Bethesda Hospice Fundraiser

Aim

Please join me and make a difference? Every donation will help. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much

• Bethesda Hospice in Stornoway is currently facng a financial crisis as it desperately needs to find nearly half a million pounds after the lockdown scuppered fundraising activities.

The facility which looks after islanders with terminal illnesses fears it risks facing closure.

Fundraising events were cancelled and Bethesda’s charity chop temporarily closed by Covid restrictions.

Now, the unexpected immediate halt to community windfarm donations is a double blow.

Local turbines are not generating electricity due to the instability of the grid following the failure of the subsea cable link with Skye.

Bethesda's general manager, Carol Somerville warned they have been plunged into fundraising blackhole, missing out on up to £500,000 needed to cover running costs.

She said: “We don’t know how we can fill the gap.”

“If we don’t have sufficient funds we will not be able to keep the hospice open.”

In normal times, Bethesda has to raise almost £400,000 yearly through the generosity of the community to operate the hospice and to keep the care available.

"To lose this windfarm funding on top will have a huge effect."

Going without the turbine donations pledged this year is a "major impact."

"This is devastating to us. I worry for the future of the hospice,” stressed Ms Somerville.

She highlighted the funding from the community windfarm developments are “major” to us.

Alternative sources of fundraising has been severely hit by lockdown restrictions. Bethesda’s charity shop in Bayhead was closed for a lengthy spell during the lockdown. And, this year’s programme of fundraising events was curbed cancelled by the Covid rules.

Though many community groups and individuals are donating cash to the hospice over the pandemic, it is “not sufficient” to keep it going.

The health board pays about £15,500 a month which covers a quarter of the running costs.

“We probably receive about £75,000 from the windfarm developments so the loss of that has a major impact.”

This project successfully funded on 14th December 2020