THE chief executive of a Newport hospice has spoken of her gratitude following news from Wales' health minister Vaughan Gething that hospices across Wales will receive a share of £6.3 million in support.

Mr Gething said the financial support would "ensure they can continue to provide those vital services and high-quality care across Wales".

St David's Hospice Care chief executive and director of nursing Emma Saysell said: "We're very grateful to health minister Vaughan Gething and Welsh Government for their fantastic support at this very difficult time."

As reported previously in the Argus, the Newport-based St David's Hospice Care is in the “most challenging situation” of its history, after lockdown measures closed its charity shops and forced the cancellation of its busy fundraising calendar.

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Meanwhile, the hospice has seen a surge in demand during the coronavirus outbreak, as the NHS prioritises treatment for people with Covid-19.

Ms Saysell said: "We are committed to continuing our support for the fabulous National Health Service, who are doing such a marvellous job, in every way that we can to provide our specialist palliative and end of life care to patients and support for their families, where ever they are in our community throughout south Wales and South Powys."

The Newport-based hospice, which has to fund 70 per cent of its clinical services through its events, now cancelled, and its shops, all closed, is bracing itself for a massive spike in Covid-19 pandemic referrals.

St David's Hospice Care events raise £2.5m a year for the hospice and the shops in excess of £1m.

In the face of this drastic loss of income the hospice launched a Just Giving page to receive direct online donations so it can carry on with its essential work throughout Gwent and South Powys.

The Newport-based palliative and end of life care hospice normally cares for some 1,200 patients on a daily basis. This number is rocketing as the pandemic increases its lethal grip on the community.

The address for donations is justgiving.com/campaign/stdavidscovid19