hospices receive the same amount of funding as adult hospices.
Children's hospices receive on average just over 5% funding from the state and there is no guidance given by central Government about the amount of money they should receive. This means that children's hospices have to rely almost entirely on fundraising and charitable donations from companies, charitable trusts and individuals.
The current crisis has arisen because money provided by the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund is due to run out in three months time.
Tim commented:
"Worthing's own children's hospice the Chestnut Tree house is one of fifteen that receive zero funds from the public purse. It continually amazes me that they find enough money to provide the excellent service that they do. Indeed, we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the carers of the children who use children's hospices. They do a great amount of work for which they get little gratitude and without them the burden on the state would be immense.
"I have been campaigning on this issue for a number of years and the Government have, for some time, been aware that Lottery funding would end next year. It is essential that that the Government take immediate steps to work with the children's hospices and find a viable solution to this problem."
Ends
Note to editor:
2) Tim is patron of St Barnabas hospice in Worthing which set up a children's hospice called the Chestnut Tree house which opened for overnight care in April 2004. The Chestnut Tree house has already cared for 135 children with life limiting conditions and has supported almost 500 family members.
3) Nationally, about 20,000 children are suffering from life-limiting diseases. An average of around 4,300 of those children and their families are assisted by hospices each year.
Tim Loughton MP , 2005
