Laura Bagshaw ORGANISERS behind a £1.5m appeal to build a dedicated palliative care centre say they are confident building work on the project will start by 2010 - now that more than half of the money needed has been raised.

Laura Bagshaw

ORGANISERS behind a £1.5m appeal to build a dedicated palliative care centre say they are confident building work on the project will start by 2010 - now that more than half of the money needed has been raised.

This time last year the hospital appeal had £300,000 in the pot but thanks to the support of devoted fundraisers and a run of money-spinning events, that figure has more than doubled in 2008.

Dr Patrick Blossfeldt, lead consultant in palliative care at the James Paget, said the appeal was “alive and well” and was enjoying increasing support from local people.

He said: “The interest and active involvement of the people in Yarmouth and Waveney is overwhelming and shows that we are living in a caring community. It also shows that palliative care touches hearts and minds and matters to many people.

“We all have an interest to know what happens at the end of our lives and want to see our loved ones and ourselves receive the care and support needed to have quality time at the end of life and to die well, with dignity.”

Dr Blossfeldt said the centre would be a welcoming place, offering support to patients and their families. “Professionals and volunteers will work together there offering a host of palliative care services: symptom control, emotional and spiritual support, rehabilitation, benefits advice, information and complementary therapies,” he said.

“On behalf of Palliative Care East I want to say 'thank you' to all who have given their time, effort and money to promote the cause of palliative care and to support the project.”

Community nurse Victoria Balls and gynaecology nurse Rosemary Thompson are pictured with a cheque for £540, money which was raised from the duo starring in the Cinderella on Skates show at Denes High School, in Lowestoft, earlier this year.

And a coffee morning held in aid of Palliative Care East and Marie Curie at the Old Granary Studio, Maypole Green, Toft Monks, near Beccles, raised £464 for each charity.

Meanwhile sugar and spice and all things nice has helped raise funds for the appeal. Three trainee chefs at Great Yarmouth College created a spectacular gingerbread house for a raffle to add to the coffers of the appeal.

Jack Walker, Mitchell Nairn and James Bray designed and created the house from gingerbread and sugar craft in the annual Christmas charity project for young caterers working at the college's training restaurant, Ambitions.

Tickets were sold to diners by Ashley Watson and Michael Keightly, level three food service students.

Jack is a level three catering student and Mitchell and James are level two.

Patisserie tutor David Rollings started the gingerbread house project nine years ago. It has raised hundreds of pounds for the James Paget children's ward and this year for the Palliative Care East appeal, of which the college staff and students are patrons.

To make a donation, visit www.palliative-care-east.org.uk. Cheques made payable to Palliative Care East can be sent to Palliative Care East, Fundraising Office, James Paget Univer-sity Hospital, Gorleston, NR31 6LA. To find out more about the appeal and how you can help, contact appeal co-ordinator Jenny Westgate on 01493 453348.