St Barnabas House is now taking orders for bricks and pavers in the next stage of its Walk of Life, the pathway that welcomes visitors to the hospice.
The Walk of Life is a collection of hundreds of positive messages of hope, love, fun and remembrance.
It was first launched during the capital appeal to build the new St Barnabas House on Titnore Lane which opened in 2011, and since then it has raised over £250,000.
Individuals, community groups, schools and companies have all made contributions to the Walk of Life and their messages not only give hope, but also help to pay for the care services provided by St Barnabas House.
Wendy Bardsley, Community Fundraising Manager at St Barnabas House, said: “The Walk of Life reminds us of how connected we all are and how our community worked together to build a hospice that provides end-of-life care for our community.
“For patients, it’s an immediate visual reminder that St Barnabas House provides as much life, love and enjoyment as we can in the time they have left.
“For individuals, community groups and companies, it’s a way of celebrating the lives of loved ones, friends and colleagues.”
Doreen Harbour is the mother of Jeanette Baker who was cared for by St Barnabas House just over two years ago. Together with her family, Doreen raised the money to buy two pavers in the Walk of Life.
Explaining her reason for supporting the hospice, she said: “The staff and volunteers gave Jeanette the best quality of life she could have had during her illness. Over Christmas 2015, staff gave up their leave on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day to drive Jeanette home to Littlehampton to be with her family.
“We are indebted to St Barnabas House forever. We all feel ‘part of the family’ when we visit St Barnabas House, so it is perfect to have this permanent family memento here. We trust the inscription will also give hope and strength to others.”
One of the first pavers in the Walk of Life is that of Dr Gusterson who was founder of the original hospice on Columbia Drive in 1973.
Hugh Lowson, Chief Executive Officer at St Barnabas House, said: “Dr Gusterson is the founder of St Barnabas House and his stone is one of the first pavers on the Walk of Life.
“He wanted to provide the very best care for every local person who needed end of life care, and to offer it freely and without obligation. He began making that dream a reality when St Barnabas House opened its doors to the first patients in 1973.
“St Barnabas House remains a charity today, we get very little government funding and rely on voluntary donations from the local community. A paver in the Walk of Life will make a contribution towards continuing Dr Gusterson’s dream.”
If you are interested in purchasing a paver with a message of your choice, please visit www.stbh.org.uk/walk-of-life to download a Walk of Life form.
If you would like to discuss your inscription please call the Fundraising Team on 01903 254777 or email fundraising@stbh.org.uk.
