Background Having begun to plan for our next three-year strategy in 2019, the pandemic struck and we were faced with unprecedented uncertainty. Overnight we had to change our operations and our charitable income was slashed; we worked together to maintain services and due to hard work in fundraising and the government rescue packages available, our hospice remains in a reasonable financial position.

We didn’t just survive, we have seen unprecedented change in our own organisation, across the health and care system and throughout society. Whilst this has been challenging, there are definite opportunities to be exploited to sustain and strengthen our charity and services. To simply return to life as it was pre-COVID-19 would be a missed opportunity and instead we’re using the experience as a catalyst for positive change.

The Recovery and Transformation Programme (RTP), was developed to help facilitate our learning and set our future direction.

Aims The presentation will outline the seven main work streams we are focusing on to provide a foundation for our recovery. Work has been conducted during a time of significant residual uncertainty to progress towards achieving our vision, respond to opportunities and become more resilient to future threats; as well as helping us to shape and develop our longer-term strategy.

We will outline our renewed governance structure, established to support the work and to provide the oversight/assurance required as we move forward to the next stage of our development.

Results The presentation will present improvements in: service transformation; volunteering; staff wellbeing and development; equality, diversity and inclusion; retail/commercial development; fundraising; and stakeholder engagement.

Conclusions Despite significant difficulties, COVID-19 has presented opportunities to be creative and energetic with our future thinking, expanding the ‘art of the possible’. We have used the opportunity positively, bringing staff and board along with us and are a stronger, more confident hospice as a result.