Early in the morning of the 18th of November 2015, something momentous happened…
JCBs, dump trucks, and lorries arrived on Sidegate Road in Gorleston and drove confidently over the bank onto East Coast Hospice’s 7.54 acre site.
Spectators looked on as the almost ethereal JCB scooped up its first piece of ground and officially commenced work on Margaret Chadd House. By the end of the first day, the entrance way had been tarmaced and there was a track leading up to what will be the large free car park for staff and visitors.
Ultimately the hospice will have ten spacious in-patient rooms each with their own private gardens, a day care unit, and complimentary therapies. The large gardens will include a memorial water feature, a peace garden, a labyrinth, a kitchen garden plot and a shepherd’s hut.
As the JCB began its work, the staff of ECH stood proudly, knowing how hard they had all worked for this day to arrive and thankful that the support of the community had made it possible.
Charity Chairman, Jennifer Beesley wrote a letter to the friends and supporters saying;
“You may know that our planning permission needed to be met by early 2017. We are delighted to say that now (in late 2015) after working on the 19 conditions set, that these are being met and have been approved by the council planners. On top of that, the first tree has been planted on site by the Mayor, a hedgerow and tree-planting scheme has been implemented to start landscaping our field and the jewel in the crown, of course, is the groundworks have commenced.
We are out of the starting blocks now and well into the marathon.
Margaret Chadd House is now on its way to being a reality, NOT a dream and will be a hospice for the future to ensure people have choice at the end of their life.”
advert
