What a week this is shaping up to be! This year, Hospice Care Week is taking place from October 6th to 12th, and here at Ardgowan, we’re celebrating it even more with our brilliant Go Purple Day this Friday, October 10th.

I’m writing this today to say a massive, heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s already getting involved. The support is incredible! We’ve got schools, shops, and businesses all across Inverclyde planning to ditch their usual colours for a dazzling splash of purple. Whether it’s a purple wig, a window display, or a bake sale, every bit of effort helps us keep our vital services running. And a huge thank you to the Telegraph for allowing us space to tell our stories this week! 

Look Out for the Local Deals!

A big shout-out goes to our fantastic local business community. Keep your eyes peeled on Friday for some exciting special deals and purple-themed goodies on offer. When you grab a coffee, a cake, or take advantage of a special offer from one of our supporting businesses, you’re not just treating yourself—you’re directly supporting a local family that needs our help. It’s community spirit at its very best.

We’re More Than Just Our Ward

Hospice Care Week is the perfect time to bust a few myths. When people think of Ardgowan Hospice, they often picture our beautiful, tranquil ward, and that’s absolutely right. But the truth is, there is so much more to your Hospice.

The majority of our work happens out in the community. We’re the nurses in people’s homes, the counsellors supporting bereaved families, and the team running services that help people live well with their illness. We are at the end of a phone for GPs and District Nurses, providing specialist advice. We’re training health and social care professionals to help upskill everyone involved in palliative care in Inverclyde. MYlife creates friendships after loss. We’re about living, not just dying. We’re here to offer comfort, dignity, and a helping hand from the moment a life-limiting diagnosis is given. Your support on Go Purple Day helps fund all of that vital, wrap-around care.

The Elephant in the Room

Now for the serious bit. While we’re celebrating the work our staff do, I must mention the financial reality we face.

A serious funding concern tempers the celebrations. Ardgowan Hospice relies on charitable fundraising for the majority of its daily running costs, and the charity is now facing an increasing financial burden due to a failure in government funding.

“We deliver care that is clinically on par with the NHS, but our funding is not,” explains Graham Gardiner, the CEO. “The Government has still not kept its promise to deliver pay parity for our dedicated staff. This leaves the hospice footing the bill to ensure our nurses and carers receive fair wages in line with their NHS counterparts. It’s a huge challenge to recruit and retain the very best staff when our funding doesn’t keep up with national pay uplifts.”

The community of Inverclyde is amazing. We are blown away by the support we get from all over Inverclyde. Go Purple Day is a testament to that! But we need the Government to do its bit. We needed £450,000 to help us achieve pay parity. We got £150,000. That leaves a huge hole to fill. And it shouldn’t all be placed in the hands of local people. We need the government to do its bit! Please visit our website to find the link to contact our MSP and MP, and help keep the pressure on our politicians. 

The hospice is urging everyone who participates in Go Purple Day to remember that their fundraising supports not only the building, but also the highly skilled and compassionate staff who deliver care 24/7, 365 days a year. So, please, join me this Friday, October 10th, to Go Purple! Let’s make the whole area glow with support and send a loud message of appreciation to our fantastic team.

Thank you, Inverclyde, as always, for your unwavering support.

Graham Gardiner, CEO, Ardgowan Hospice