Health

NI Hospice's family gardens complete after donation

 Each year the NI Hospice cares for 3,000 adults with life-limiting illnesses and for their families
 Each year the NI Hospice cares for 3,000 adults with life-limiting illnesses and for their families  Each year the NI Hospice cares for 3,000 adults with life-limiting illnesses and for their families

THE Northern Ireland Hospice has put the finishing touches to its family garden thanks to a donation from IKEA Belfast.

The new £13m adult hospice opened in May, and as well as its bedrooms and garden areas, it offers a day hospice, outpatient clinic, community nursing hub and an education and research centre.

IKEA responded to an appeal from the hospice to help fit out the18-bedroom facility and donated patio furniture, barbeques, benches, outdoor dining tables, chairs and parasols.

The family gardens allow patients to relax and host family gatherings.

Northern Ireland Hospice CEO Heather Weir described the gesture as “overwhelming”.

“It may be easy to quantify the costs of materials such as garden furniture but it is impossible to measure the value of memories they help create for families of loved ones being cared for by Northern Ireland Hospice,” she said.

Each year, the NI Hospice cares for 3,000 adults with life-limiting illnesses and their families. It costs £6m per year to maintain the hospice and its work in the community.

It is the first dementia-friendly hospice in the UK and Ireland and also has facilities to care for people with respiratory illnesses as well as heart disease and Motor Neurone Disease.