Zoe’s Place, a baby hospice in West Derby, Liverpool, is facing closure as its current building has been deemed “not fit for purpose.” Families were informed that the hospice would shut down by the end of the year after plans to relocate to a new, purpose-built facility fell through.
The landlord, the Institute of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, has offered to allow Zoe’s Place to remain in its current location until next summer. However, the organization indicated that due to an aging community and a significantly reduced number of residents, the hospice could not stay there indefinitely.
Matt Meaney, the fundraising manager for Zoe’s Place, expressed concerns to the BBC, stating that the only hope for saving the service is to find suitable new premises quickly. “It feels like we are looking for something pretty close to a miracle,” he said.
The estimated cost for building a new hospice facility has increased from £3.5 million to over £5 million, largely due to inflation and unexpected expenses that arose during the design phase. Despite these financial challenges, Meaney highlighted that time and the scarcity of available locations pose a more significant threat than money. “We have simply run out of time,” he said.
Completing the new facility is projected to take 13 to 14 months, but the lease on the current site only extends until June 2025. When asked about the possibility of extending the lease, Meaney responded that it is not an option at the moment.
He noted that while discussions with landlords have occurred, the land is currently “in the process of being sold.” Zoe’s Place leases its building from the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy. In a statement, Sister Bernadette from the Institute confirmed that the lease would end in June 2024, and the Sisters would also be leaving the site. She added that no rent has been requested since 2023.
In May, Zoe’s Place inquired about extending the lease beyond June 2025 but was informed that this was not possible due to the planned sale of the site, which had been in discussion for some time.
Meaney emphasized that even an extended lease would not resolve issues with the current building, which has been described as no longer meeting the hospice’s needs. Reflecting on the potential closure, he stated, “It’s a cliché, but words really can’t describe it. Nobody expected this situation, where we would have to tell staff they might lose their jobs or, even more devastating, inform families that the support we provide is no longer available to them.”
Lady Anne Dodd, the widow of Liverpool comedian Sir Ken Dodd, has expressed her desire to assist through the Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation. “It’s a job they all love; they’re not paid a fortune to do it. They give their love and themselves, and it’s just desperately sad,” she remarked. Dodd urged anyone who knows of a suitable building to come forward, emphasizing that finding new premises is more critical than financial support.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the trustees of Zoe’s Place cited rising costs as a major factor in the crisis but also noted that delays in obtaining planning permission have left too little time to construct the new building.
Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool City Council, stated that the council has worked closely with the charity, emphasizing that the planning process was conducted within a six-month timeframe, which is considered “best practice” in local government.
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