The future of a Mapperley hospice has been secured after its headquarters were bought by a local college.
Portland College has acquired Fernleigh House on Woodborough Road, which has been home to Nottinghamshire Hospice since inception in 1980.
As part of this purchase, the hospice will continue to administer end-of-life services from the site, while Portland College will repurpose the majority of the ground floor space to support 30 additional learners living with disabilities.
The hospice supported 1 in 4 people who died in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire last year, receiving a referral for end-of-life care every five hours.
Rachel Hucknall, CEO of Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “The shape of care has changed considerably since we were founded in 1980 and this building has served our needs admirably over 45 years.
“As demand for our Hospice In Your Home service continues to grow, all of our end-of-life care is provided in people’s homes. We no longer need a large building to achieve that.
“It is vital that we ensure every pound we spend is spent well. Part of this is pooling resources wherever possible, so we are absolutely delighted to be working with Portland College – a charity that shares our values and passion for serving our community.”
Portland’s vision is that all people with disabilities will have a lifetime of opportunity. Based in Mansfield, with hubs on Forest Road West in Nottingham, and in Sutton, Kirkby, Newark and Worksop, Portland provides a range of education, care, mental health and employment services to people with disabilities across the county and beyond.
The charity said the purchase of Fernleigh House will enable more vulnerable people to access this service, which will focus on developing personal and independence skills, supporting health and well-being and helping people achieve their individual goals.
Dr Mark Dale, CEO of Portland Charity said “This partnership signals the start of an exciting journey for both charities and we are proud to be joining forces for the benefit of our local communities.
“Portland has been serving Nottinghamshire for 75 years and as the need for our service continues to grow, Fernleigh House provides the perfect setting for our young people.”
Fernleigh House has been part of Nottingham’s landscape since the 1850s and has served many purposes – from a private residence for notable figures like silk throwster William Windley and tobacco magnate John Player, to a city-run hostel and, most recently, Nottinghamshire Hospice.
Rachel added: “We are proud that Fernleigh will continue to serve the people of Nottingham in new ways, while remaining a part of Nottinghamshire Hospice’s story.”
