Lesley's Story

I think of the Hospice as my second home – safe, secure and loving.  As soon as I enter the door, a feeling of peace comes over me.  Everywhere you can see beautiful floral arrangements created by the flower volunteers.

The whole building is light and airy.  One room that is extra special to me is the Quiet Room.  This is where we have the Spiritual Gathering, a short service taken by either Liza Waller (the chaplain here) or one of her many volunteers.  This caters for all denominations.  The room has a Quiet Garden just outside which ahs a water feature in it.  When the weather is warm, the door can be opened and you hear the lovely and soothing sound of tinkling water.

I think that I’m extremely fortunate to experience being an In Patient as well as using the Hospice Day Service.  During my stay for pain control the care I have experienced is second to none.  Living with my husband, who is not in very good health, caring for me 24 hours a day, to know that the support is there from the In Patient Unit makes a huge difference.

As a Hospice Day Service patient I have learnt various crafts, my main skill is in making cards.  Since learning at the Craft Group, the Christmas before last, I have not bought a single card.  I really enjoy making them and have now made well over 200.  I have also really enjoyed the therapies offered, including Reflexology and Reiki.  We can have a very nice three course meal for which there is a varied menu to choose from.

All staff at the Hospice in the Weald work extremely hard, backed up with an amazing network of volunteers.  They may be helping to serve meals in the In Patient Unit or manning the reception and coffee shop or helping in the Hospice ay service. 

A lot of volunteers do home visits now and I am very lucky to have three who visit me and have become friends.  One particular friend now comes to me weekly and reads to me, I so much enjoy this time.

I have been involved with the Hospice since the very early days when it was just a hopeful project that would one day happen!  All the care was given by ‘Hospice at Home’ as it was called then.  I helped in the first shop in Tunbridge Wells in Camden Road and thoroughly enjoyed my Fridays there.

I never would have thought that all those years ago that I would benefit so much form using our beautiful Hospice.