HANDOVER OF NEW HOSPICE FOR SOUTHEND MARKED WITH THE LAYING OF A TIME CAPSULE - Barnes Construction

After 65 weeks, construction of Southend’s only adult hospice has finished and been marked with the laying of a time capsule in the grounds at Priory Crescent in Prittlewell.

The new £17.2 million facility was officially handed over to Chief Executive of Havens Hospices, Steve Smith at an event attended by members of the construction team and staff of the new Fair Havens Hospice.

Designed by LSI Architects and built by Barnes, the new building provides a modern hospice with 16 in-patient bedrooms, increased Day Hospice services and additional family support, which means it can care for twice as many patients and families and offer more treatments and support more families in a welcoming and therapeutic environment.

Mr Smith says, “This official handover of the building from Barnes Construction to Havens Hospices is the culmination of the hard work of hundreds of people from both organisations, from fundraisers to builders and dozens of other trades in between.

“It’s an honour to be here marking this occasion by burying a time capsule which not only contains memories of our past hospice care but our hopes for the future.”

Photo shows: William Barnes, Chair of Trustees Brian Terry, Mark Hart and Havens Hospice CEO Steve Smith.