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.
It is important to look after yourself. Grief can be very tiring, but there are things you can do to help you feel less overwhelmed.
Stay in contact with family and friends via the telephone and social media. Talk to people about the person who has died and, where able, share memories and feelings. It can feel excruciatingly hard to hear and witness other people’s sadness and grief, particularly if you are not with them in person. However, a comforting, listening presence can still be possible and very much needed even when we are at a distance.
Try to establish a regular routine and plan your days in segments of time.
Try to pace yourself and avoid filling every moment of your day with tasks around the home or with your work. Grieving is exhausting and it is important that you allow yourself time to rest, time to be in contact with others and time to be in touch with the pain of your grief.
Try to eat regular meals, even if you have lost your appetite. Check your store cupboards to ensure that you have got basic provisions and if you fall within a vulnerable group, perhaps explore whether there are local community groups or catering companies supplying delivery of pre-made convenience foods that are simple and easy to prepare.
Where possible, take some gentle exercise. This may be difficult during coronavirus lockdown but try to ensure that you are moving regularly around the home, going up and downstairs, out into the garden if you have one or undertaking simple basic exercises from your chair. Remember, movement can help to reduce the stress in our bodies and give us a sense of empowerment.
Try to avoid alcohol, drugs or being excessively busy as this is seldom helpful.
Be prepared for a multitude of mixed feelings and responses that might feel as if they come and go in waves. There will be days when you may feel stronger than others and days when it may feel hard simply to get up from your bed. Try not to be too hard on yourself. If you find that you cannot meet the goals that you have set for yourself on a particular day, just think that you can try again tomorrow or at some other time when it might feel more possible to achieve.
Accept offers of help and support from other people. Don’t feel you have to do everything yourself
Days and nights following a bereavement and now during a period of lockdown can feel very long and lonely. Consider activities that might help you to pass the time, such as keeping a journal, blogging, drawing, painting or some other craft activity which might hold your interest for a short while. Again, don’t be surprised if you find your concentration and motivation for such things is low at the moment. Just do what you can, if you can and when you can.
Allow yourself time to grieve. You shouldn’t feel you have to rush ‘to get over it’ or to be strong for other people’s sake.
Don’t look too far ahead. Where possible put off making big decisions if you can and take one day at a time.
If you find yourself having particularly dark days and thoughts remember you are not alone.
Pick up that phone to family or friends or ring the bereavement team at Prospect Hospice 01793 816127 or Cruse Bereavement National Help Line 0808 808 1677
Outside of normal working hours the SAMARITANS can be contacted on 116 123.