Supporting dignity and comfort in end-of-life care
As part of its Local Charity Initiative Scheme, Northampton-based building products manufacturer Forterra has donated £600.00 to Great Oaks Hospice, a Gloucestershire-based charity offering free, specialist palliative and supportive care for people with life-limiting illnesses.
Located in Coleford, close to Forterra’s Formpave plant, Great Oaks Hospice supports hundreds of individuals each year through services including hospice-at-home care, counselling, complementary therapies, and bereavement support. The donation will help the charity continue to deliver its wide-ranging services to patients and their families across the Forest of Dean.
Founded in 1999, Great Oaks Hospice was established by local people determined to secure hospice services for the rural community of the Forest of Dean. They established a steering group committee, and in 2002 welcomed the first patients to their pilot scheme at the local community hospital, Dilke Hospital. In 2004, the Great Oaks Hospice building officially opened.
Today, the hospice works across a large rural catchment area, ensuring that patients can access expert medical support and emotional care in a comfortable, familiar setting, whether at the hospice itself or at home.
The charity also runs wellbeing programmes for carers and family members, helping them manage the strain of supporting loved ones through terminal illness. From massage therapy and counselling to memory-making and group sessions, Great Oaks provides a holistic service designed to ease both emotional and physical suffering at every stage of the journey.
Joe Feeley, CEO of Great Oaks Hospice, said, “We are incredibly grateful to Forterra for this generous donation. As a local charity proudly rooted in our Forest of Dean community, we rely on the support of local businesses to continue delivering our vital services. This donation will help us reach more individuals and families in need, ensuring they receive compassionate care and support during some of life’s most challenging moments".
Joe Parker, Head of Marketing Communications at Forterra, said: “Great Oaks Hospice offers vital care to people facing incredibly difficult circumstances. As a business with strong roots in the Gloucestershire area, we’re proud to support a local charity that brings comfort, dignity, and practical support to individuals and families when they need it most.”
The donation forms part of Forterra’s Local Charity Initiative, which enables individual factories and offices to support causes close to their communities by providing funding, materials, or volunteer time.
For more information on Forterra, please visit: https://www.forterra.co.uk/.
To find out more about the Local Charity Initiative Scheme, please visit: https://www.forterra.co.uk/forms/local-charity-initiative-scheme/.
For more information on Great Oaks Hospice, please visit: https://great-oaks.org.uk/.