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 45 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 I think about my beautiful 32-year-old daughter, Emma, I picture her smiling. I remember her warmth, her kindness and her desire to make everyone around her feel better about themselves.
Losing Emma to brain cancer two years ago has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to face. But I’m so grateful that she spent her final weeks being so well cared for at Prospect Hospice.
Towards the end of her life, when Emma became really unwell, I desperately wanted to keep her at home. As her mum, I felt it was my job to care for her until the very end. But on Mother’s Day, her condition seriously deteriorated and I knew I couldn’t manage on my own. I picked up the phone and called Prospect Hospice – it was the best thing I could have done for my girl.
As soon as we arrived at the hospice, a nurse came for Emma and I crumpled to my knees. It was the first time I had allowed myself to cry because someone else was there to support us.
Over the following two weeks, the hospice could tend to Emma’s every need. They managed her pain and made sure she was as comfortable as possible. It was such a relief that they wouldn’t let her suffer. More than that, they made Emma feel like a person, not just a patient. She had been terrified of losing her sense of self, but they made sure that never happened.
The whole team surrounded her with love and took the time to find out what mattered to her most – her partner, her family, her friends and her dog. They even applied Emma’s favourite skincare products so that she continued to smell like her. As a Beauty Consultant, that meant so much to Emma. And, as her mum, that level of respect and care meant the world to me.
I stayed with her almost every night at Prospect Hospice. But instead of worrying about bathing her, dealing with her medication and helping her to use the bathroom, I could just hold her hand, stroke her hair and talk to her.
Shortly after we arrived, Emma asked if she’d ever be able to go outside again? Prospect Hospice made that possible one sunny afternoon. I’ll always remember sitting beside her in the hospice’s tranquil garden, drinking a cup of tea with the warmth of the sun on our skin. These simple things made the agonising reality of losing my daughter more bearable. I could focus on being Emma’s mum again.
Since Emma died, Prospect has been there for me through the darkest of days. They’ve provided bereavement counselling and I know they’ll aways be here to support me, should I need their help again.