It started with a letter in the Examiner.
David Stocks, of Oakes, wrote asking for people to help to create a hospice in Huddersfield to care for people with terminal illnesses.
A few-like minded people responded, each putting in 50p, totalling total £4.50 and kick-starting the fund to create what is known as Kirkwood Hospice.
This year the Dalton-based hospice will celebrate 30 years of caring in Kirklees.
To mark the milestone, the team will focus its work on increasing understanding of its services and improving access for anyone with a life-limiting illness, family and carers.
Chief executive Michael Crowther said they would challenge the misconceptions around hospice care and added: “In our 30th year, we want to celebrate the impact Kirkwood has had on people’s lives and ensure access to our services is not considered to be limited by condition, age, location, ethnic group, orientation or any other issue.
“Kirkwood’s aim is to care for people who are affected by a life-limiting illness and those close to them. This can mean anything from providing care in a person’s final days to offering advice and support over months or even years.
“This support can take many forms, from accessing emotional or spiritual care through counselling to advice on medicines and symptom control. The hospice provides services committed to enabling people to live the best quality of life possible.
“We will use our anniversary to dispel some of the misconceptions that surround hospice care and to make sure that more people benefit from the care and support we provide in the future.
“We hear first-hand from families and patients who have accessed our support that their idea of hospice care completely changed once they experienced it.”
The hospice believe more people could benefit from its services in-patient care, community palliative care, family support and therapies including massage and reflexology.
Mr Crowther added: “Our job is to reach out to the people who haven’t previously experienced our care to tell them about the different services we offer locally.
“We are asking the public and our colleagues in the healthcare community to help us to spread the word so that we can reach people who may need our support but aren’t sure what we can offer to support them.”
There will be a number of big events over the next 12 months, with details to be announced soon.
Take a look at our pictures of the refurbished building back in 2014 below
