Hospice aims to raise £200,000 in 36-hour matched funding appeal

Rowcroft Hospice is calling on the South Devon community to help raise £200,000 in just 36 hours as part of a major fundraising drive to support families facing life-limiting illness.
The ‘Every Moment Matters Appeal’ will run from 10am on Sunday 22 February until 10pm on Monday 23 February. During that time, all donations will be matched by local businesses, community groups and individual supporters, doubling the impact of every contribution.
Funds raised will go towards providing specialist end-of-life care for people across South Devon. The hospice says the appeal reflects its core philosophy that “every moment matters” - both for patients and their families, and in the race to reach the fundraising target.
For Jill Cross, from Newton Abbot, the care Rowcroft provided to her parents, Barbara and Brian Hopkinson, made what she describes as an immeasurable difference.
“When I brought Dad into the hospice, the staff gently asked if there were any family issues they should know about,” shared Jill. “I explained that my sister hadn’t spoken to Mum or Dad in over two decades. I had tried so many times to help them reconcile, but it had never happened.”
With encouragement from Rowcroft staff, Jill asked her father whether he wanted to see his estranged daughter.
“He agreed, so I made the call and miraculously, she came,” Jill recounted. “They talked, reconciled and made their peace; it was perfect and brought so much comfort to them both. If he had passed away without that moment, it would have haunted me for the rest of my life.”
When Brian chose to spend his final days at home, Rowcroft’s Hospice at Home team ensured the move was smooth and that he remained comfortable, visiting regularly to provide specialist care.
“One night, Dad’s hands were cold, and I asked if I could wrap him up,” Jill remembers. “The nurse gently took my hand and said, ‘Jill, feel his feet. He’s shutting down.’ She told me with such kindness. I thought I could rub his hands and bring him back, but she helped me understand what was really happening. As he approached the end, the nurse stayed late after her shift, not wanting to leave his side.
“That’s the difference that Rowcroft makes. Someone being there with you, guiding you, giving you choices, and supporting you every step of the way. I don’t think I could have coped without Rowcroft.”
Following Brian’s death, Rowcroft continued to support Jill’s mother, Barbara, enabling her to remain at home surrounded by family.
“My mum was shutting down, but in the gentlest way. There was no pain, no distress,” Jill recalls. “I’d spent weeks doing her hair, keeping her looking lovely. And when I hadn’t done it in those final days, one of the nurses said, ‘Don’t worry, Jill, I’ll do it.’ That meant everything to me.
"When Mum passed, I was there, holding her. Rowcroft ensured I was there at the right time. It was calm, just as it should be."
Rowcroft says money raised through the appeal will help ensure more families can experience that level of care and support during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
The campaign comes amid growing financial pressure on hospices nationwide. Across the UK, two in five hospices are planning service cuts due to rising costs, limited government funding, falling donations and increasing demand for end-of-life care.
For Rowcroft, recent increases to National Insurance Contributions and the National Living Wage added £225,000 to annual costs. With just 24 per cent of its income coming from the NHS, the charity says it relies heavily on community support to continue its work.
Supporters are being urged to donate during the 36-hour appeal, organise fundraising activities within their networks and share the campaign on social media to help spread the word.
Donations can be made via Rowcroft Hospice’s website and fundraising platform, with further details available on the charity’s social media channels. charityextra.com/rowcrofthospice