Ayrshire Hospice has launched an appeal to the Ayrshire public to help fund vital patient services for the local charity this Christmas.

Lynne Hoffin, Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Ayrshire Hospice said: “As an independent charity, we are not part of the NHS and two thirds of our income is only made possible due to voluntary donations from communities across Ayrshire and Arran.”

Most people will want to be at home for Christmas if they possibly can – and the hospice Specialist Community Nursing Team will be working hard in December and throughout the holidays to help people to stay at home, where possible, with their loved ones.

But some people will be with them over Christmas – and so the nursing team will try to make the hospice as homely and festive as possible.

A donation of £50 would enable a patient’s family to stay for two nights, close to their loved one at Christmas, in the ‘Wee House’ located in the hospice gardens.

A donation of £100 would help towards the cost of a home visit by the hospice Specialist Community Nursing Team, helping a patient to be well enough to stay home with their family.

£235.56 would pay for the care of one patient in the In-Patient Unit for the whole of Christmas Day. All donations from the appeal will pay for some of that vital nursing time this Christmas, at no cost to patients or their families.

Lynne added: “Our patients still need their local hospice and our nurses will still be caring for local people this Christmas. With the continued exceptional support of the Ayrshire community, the hospice can help patients and families across Ayrshire and Arran create special memories this Christmas and make the most of the time they have together, no matter how long or short that time may be.”

To support Ayrshire Hospice’s Christmas Appeal, please send a cheque payable to ‘Ayrshire Hospice’ to Ayrshire Hospice Fundraising, 29 Miller Road, Ayr KA7 2AX, call the hospice team on 01292 288488 or donate at www.ayrshirehospice.org.