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.
“Leon thought he had sciatica but he wasn’t getting better. After appointments with doctors, who couldn’t get to the bottom of it, it was through a scan, that we found out it was cancer.
As soon as we came into contact with Prospect Hospice, there was no waiting around. Sue sorted his medication and Pip, the physio provided crutches so he could still be independent as much as possible. Once we were under their care, they set us up incredibly well.
We were supported by a whole team of people. Leon’s legs were swelling as a result of his illness and he was spending a lot of time sat down, so we also saw Karen who specialises in this. She treated him and got us a special bed which arrived the very next day. The team also arranged for specialist equipment that we’d never heard of and would never have known about without their help. Nothing was too much trouble and they all made sure that Leon was able to stay in his own home and live as comfortably as possible for as long as possible. We were thrown into a world we knew nothing about and they were fantastic.
Leon soon began chemotherapy treatment and started to improve but there was still a lot for us to navigate. We always spoke to Sue and that continuity really helped. She was amazing and when we needed them, prescriptions were ready us for us to collect. Everything was done for us and I knew when I picked it up that it would be the right thing for him. It was such a relief to have one less thing to worry about. All I needed to do was just make sure he didn’t run out of anything.
I appreciated being able to speak to Sue and she would help if we needed more or less of something. I also appreciated that she didn’t pressure us at times when we were OK. She was there exactly when we needed her and let us get on with things when we were OK. It was the perfect balance.
Leon moved on to a different treatment but it didn’t keep the cancer at bay. Sue would call every few weeks and when we needed help it was there straight away. She helped us to arrange carers to help wash him when he could no longer do it himself. The team support was incredible and meant I could keep Leon at home, where he wanted to be. I couldn’t have done that without them.
The day I called Sue to let her know Leon was getting worse, she came straight away to get everything set up. She made sure we had everything we needed so that we were ready. Everything just felt very personal. These people, strangers, come into your life for a just a short period of time, but you build an incredible bond as they support you through something you’ve never done. I felt like they treated us as if they’d known us a long time.
The one thing I remember thinking about throughout this time is how niche the care was. It was bespoke to us. That’s what makes Prospect Hospice unique and special. The care was tailored to us – and when I say us, it wasn’t just about Leon and making sure he had what he needed. They made sure I was OK and I never felt alone.
The hospice felt like the sweet jar that just kept on giving and they supported us with so much more than just medical care. They talked us through all the legal things we needed to do when we knew Leon was dying.
When he was nearing the end, they never stopped caring. They all came in and said hello to him, even when he couldn’t respond anymore. They never forgot there was a person there.
When Leon died, Sue called. I thought it was incredibly thoughtful of her. Even though your intense relationship may have ended, they still think of you.
Prospect Hospice shone in a dark moment in our lives. We were at our lowest point. These people are only in your life for a short time and there are a huge number of emotions you’re learning to deal with, but they remain empathetic and compassionate throughout and they make you feel like you’ve known them all your life.”
Because of you, we were there for Lori and her family. Without you, we won’t be there for others like them. Find out more about how you can support the work of the hospice with a regular gift by clicking below.