Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care celebrates first anniversary since merger

Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care has celebrated its first anniversary, marking a successful merger between two cherished charities.

On July 1, 2023, the newly formed entity opened its doors, bringing together more than 340 staff and 1,600 volunteers across five sites in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire after it merged Rennie Grove and Peace Hospice Care.

Throughout the past year, the new hospice has honed its focus on integrating teams from both original charities, while continuing its work of providing palliative care and support to more than 4,500 individuals with progressive life-limiting illnesses, alongside their families.

Rennie Grove Peace nurses and bereavement counsellors (Image: Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care)

Stewart Marks, chief executive, said: "We’re delighted to have achieved so much in our first year operating as Rennie Grove Peace, and I cannot thank the team enough for their dedication.

"I am also proud of all our new initiatives that help us provide personalised care and support from the moment someone is diagnosed with a progressive life-limiting illness.

"Of course, we couldn’t deliver any of our much-needed services without the generous support of our local community, who give us their volunteering time and expertise, as well as over 85 per cent of our funding."

One of the hospice's prominent initiatives has been the introduction of a Coordination Centre, offering a single point of contact with direct access to a specialist triage team.

The centre has been designed to swiftly connect those in need with appropriate caregivers.

President of Rennie Grove Peace, Moira Rennie MBE, said: "It all started in 1984 with five nurses in our front room who passionately believed in a better way to care for people.

"Now, Rennie Grove Peace provides hospice care for over 4,500 people a year."

Dr Mary Groves MBE, another president and founder, said: "Now at Rennie Grove Peace, we support people right from the point of diagnosis with our one-to-one nurse clinics, and our range of therapies."

Professor Stephen Spiro OBE, another president, praised the merger for its ability to offer the best possible care to more families in need.

Dr Jeremy Shindler, chair of trustees at Rennie Grove Peace, acknowledged the hospice's enduring ethos that 'every moment matters'.