At Prospect Hospice, we provide outstanding, personalised and compassionate care for everyone in Swindon, Marlborough and the surrounding areas affected by a life-limiting illness, completely free of charge. For more than 40 years, we’ve been a dedicated, non-hospital, end-of-life care service for patients and their loved ones - around the clock, every day of the year. Our mission is to ensure that anyone can access the best possible expert care whenever and wherever they need it – whether at the hospice or in their own home. As a charity, we only exist because of the generosity and support of our amazing local community.
Find out about the range of end-of-life care services that we offer to patients and their families. These delivered free of charge and are designed to provide compassionate, personalised support during every stage of a life-limiting illness in every kind of care setting, to anyone who needs it.
We couldn’t do what we do without considerable support from our local community. Find out all the different ways in which you can support Prospect Hospice, including fundraising, volunteering and purchasing from our shops. All contributions are greatly appreciated and enables us to deliver care that is free of charge to our patients and their families.
Our café sits at the heart of our hospice in Wroughton and serves a range of delicious home cooked meals to suit all tastes. Whether you're looking to catch up with friends over lunch or relax with coffee and cake, our Heart of the Hospice café has you covered.
Whether shopping with us in person or online, or donating your pre-loved goods, we thank you for supporting us through our shops where you help to raise around £2million a year for Prospect Hospice.
We pride ourselves on being a great place to work and we're always looking for outstanding people to join our team at the hospice across all areas of the charity.
Prospect Hospice is the leading provider of education and training for end-of-life care in Swindon and north Wiltshire. Working closely with you, our colleagues within partner organisations, we want to ensure that the very best care is available to everyone facing the end of life. This is why we provide education and development opportunities, all of which aim to encourage learning and build confidence in end of life care and support.
When Val and Barry Harding moved to the village of Chilton Foliat in 2009 they quickly became part of the community. But Val’s mobility deteriorated and she developed COPD, with frequent admissions to hospital, to the point where they became quite reclusive.
After one admission in 2017, a discharge nurse asked if they would like to be referred to Prospect Hospice for support at home. Initially they were surprised, but once they had talked to a Prospect Hospice staff member they realised that there was plenty of help, free of charge, that would improve their quality of life.
“Val’s Prospect Hospice nurse began visiting us at home to see how Val was and how I was bearing up,” says Barry.
“One day she said she would like to discuss with us where Val would like to spend her end-of-life stage. Val wanted to be at home, but in January 2020 her condition worsened and she was taken to hospital. When it became clear what her medical needs would be once she was discharged, she decided she would prefer to go to Prospect Hospice and, of course, I supported her decision.
“The change in her was so good to see – she was comfortable, content and brighter. We had a lovely day together in her room there the next day, with family popping in and out.
“The staff there are truly unbelievable in how far they will go to give patients what they want, or to make sure the stay there exceeds all expectations. Val mentioned she’d like to take Holy Communion and very soon a priest arrived and blessed her for the journey ahead.
“She couldn’t swallow solid food, but could manage ice cream – it was brought on a tray with a tiny vase with a single flower. Things like that just lifted her and me.
“Val slipped away in her sleep, with me and other close members of the family there. I still think of the amazing care they gave us. If people didn’t support them with donations or by volunteering, they couldn’t survive to do this essential work.
“I now volunteer in Prospect Hospice’s Marlborough shop, and also as a volunteer patient/carer visitor, doing home visits to a patient and his daughter/carer.
“I’ve also regained my confidence in the village, and take part in several voluntary roles there. Prospect Hospice remains an important part of my life, and I am grateful they are there for us all.”
To find out more about how you can support the hospice, and people like Barry and Val, click here.