Highland Hospice in Inverness is to receive a share of £1 million courtesy of Edinburgh-based Baillie Gifford, global specialists in asset management and investment trusts
Highland Hospice is to receive a share of £1 million courtesy of Edinburgh-based Baillie Gifford, global specialists in asset management and investment trusts.
The local charity is part of Scotland’s Hospices Together, a partnership of 12 independent Scottish hospices, that has received the funding boost.
Collectively, Scotland’s Hospices Together (SHT) members care for more than 20,000 families in Scotland each year, offering free palliative and end of life care when it is needed most.
Alongside Highland Hospice members include ACCORD Hospice, Ardgowan Hospice, Ayrshire Hospice, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice, St Andrew’s Hospice, St Columba’s Hospice Care, St Vincent’s Hospice, Strathcarron Hospice, Bethesda Hospice, Kilbryde Hospice
Baillie Gifford was approached in January this year and asked for their support for the sector, which they were “delighted” to offer.
Andrew Leaver, head of fundraising at Highland Hospice said: “These are hugely challenging and unsettling times for everyone and the pandemic adds extra pressures to our patients and their families.
“Highland Hospice has worked hard to adapt our services and continue supporting people across the Highlands but, like so many charities and businesses, our income has dropped considerably.
“This support from Baillie Gifford gives us the confidence to continue to develop and grow services to meet the needs of our community and reassures those we care for that we will be here for them when they need us.
“We are hugely grateful to everyone at Baillie Gifford for this generous donation.”
Support packages from the Scottish Government have also helped members of the Scottish Hospice Together group continue delivery of vital services to patients, and this financial backing has helped ease some losses.
However, the funding from Baillie Gifford allows the partnership to go further.
The partnership says its financial backing has enabled members to continue providing compassionate end of life care in their communities, adapting their services to safely deliver support, and to provide essential online counselling and social care to families who are in need of assistance.