The Hinkley Point C (HPC) Community Fund has awarded almost £300,000 to support hospice care in Somerset over the next 3 years.
Weston Hospicecare was awarded £150,000 and St Margaret’s Hospice was awarded £132,294 to fund additional capacity within the community nursing teams, ensuring they can continue to cooperatively work in communities impacted by the HPC development.
Amelia Thompson, Senior Programmes Manager at Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), which manages the fund, said: “Both hospices were awarded the funding to pay for community support nurses to help bring specialist end of life care into the homes of terminally ill patients. The care is tailored to each individual, and is a critical component of the work done by the hospices, helping to reduce the stress of travelling by delivering support at home.”
“Living with a terminal illness can cause enormous stress and sorrow for entire families. Supporting these two hospices with grant funding will make such a huge difference to people locally, ensuring they have all the support they need from the community nurse teams in their own homes.”
Andrew Cockcroft, Head of Stakeholder Relations and Social Impact at Hinkley Point C, added: “We’re proud to support the vital work of Weston Hospicecare and St. Margaret’s Hospice through the Hinkley Point C Community Fund. Ensuring that those requiring end-of-life care can receive it in the comfort of their own homes is incredibly important, and we’re pleased to be able to contribute to strengthening these essential community services in areas close to the project.”
The community nurses cover an area stretching from Nether Stowey across to the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge areas, providing specialised care for patients with life-limiting illnesses in their homes or other community settings.
Their role involves offering palliative and end-of-life care, managing symptoms, providing emotional and psychological support to both patients and families, and ensuring patients’ comfort.
They work closely with other healthcare professionals to coordinate care, and they help patients live as well as possible in their final stages of life, supporting both physical and emotional needs. They also offer advice and guidance on advanced care planning, medications, and other aspects of care.
The HPC Community Fund includes the Small Grants Programme which awards grants of up to £20,000, and the Open Grants Programme, for larger applications.
The funding is for groups working in local communities to address changes to people’s quality of life or to make the most of the opportunities created by Hinkley Point C. Visit www.hpcfunds.co.uk for more details. If you would like to discuss your project or idea first, please contact Amelia Thompson, Senior Programmes Manager: amelia.thompson@somersetcf.org.uk or call: 01749 344949
The HPC Community Fund is part of a wider commitment of funding provided by EDF through Section 106 agreements. It is available for communities that are affected by the development of the new nuclear power station, to help promote their social, economic and environmental wellbeing and enhance their quality of life. Hundreds of projects have benefitted so far, and in total almost £18 million in grants have been awarded to date, including £10.2 million from the Fund managed by SCF.
