Abstract

The Wakefield Hospice in common with many others, is looking to diversify its income generation strategies in order to bring in an even greater financial contribution, and to bridge the growing gap between statutory funding and the ongoing and increasing costs of service provision. In developing this collaborative project with HMPs New Hall and Wakefield, the aim is to bring about benefits for both organisations and therefore for their specific ‘populations’: providing useful occupation for the residents of both prisons, facilitating access to affordable clothing and improved self-esteem, and providing an opportunity for a vulnerable group to make a positive contribution to the community, specifically those requiring the care of the hospice teams. The project has begun with the establishment of a ‘hospice shop’ within HMP New Hall and staffed by residents, and there are plans to extend our collaborative relationship with the development of a furniture upcycling initiative at HMP Wakefield, and the production in both settings of a range of saleable items. Benefits for the hospice are clearly financial, with shop sales already in excess of those anticipated, and estimated to increase significantly when the furniture scheme is bedded in: relationships between the organisations are now excellent, and this venture has facilitated new and important links with a community group previously not in communication with the hospice. The intention is to continue to build on the early successes, and possibly use the developing source of saleable products to reach out to other hospices with an offer of sales expansion.