REFURBISHMENT work is proceeding apace to prepare the hospice's new base to receive patients.

"The whole of 2004 was given up to the redesign, planning, refurbishment and equipping of the former hotel," said John Fletcher.

"That is almost complete now and we're at the stage, for example, where we've got carpet fitters in putting carpet on the floor.

"We have had to do more in terms of refurbishment than we originally thought and we have done a number of things we didn't know, initially, we would have to do.

"We have fitted a carpet now and a heating and water system throughout the building.

"We could have managed but we felt that this was the time to replace them, rather than at some point in the future.

"There's been a lot of work in floor levelling and ramping. We have had to widen every doorway in the building for wheelchair access.

"We have had to put a lift in. A lift in a hospice has to be big enough to get a bed in and not just the bed but room to turn the bed.

"There is going a shop, staffed by volunteers. The ground floor area is mainly for patient use.

"We have got a beautiful conservatory built on the back. That was already there, purely as a conservatory, but what we decided to do was put a proper roof on, so it won't get too hot in the summer or cold in the winter and that leads out into land at the rear.

"It's got a pond, a walkover bridge over the pond.

"At the back it's got a big pagoda and it will lend itself to small barbecues and patio seating out in the garden and having coffee mornings and things.

"There will be therapy and physiotherapy rooms and counselling and spiritual room for prayer that families will be able to use. There's a dining and meeting area."