IT has been a long time coming but work is finally underway on a children’s hospice for the region.

Around a decade after the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust hospice idea was first suggested, the first ground works on the site at Fell Greave Road, Brackenhall, will start on Wednesday.

The hospice will provide care and respite for children with terminal and life-limiting illnesses.

It will also provide support to their families.

The sight of work starting is a positive sign. It shows people that their efforts over the last few years have really helped to fund the hospice, which will mainly be financed through donations, charity retail and community activities rather than government cash.

The actual bricks will not appear on site until the summer, but the ground work is a good sign of things to come.