St Mary’s Hospice Launches New South Lakes Community Hub at Kelsick Grammar

St Mary’s Hospice has officially launched its new South Lakes base at Kelsick Grammar in Ambleside, marking a significant step forward in bringing compassionate hospice care closer to local communities.

The new partnership between St Mary’s Hospice and Impact, the organisation behind the restoration and redevelopment of the historic Kelsick Grammar building, will create a dedicated community hub delivering wellbeing, bereavement, dementia and outreach services across the South Lakes.

For more than 35 years, St Mary’s Hospice has supported people and families across Furness and South Lakes living with life-shortening illness, grief and bereavement. Around two in every ten patients supported by the hospice come from the South Lakes area, highlighting the growing need for accessible local support.

The launch represents a major milestone in the hospice’s commitment to community-based care, helping people access support earlier and closer to home.

Lynsey Lawson, Head of Community Services at St Mary’s Hospice, said: “This launch is about bringing compassionate care into the heart of our communities. By establishing a permanent South Lakes base at Kelsick Grammar, we can support more people earlier, reduce the impact of rural isolation, and ensure families across the South Lakes can access the care, support and dignity they deserve.”

The Kelsick Grammar site will host a range of services including bereavement support groups, wellbeing sessions, dementia support, education programmes and wider community engagement initiatives. The partnership also creates opportunities for collaboration with local organisations and healthcare partners to strengthen support networks across the region.

David Williams, Founder and CEO of Impact, added: “We’re proud to welcome St Mary’s Hospice to Kelsick Grammar. From the beginning, our vision for Kelsick has been to create a place that serves the community in meaningful and lasting ways – a space where people can come together, feel supported and access opportunities that improve lives. This partnership reflects that ethos perfectly, and we’re delighted to see Kelsick becoming a home for such important work in the South Lakes.”

The launch forms part of a wider vision by St Mary’s Hospice to expand compassionate community services and improve access to care in rural areas. Nationally, hospice and end-of-life care services continue to play an increasingly important role in supporting ageing populations and communities living with complex health needs.

Community events and programmes will begin rolling out from the Ambleside base over the coming months, with local residents invited to engage with the new hub and learn more about the services available.

For more information about St Mary’s Hospice and the new South Lakes hub, visit www.stmaryshospice.org.uk.

For more information about Impact, please visit https://www.impactinternational.com/

For more information about Kelsick Gammar, please visit https://www.kelsickgrammar.co.uk/