With less than ten percent of regular income coming into the charity, Weldmar Hospicecare has launched an urgent fundraising appeal today.
26 charity shop sites remain closed during the Covid-19 lockdown, and fundraising events have been cancelled until at least the end of May, but frontline services continue at Weldmar’s Inpatient Unit in Dorchester, and in the community across Dorset.
Weldmar’s Medical Director, Dr Karen Steadman, has written to supporters to ask them to make a donation in order for our services to continue in the future.
The charity needs to raise £18,000 a day to keep services going, but since the outbreak of Covid-19, on average less than 10% of that figure has been raised.
Dr Steadman says, “Our doctors, nurses and other health care professionals who make Weldmar who we are, are continuing to work right on the front line throughout this pandemic. We are caring for those very patients who are most at risk and vulnerable – and this unprecedented demand is only going to increase, along with the added complexities that come with the Coronavirus.
“Right now, I am very concerned. We know that over the coming days and weeks, we are going to have to change how we provide our care, to ensure we can continue to help as many people in our community as possible. However, I need those decisions to be based on what is right for the patient … not whether we can afford it.
“In time, things will hopefully get back to normal. But our patients don’t have time – they need our help right now.”
Online donations, and other fundraising ideas, can be made on the Weldmar Hospicecare website.
Picture: Dr Karen Steadman
