Les Bourgs Hospice is unique to Guernsey and has been for 35 years – but the way in which it operates is far from unique in the hospice sector in the UK.
Given that it is solely funded by charitable donations, it is a real challenge to continue to maintain that status, one which has been raised by management in these pages already this year.
There is no government funding from our taxes, yet such is the status of the hospice, if directors said it could no longer continue to be self-sufficient, then inevitably the taxpayer would have to pick up the tab.
Closure would be unconscionable.
Yet founder Greville Mitchell says: ‘We would not have got where we are today without being independent of the States.’
The hospice has been an undoubted success story in the island.
It continues to look to broaden its services for the community while continuing to look to pay its own way.
Mr Mitchell also says in our interview today: ‘If Great Britain ran like the hospice movement, it would be flying.’
As islanders continue to raise concerns about government spending going out of control, could we not give it a try?
Or at least learn a few lessons about how Les Bourgs has learned to live with, and be loved by, its community.
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