Making every moment matter for families in Dorset

How can we help you?

We've put together some commonly asked questions to give you more information about Weldmar and the services we offer.

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Stand up for sustainable hospice funding – write to your local MP today

Hospice funding has been in the spotlight, and at Weldmar we’re expecting to spend a million pounds more on care this year than we are likely to receive in funding or charitable donations.

Please consider writing to your local MP to share your concerns – their details are below.

In May this year, Weldmar Hospicecare revealed that we were expecting to spend around a million pounds more on providing end of life care, this year alone, than we expect in income.

To compound this challenge, the withdrawal of £400,000 of NHS funding and the recent employer national insurance contribution increase means an additional burden of around £600,000.

Writing to your MP

You may have first hand experience of how Weldmar Hospicecare has cared for a loved one of your own, particularly when it comes to care being provided by our Weldmar at Home team in the final few weeks of life. Or, you may just feel strongly about the provision of local hospice care, and want your voice to be heard.

Below, you will find contact details for our local MPs. If you are unsure which constituency you are in, simply enter your postcode onto this page of the parliamentary website and it will tell you.

Last year...

593

patients and loved ones were cared for by Weldmar in South Dorset

767

patients and loved ones were cared for by Weldmar in West Dorset

400

patients and loved ones were cared for by Weldmar in North Dorset

Making a donation

Currently, just 17% of our funding comes from the NHS, with the remainder – the equivalent of more than £27,000 every day – having to be made up by the support of our local community. This includes income from our charity shops across Dorset, and by those who fundraise or make donations.

If you would like to make a donation, you could consider a single gift or an affordable regular donation, which is easy to set up. If you prefer not to donate online, our Fundraising Team is always happy to help on the phone, and you can call them on 01305 261800.

Weldmar Hospicecare

Funding has never been more important

Weldmar Hospicecare CEO, Caroline Hamblett, says, “Sustainable and reliable funding from the NHS is essential to help fund our vital services, that are available free of charge to the Dorset community. When we already need to raise over £27,000 every single day to keep our services running, the support from our local community, as well as funders and commissioners, has never been more important.

“With NHS Dorset withdrawing this funding, alongside the recently announced employer national insurance contribution increase, results in an additional burden of around £600,000, on top of our already forecast deficit of £1M, and we will therefore need to continue to use what reserves we can to continue our vital services to the Dorset community.”

MP Image credits:

  • Lloyd Hatton ©House of Commons/Roger Harris
  • Edward Morello ©House of Commons/Roger Harris
  • Simon Hoare ©House of Commons

* figures indicate patients and loved ones cared for by Weldmar from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024.

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