St Mary’s Hospice Compassionate Community Services
Introducing the Compassionate Communities Team
We know that strong communities don’t replace professional care, they strengthen it. By working alongside local charities, councils, and community groups, we help create a network of support around people living with long-term or life-limiting illness, and those who care for them.
Compassionate Community Service
Within our Compassionate Communities service, we bring together specialist support that connects people not only to hospice care, but to their wider community.
This includes:
- Admiral Nurse Dementia Service
- Wellbeing Service
- Family Support and Bereavement
- Community Engagement
Together, these services help build confident, connected communities where no one faces illness, caregiving, or bereavement alone.
Because compassionate care belongs in the heart of the community, not just within hospice walls, we deliver our services from a range of accessible local spaces. From St Mary’s Hospice in Ulverston to our Community Hub and community venues such as Kelsick Grammar in Ambleside, we meet people where they are — making it easier to access support, build relationships, and feel part of a caring community.
Our Community Hub Story
In the heart of Barrow Market, something special began to take shape. Surrounded by the buzz of the market and the voices of our local community, we invited people to share their thoughts, ideas, and hopes for the future of our Compassionate Communities service.
It was more than just an engagement event, it was a chance for the community to help create something meaningful together. People stopped by to chat, offer suggestions, and share what they felt this space should represent. From conversations over coffee to thoughtful ideas about names and identity, the day was filled with collaboration and a shared sense of purpose.
Those conversations helped guide us to an important decision. This is where St Mary’s Hospice Community Hub was born.
Our centre now proudly carries its new identity, with fantastic signs displayed for all to see. But this isn’t just a new name or logo, it’s a reflection of the voices, ideas, and support of the people who helped shape it.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us that day in Barrow Market and contributed their thoughts. Your input has helped shape the future of this space, ensuring it truly belongs to the community it serves.
The St Mary’s Hospice Community Hub is always ready to welcome you — a place built with the community, for the community.
Thank you for being part of the journey.
Looking to Rent a Room?
Third-sector organisations supporting individuals with long-term conditions are welcome to use the St Mary’s Hospice Community Hub. The Hindpool Room is available for rent at the following rates:
- 1-hour rental: £20
- Half-day (up to 4 hours): £75
- Full-day: £130
For small, voluntary-run groups with no income, there is no room hire charge. However, a fee of £1.50 per attendee applies to cover tea, coffee, and biscuits during the session.
To book or learn more, contact St Mary’s Hospice Community Hub
Find Out More About Our Kelsick Partnership
St Mary’s Hospice is delighted to announce a new partnership with Kelsick Grammar in Ambleside, establishing this historic school building, owned and managed by Impact, as the official South Lakes base for St Mary’s Hospice services.
This partnership marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for both organisations — one built on a shared commitment to bringing support closer to the people who need it, in the communities where they live, work and connect.
Impact’s redevelopment of Kelsick Grammar reflects that same belief. Guided by the strapline “More than a Building”, the project brings together place, people and purpose to create something truly meaningful for the community.
This partnership is therefore about far more than location. It represents a shared commitment to working side-by-side to improve quality of life, increase access to support, and help more people across the South Lakes live well, and die well, wherever they call home.
Wellbeing Service
St Mary’s Hospice Wellbeing service focuses on ‘what matters most to you’.
We recognise that you may be facing difficult circumstances and symptoms that are hard to control but more than that, our team acknowledges that this can have a significant impact on you living the life that you want to. Our priority is to help you to live your life well, even if your life may be shorter than you had hoped.
Family Support and Bereavement Service
Our Family and Bereavement Support Service provides psychological, emotional and spiritual support for patients throughout their illness and for their families and carers, leading up to and following bereavement.
Our Support Service is available to anyone over the age of 18 who is experiencing loss, irrespective of time lapsed, cause or relationship. There is also no requirement to have had previous contact with the hospice services.
Admiral Dementia Service
Admiral Nurses are highly trained dementia specialists, supported by the Dementia UK charity. Dementia nurses provide support for those living with dementia and their families. They provide expert clinical advice as well as emotional, psychological, and social support.
Dementia Nurses have extensive knowledge that means they are able to help families with the most complex challenges, ensuring all patients have the best quality of life.
Community Engagement
At St Mary’s Hospice, we believe the best services are built with the community, not just for the community. By working together, listening to local voices, and understanding what matters most to the people we support, we are able to shape and develop our services through co-production. This means the community plays an active role in helping us design care that truly meets local needs.
We regularly attend community events to connect with people, raise awareness of hospice care, and listen to what’s important to you. If you are organising an event, hosting a coffee morning, or would like us to come and speak to your group about the services we provide, we would love to hear from you.
Please get in touch with us on 01229 444407 to start the conversation.
