Our story so far

How Willen Hospice was started

Willen Hospice was established by people who cared deeply for their local community, and today, we continue to deliver the care we have become so well known for. See our timeline below to see how we started back in 1974, and how we have grown and evolved to meet the needs of our patients and their families.

Our vision and purpose

To be the lasting and thriving provider of free care to all people affected by life limiting illness in our community in our community of Milton Keynes and surrounding areas. Read more about our vision and values.

How we are funded

In 2021/2022 the cost of providing our specialist palliative care services was £5.9m. That’s £16,164 every single day, to ensure we are always there to care for those who need us.

22% of our costs were met by NHS funding, leaving a £4.5m gap to fill to ensure we could deliver our charitable services. This was made possible thanks to the generosity of all of our supporters.

However, that leaves 78% of our income that we need to raise ourselves.

A staggering £11,23 every minute.

Our services are free to those we care for. Without the support, dedication and generosity of people who help us to raise these funds, we wouldn’t be able to provide the care we do.

How you can help

There are many different ways you can support us. We’d love you to set up a regular donation to support our work, or take a look at our fundraising pages for inspiration on how you can get involved in your community. If you are thinking of writing a Will, you may consider leaving a legacy to Willen Hospice. Remember a loved one by setting up a tribute page or buy a leaf on our  tree of life. You can take part in an event, play our weekly lottery, donate items or shop in one of our high street shops or online.

Our future

Our Building a Legacy project will help us to care for patients earlier in their journey and provide 21st Century Hospice care. On this page you can find lots of information below, including a fly-through video, FAQs and the difference our project is going to make. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us on 01908 663636 or email legacies@willen-hospice.org.uk

History of Willen Hospice

 

In a typical year...
£11.23
our cost, per minute
11,000
phone calls to patients at home
600
fabulous volunteers
700
patients cared for at home
3,200
home visits
300
patients at the hospice
18,000
of cups of tea
290
counselling sessions
We can only provide the care we do thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, through their continued volunteering, fundraising and donations throughout the year. Your donation will enable us to continue providing care and support to those facing a life-limiting diagnosis, and to support their loved ones.