A HOSPICE charity is "determined to keep its service going" despite an estimated loss of £2.8million.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic nurses and carers at Julia's House have continued supporting vulnerable children across Wiltshire and Dorset, through visiting families in the home and offering parents reassurance and advice.

However in response to the global crisis, Julia's House has had to furlough 40 per cent of its staff, fundraising events and activities have been postponed, and Julia’s House shops are closed for the foreseeable future, meaning the charity has lost two thirds of its usual yearly income.

Martin Edwards, Julia’s House CEO, said that Julia's House, alongside Hospice UK, has been lobbying the Government for relief funding to help recover from "a huge financial blow".

He said: "This is on the basis that hospices are critical to saving the NHS resources, time and money, and therefore are needed now more than ever to reduce the strain and pressure on our local health services."

Following the Government's announcement on April 8 of additional funding for hospices, Martin said: “We don’t know specifically what this will mean for Julia’s House in terms of funding, that has all got to be worked out, but it will certainly help us towards meeting the estimated £2.8 million drop in income that we’re anticipating to the end of this year.  

"This will help us to continue our care for vulnerable children, giving some certainty to the families we support  in a time of huge uncertainty in so many other aspects of their lives.”

Despite not running as normal the charity is trying to support local health services as much as possible, by continuing care for children at home to reduce the pressure on NHS staff, using video calls to stay in touch and helping transport medicines and supplies.

Director of care Ali Acaster said that the team are "determined to keep our care service going for as long as we possibly can".

She added: “It’s not been easy but we know our families need us more than ever during the Covid-19 crisis. There is often no break or relief apart from the support and care they receive from us.

“Most of us might be returning to a new normal in a few months' time but for our families the fear and isolation will continue as they seek to protect their highly vulnerable children and we want to ensure we are there for them during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.”

Mr Edwards added: “Everyone who touches Julia’s House has a very special combination of resourcefulness, commitment and compassion, which we are seeing demonstrated in so many ways at present from our nurses and carers through to our volunteers and supporters.

"We are so grateful for everyone’s help in these uncertain times and we do need that support to continue, so we can carry on providing a much needed lifeline to the most vulnerable children and families in our community.”

For more information and to donate visit the Julia's House website.