Francis Lodge

Francis Lodge Opens its Doors

More than forty guests visited Francis Lodge on Wednesday September 8 to watch Tanya cut the ribbon to announce the building officially open.

Tanya’s ceremonial duty was the final act of an eighteen month journey which began with a plea from her brother Stephen and came to a close with the opening of the new extension to Francis House.

What began as a letter to the Trustees from Stephen asking for more respite care for the older users, led to the creation of the four-bedroom respite centre for young people.

Stephen’s letter told of his need to spend more time at the hospice because he was becoming increasingly isolated as his neuro-muscular condition worsened. He was finding it difficult to keep in touch with his mates by computer and so his wish was for more respite for himself and his group of regular Francis House friends.

Sadly Stephen died last November, nine months after he had written the letter and just nine months before the brand new four-bedroom Francis Lodge officially opened its doors.

If Stephen had survived he would have cut the ribbon at the Francis Lodge opening ceremony but his place was taken by his sister, Tanya (24), who has the same condition.

She said: “Stephen was determined to see a place created to meet his and his friends care needs and to live a life like any other person rather than one governed by routine. To think that this has all happened from something as simple as writing a letter, but he was the one to put pen to paper and so it’s because of him that we are here.”

Francis Lodge on Parrswood Road in Didsbury – a few hundred yards from Francis House - aims to help teenagers and young adults achieve as much independence as possible.

Stephen’s letter brought into focus the plight of many of our young people. We now have more than 90 users over the age of 16, the oldest of them over 30. Each has different care needs and so the Trustees decided that we must act quickly to help fill the gap.

In October the first people to use Francis Lodge moved in and from this time onwards staff will be watching closely as the centre is being used as the foundation of a brief for a more permanent solution. The plan to build a new six bed centre for teenagers and young adults is still the long term ambition of the hospice.

Francis Lodge provides a unique opportunity to find out how these young people can be best served and the experience gained from working and caring for them will add to the research already completed by ManchesterUniversity in 2002/3 which directed the hospice’s thinking during the early stages of development.

Francis Lodge has cost half a million pounds to set up money raised through fundraising at Francis House. The extension and the additional costs of the new centre mean the yearly amount needed to pay for the combined service will be £2.7 million in total and so we need new ideas.  We are particularly looking to younger people to help us provide care for those of their own age group.

So come on all of you 18-30’s let us know your bright ideas for fundraising!

If you have any good suggestions contact our fundraisers on 0161 443 2200.