Help us celebrate 40 years of caring
St Nicholas Hospice Care is celebrating 40 years of providing vital services to those across West Suffolk and Thetford facing dying, death and grief.
To celebrate our 40 years of service, we want to thank the community for their invaluable support; raise awareness on the importance of end-of-life care and the comfort that the Hospice can bring.
We also remember those we have cared for, give thanks for those who have shaped us, and look forward to the future.
We’re proud to have been part of our community for 40 years – we’ve cared for you and your loved ones, and you’ve cared for us. Together, let’s celebrate 40 years of caring.
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St Nic’s was born out of the belief that there should be ‘something better’ for those facing terminal illness and their loved ones.
Those words, spoken 40 years ago by our founder Rev Canon Richard Norburn, MBE, remain true to this day and are at the very heart of everything we strive to do for our patients and their families as well as the community at large. St Nic’s has been shaped by so many compassionate people who have helped build our legacy along the way, and we want to use our 40th year to recognise those wonderful people.
Countless memories of care, support and friendship
Reflecting on 40 years of compassionate care, we remember the patients, families, and volunteers who have been part of our hospice's story.
What are we hoping to achieve from the 40th year?
We want to keep ‘striving for something better’ and we have some exciting plans. Some of the things that we think will make a big difference are:
- Updating the Hospice building to make sure it is fit for the future and offers a high-quality experience for our patients and families;
- Making sure our 12-bed inpatient ward runs effectively and we have capacity to support as many patients as possible;
- Relaunching Hospice day services to reach more people in our community, particularly those in hard-to-reach or underrepresented groups;
- Working with our local health and social care partners to cooperate and coordinate, so that we give our patients the best care;
- Working with patients and other service users to co-produce our services and make sure we’re delivering what they need.
We’re aiming to raise funds in our 40th year for much-needed improvement works to the Hospice building, but we’re also hoping to encourage more people to support us for years to come. This means plenty of activity and promotion of the Hospice, you can follow all our updates on this website or keep up to date by following our social media pages linked below.
What does St Nic's do?
The heart of our mission here at St Nic’s is to be a welcoming place where someone with a life-limiting condition can access the specialist care as well as the emotional and practical support that they need.
We’re here to enable people to have a good quality of life, for as long as possible. That might mean managing pain and other symptoms; giving personal care; providing physiotherapy to keep someone mobile; offering counselling to work through difficult emotions; or arranging special activities to make all-important memories with loved ones.
We look after people on our ward or wherever they call home – whether that’s their own home, living with family, or in a care setting. We look after their family and friends too, because when someone is facing the end of their life, it affects everyone around them. We can offer practical help when caring for a loved one, answer difficult questions, or just be a listening ear in the hard times.
Our vision, mission and values
Vision: Everyone in our communities has support, dignity and choice when facing dying, death and grief.
Mission: We strive for something better in the provision of high-quality, specialist palliative care, emotional and practical support, so that no-one in West Suffolk and Thetford has to face dying, death and grief alone.
Values: Our values are Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Equity.
Do you need support? Learn about the ways we can help
How much does it cost to run the Hospice? Where does the money come from?
It costs around £8 million to run the Hospice each year. That’s equivalent to £22,000 per day. We receive some statutory funding, which covers around 20% of our costs. But we still need to generate a further £17,500 of income per day to be here for the people who need us.
We’re totally reliant on the goodwill of our community to keep the Hospice running, by generously giving their money or their time as volunteers. On behalf of everyone we care for, we’re so grateful for the amazing support we receive.
Explore just some of the ways you can get involved