Countess of Brecknock Hospice Trust

The Countess of Brecknock Hospice Trust, an independent charity established in 1998, exists solely to provide financial support for the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, delivering outstanding palliative and end-of-life care to adults with life-limiting illnesses in Andover, Stockbridge, and surrounding Hampshire villages. Originating from a 1988 local appeal led by Dame Mary Fagan and Dr Marjorie Williams, the Trust upholds values of compassion, dignity, respect, integrity, and personalised holistic care for patients and families, fostering service excellence, community involvement, and innovation—exemplified by features like adjustable "Cuddle Beds" in every room, Day Centre services, therapy spaces, and Hospice at Home outreach.

It funds exclusively the hospice's operations, development, and enhancements, covering inpatient running costs (over £500,000 annually), senior nursing posts, equipment upgrades, staff training, specialist therapies, capital projects (e.g., £4.2 million for a 2020 expansion), and service innovations, prioritising adults (mainly cancer but including non-malignant conditions) with local ties, plus their families, friends, and carers.

Eligibility is highly restrictive: only the Countess of Brecknock Hospice qualifies, managed in partnership with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; no other entities, regardless of size or income, are supported. Unsolicited applications are not accepted; funding decisions are strategic and ad hoc by trustees, responding to hospice needs without public deadlines or processes. Typical grants range from £500,000 for operations to £4.2 million for major capital works.

Distinctive for its singular focus on one community hospice—rejecting generalist, thematic, or external grants—this Trust emphasises deep local accountability, NHS collaboration, and sustained philanthropy to ensure high-quality palliative care, setting it apart from broader funders.