ST Margaret’s Hospice is shining a light on the vital role which gifts in wills play in ensuring Somerset people receive expert, compassionate hospice care, not just today, but for generations to come.

The charity is part of a national campaign with the theme ‘This is Hospice Care’, with a message that ‘hospice care is more than many people realise’.

It happens not just within hospice walls, but in homes, communities, gardens and cafés - wherever people need to live well at the end of their lives.

In St Margaret’s, this kind of care is only possible thanks to the extraordinary generosity of supporters who leave a gift in their will.

Every year, one in three of St Margaret’s patients is cared for thanks to gifts left by people in their wills.

A hospice spokesperson said: “No matter the size, these acts of generosity mean that thousands of people across Somerset are supported by specialist teams at home, in the hospice, and in the community, with nurses, doctors, therapists, volunteers, and counsellors all coming together to deliver holistic, personalised care.

“A gift in your will today can help protect hospice care for all, for now, forever.

“Hospice care is more than you think - it is more than beds and buildings, it is about enabling people to live as well as possible for as long as possible, wherever they are.

“Last year alone, hospices across the country made over 1.7 million home visits, allowing patients to stay where they feel safest and most loved.”

However, despite the reach of St Margaret’s, its care is not fully funded by the Government, as nationally more than £1 billion of the £1.6 billion hospices require annually comes from public donations, fund-raising, and gifts in wills.

St Margaret’s committed giving manger Kim Gaylard said: “Hospice care in Somerset would not be possible without our supporters.

“We are so grateful to everybody who leaves a gift in their will because your gift is our future.

“It is how we continue to care, not just today, but for the families of tomorrow.

“Whether it is by leaving a gift in your will, donating, or simply starting a conversation about hospice care, your support can help ensure nobody in Somerset faces the end of life alone.”

The charity is marking its 45th anniversary this year of supporting people of all ages with life-limiting illness, not just cancer.

St Margaret’s supported 4,833 people across Somerset in 2024, the majority of whom were cared for in their own homes by one of the charity’s five community nursing teams.

Its 24-hour advice line managed more than 31,000 calls and the specialist in-patient unit in its Taunton premises continued to provide 24-hour complex symptom control.

What started with a nurse led initiative after a fund-raising event raised £400, is now a £15 million turnover operation with 350 staff and more than 900 volunteers.

St Margaret’s care embraces an individualised holistic care plan including physical, emotional, and spiritual support which is available to patients, their families, and carers.