Rainbows Hospice Funding Campaign

June 2006

In may 2006 Tony Blair the Prime Minister held a meeting with the Association of Children's Hospices and it appears £27m has been allocated over the next 3 years. At the time of writing further details are awaited but I am delighted that the years of debate, lobbying and support for the case has finally won the day.

"I would like to thank everybody locally who has supported my campaign either by signing a postcard, petition or writing a letter. Every contact has made a difference to let me show the Prime Minister how strongly people feel about this issue. Once again it shows a partnership between people, organisations and MPs can make a difference."

I have been involved with Rainbows Hospice since I became MP for Loughborough. Nobody could fail to be moved by the service the Hospice provides to local children and their parents.

There has been a problem with the amount of money the Hospice receives from the public sector. Whilst the issue is complex it is also very simple. The agencies who use the service - the local Primary Care Trusts and Social Services - need to make a contribution to the service they receive.

The Leicester Mercury got inolved in the campaign work I had been undertaking and 'took over' the campaign in the last few months. The newspaper always wants to sensationalise the story and I have been disappointed by much of its coverage, but the final outcome is one I share - more public sector funding for Children's Hospices