Local businesses breathe new life into hospice’s Bluebell Room

Cheltenham

Venue: Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice

Several local businesses in Gloucestershire have collaborated to renovate a treatment room at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice.

Cotswolds-based interior designer, Rhian Jones, from Seasonal Soul Home, was keen to get involved in the project, after attending a CheltNetworking event at the hospice in July 2023. She explained: “I was delighted to offer support. It was just a question of how the team envisaged the use of the room in future. When introduced to it, it was an unused clinical space, lacking in warmth and welcome.

“That said, the aspect and positioning of the room had a very calm feeling about it so there was real potential to build upon. I quite quickly put a few ideas together and came up with a plan. A soft, calm approach was very much the brief, using a natural colour palette and materials, bringing the outdoors in.
“Making sure the wall space could be used creatively was quite important. I felt the room could support creative expression, which can be helpful in forms of therapy. In the design I planned some gallery walls, so pieces of artwork from group sessions could easily be displayed.”

A few months later, and with some initial plans in place, Barnwood Ltd - a design and construction company from Gloucester - offered to come on board and help with the room’s renovation. Rhian continued:
“Barnwood’s offer of support was fantastic to receive. I thought it would be a great collaboration for the commercial and behavioural requirements of this project. I was confident we could work together really positively and that’s exactly what happened!

“Once our plans were approved by the team at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, the work started in the third week of February and we’re now in the process of finishing the soft furnishings. And the good news is that it’s being used already – and people are finding it a lovely space to be in. The space has really come to life!”

Staff at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, which houses the only palliative care inpatient unit in the county, ran a competition to choose a new name for the space, taking inspiration from the Bluebell Walk which runs around the lake in the hospice’s beautiful grounds.

Gemma Cox, from Barnwood Ltd, said: “We were thrilled that Barnwood could contribute to the internal renovation of the Bluebell Room at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice. The work Sue Ryder does is essential to our local community, and creating a lovely space for carers to relax in was a privilege. We are also delighted that Karndean supplied the flooring, adding a beautiful touch to the area. Working with Rhian and the Sue Ryder team was truly a pleasure.”

Tamsin Grainger, Senior Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, added: “We’re so grateful for all the hard work that’s gone into renovating the Bluebell Room, and making it into a place we’re really proud of! I’d like to thank Rhian, from Seasonal Soul Home, Gemma from Barnwood Ltd, Karndean in Evesham for the flooring, Warwick Fabrics in Gloucester for their donation of fabric and Just Fabrics in Cheltenham, for their support completing the final furnishings. If you’d like to get involved in a similar project, or one of our many fundraising events this year, please do get in touch.”

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Sue Ryder - Leckhampton Court Hospice

Gloucestershire's only residential hospice.

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