Rowcroft Hospice: 36-hour drive to raise £200,000 for end-of-life care

Rowcroft Hospice has launched a 36-hour "Every Moment Matters" marathon to raise £200,000 for end-of-life care in South Devon. Every donation made before 10pm on Monday will be doubled by local match-funders.

LATEST: Click here to see the live fundraising total on the official campaign page

The Story

A South Devon hospice has launched an urgent 36-hour fundraising drive to protect specialist palliative and end-of-life care.

The "Every Moment Matters" appeal for Rowcroft Hospice begins at 10am on Sunday, 22 February. The charity aims to raise £200,000 to support people living with life-limiting illnesses.

During the 36-hour window, all donations will be match-funded by local businesses and individuals, meaning every contribution made will be doubled.

'Every moment matters'

The hospice said the philosophy of the appeal is to help people make the most of "precious time with loved ones."

However, the charity warned that it is facing significant financial pressure. While demand for end-of-life care is growing, Rowcroft receives only 24 per cent of its funding from the government.

The hospice stated that recent increases in National Insurance and the National Living Wage have created an additional £225,000 in annual costs.

National challenges

The local crisis reflects a wider trend across the UK, where two in five hospices are cutting services and some are closing beds due to financial challenges.

"Rowcroft’s teams are committed to giving the very best care at the end-of-life," the hospice said in a statement. "But the increased financial pressures facing us as a charity mean that we can’t always be there."

How to support the appeal

The Torbay Weekly is joining the effort to rally the community behind the cornerstone institution.

Supporters are being asked to donate during the 36-hour window to ensure their contribution is matched x2, and to share the appeal with friends, family, and colleagues.

The campaign seeks to reach its £200,000 goal by 10pm on Monday, 23 February.