The Sunday Post: Hospice News

The great day is
drawing closer

By Jackie Bytheway

BUILDING work at Robin House enters a critical phase this month.

Already the hydrotherapy pool is in place, the major brickwork has been completed and the roof is nearly finished.

Skylights have been installed and the glass roof over the special play area has been built.

But the contractors are keen to have the building wind and watertight before the weather breaks — and are aiming to have that mammoth task completed by the end of this month.

Andrew Clark, main contractors Kier Scotland’s commercial director, said,

“The work is going very well. There’s an excellent spirit here and everyone is very keen to bring the building to completion.”

He added within the next two weeks glaziers are due on site to install the windows. Timber cladding for the outside of the building is also expected to arrive soon.

Part of the planning consent for building the hospice was to create a footpath and upgrade the access road and that’s another job due for completion this month.
Boosted

These efforts have been boosted by a Ł400 cheque for our appeal from the construction staff of Kier Scotland, who raised the money through a raffle at their annual dinner-dance.

Agnes accepts the Kier Scotland cheque
from Andrew.

Andrew and Agnes examine the
glass ceiling of the play area.

This will be Robin House’s entrance area.

Andrew said, “We always hold a charity raffle at the dance. This year, because of our involvement with CHAS, we decided to donate the money to this project.”

When our photographer visited yesterday, it was clear great advances in the building work had been made.

Although still a shell, supporting steel girders have been installed at angles in the glass-roofed play area to create two “wigwam” effects. One will be a sensory area and the other for soft play.

Plaster work has begun on some of the bedrooms and dehumidifiers are in place to dry out the walls.

The glass walls for the hydrotherapy pool will be installed within seven weeks.

CHAS Chief Executive, Agnes Malone, said, “I’m thrilled to bits with the work. It’s really great and feels like it’s moving along. Kier were brought in after the liquidation of the previous contractors.

“That was heartbreaking, but now the work is progressing and the building has a really nice feel to it.”
Spirit

Andrew added, “That is symptomatic of the spirit of the hospice and everybody is co-operating to pull in the same direction.”

Some of the teenagers who will use the hospice were asked by the design team for their opinions of what should be included in it.

Their views were taken on board and have come to fruition — like the hydrotherapy pool as well as areas for them to chill out without younger children being around.

And the contractors are confident the building will be completed and handed over to CHAS in March.

Next

You can e-mail us at: hospice@sundaypost.com