Hospice in the Weald is embarking on a major programme to transform its hospice in Pembury with designs inspired by light and nature and the needs of patients at its heart.
The hospice, which provides free care for adults and children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across Kent and East Sussex, opened its building in Pembury in 1998, and this year-long programme will be one of its most significant in recent years.
Award-winning design team, Elaine Lewis Designs and KKE Architects, are bringing the transformation to life, with staff, volunteers, patients and families helping to shape the plans. Inspired by the hospice’s beautiful gardens, the designs aim to ‘bring the outside in’ to create a home away from home.
Specialist hospice interior designer Elaine Lewis said: “The aim is to create a light, calm, warm space. These rooms are people’s homes for a time; they deserve to feel special. We want them to feel supported, safe and uplifted, surrounded by light and nature.”
There will be a new-look in patient ward, visitor areas and spiritual care rooms, along with a redesigned, bright and welcoming Living Well Centre with a new gym area.
Each bedroom will be modernised to meet patients’ needs, while flexible lighting and clever layouts will create a calm, homely atmosphere. Thoughtful touches include the addition of desks, allowing visitors to work from the hospice and spend more time with their loved one. Guest bedrooms will be transformed into sanctuaries for families with a boutique hotel feel.
Thanks to a bright colour palette, that complements the more muted tones of the in-patient ward, the main reception areas and Living Well Centre will offer a warm and cheerful welcome to all. With a feature fireplace, panelling and surrounding seating to create a more cosy, homely feel, the designs offer a variety of focal points and maximise use of the space. The addition of modern banquette seating, café-style pendant lighting, more seating, plus a redesigned refreshment area, offers plenty of opportunity for conversation, coffee and cake.
The larger gym with glazed screening will be more spacious and inviting, while the relocated Living Well office, also with glazed walls, will place staff right at the heart of the space. Adjustable-height, foldable tables ideal for arts and crafts, and a new acoustic room divide will enable the area to be easily adapted to accommodate multiple activities from the varied Living Well programme. Redesigned rooms for treatment and consultations will be both tranquil and practical for multipurpose use.
The redesigned Quiet Room aims to offer calm and tranquillity, for both contemplation and prayer. Comfy seating, recessed bookcases, pendant lighting, along with acoustic curtains and panelling, will help maintain peace and privacy.
Director at KKE Architects Phil Kavanagh says it will ‘bring the hospice into the 21st century’ with increased daylight to boost wellbeing and technical improvements.
He said: “If you provide beautiful spaces for patients and relatives, as soon as they walk in, they know that somebody’s given it thought, and that they’re being cared for. You know you are valued.”
Maurice Price, father of Ella, cared for at the Hospice before her death at the age of 39, is among those involved.
He said: “Ella would have loved the ‘outside in’ approach with the references to nature. The Hospice gardens were particularly important to her, and to us as a family. The design team listened and incorporated things that might seem small but make a world of difference. Having more sofa beds will be a godsend, and not just for overnight visitors. Ella’s room didn’t have a sofa initially, but the wonderful team carried one in from another room, so Ella and her husband could cuddle up and have a movie night.
“The designs show somewhere that is welcoming to everyone, no matter your age. If Ella had seen them, she would have thought ‘that’s the place for me’. Thanks to their love and kindness, the Hospice made what could have been a terrible time a normal part of life. This will make the experience even better. After all, if you are in a lovely environment, you know you are valued.”
While work is underway at Pembury, in-patients will be cared for at Hospice in the Weald in Five Ashes. Ahead of this, improvements have been made at Five Ashes to support those with more complex health needs.
The beautiful, light-filled building at Five Ashes opened in 2019 to expand the Hospice’s care provision.
Meanwhile, the hospice in Pembury will remain open throughout to welcome those accessing out-patient care including Living Well services, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. During the refurbishment, counselling and support services are being offered at Hawkwell Business Centre nearby. Outreach services and home visits for children and young people will run as normal, with additional community-based appointments as needed.
The Hospice in Five Ashes expects to welcome patients from mid-November, ahead of work starting at Pembury. The majority of the work is expected to be completed by the end of next year. In-patient care will then continue at both sites, meaning there will be two locations offering the best in end-of-life care.
Nick Farthing, Hospice in the Weald’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to be embarking on this transformation programme. By improving our spaces, we’ll be able to offer patients and their loved ones an even better experience of care. With money set aside to cover the costs of this refurbishment, every pound from our fundraising and charity shop income can continue to go where it is needed most. We need to raise £25,000 every day to be there for everyone who needs us, which is why the continued support of our incredible community has never been more valued.”