In our role as a Volunteer Photographer for Julia's House we had the honour of being the Official Photographer for the grand opening of Julia's House Devizes, the first children’s hospice in Wiltshire, which was officially opened by the charity’s Patron Martin Clunes on Saturday 6th May.
More than 100 invited guests attended the ceremony to celebrate the end of the building work with a reception in the garden followed by tours of the new £2 million pound hospice.
The ribbon cut was performed by Joseph Hartley, 5 and Summer Paddock, 7 - with a little help from Martin Clunes. Both children currently receive care from the Julia’s House Wiltshire community team.
The hospice will now undergo a formal inspection and go through a 10-week long commissioning process to gain Care Quality Commission approval before welcoming the first families in July.
Julia’s House, which already has a hospice in Dorset, has been supporting Wiltshire families with life-limited children for three years via its home-based community care.
The new hospice will give families the chance to choose where they receive their respite sessions as well as offering access to top class facilities, specialist end of life care and social opportunities.
The public are invited to come and see the new hospice for themselves at an open day on Thursday, 15th June.