Queen celebrates work of Springhill Hospice

Reporter: Kirsty Rigg
Date online: 17/03/2009

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh have celebrated the work of the Springhill Hospice at a special ceremony at St James’ Palace.

The founder of the Springhill Hospice, Margaret Geoghegan, was among guests who were invited to the 25th anniversary of campaign group Help the Hospices.

Among the guests were Anne, Duchess of Norfolk, the founder of the group which represents 182 of the country's hospices.

Mrs Geoghegan, 85, said: "I worked in a hospital and we had a lot of patients with terminal cancer and at that time the nearest hospices to Rochdale were in Cheshire and Yorkshire.

"We started fundraising in 1983 and on 1 November 1989 Princess Anne came to open the hospice."

She said caring for the terminally-ill was often difficult but rewarding work.

Around a quarter of a million people are cared for in hospices every year.

Many hospices get a limited amount of Government support and have to rely on donations for much of their income.