History

At a local Rotary club get-together in 1981 the idea of a hospice was born and an appeal set up in the name of The Five Towns Plus Hospice Fund.  The appeal  was to raise money for building a local hospice to provide  hospice care for people in the Five Towns area of Wakefield disctrict including Pontefract, Castleford, Knottingley,  Featherstone and Normanton. It was much needed particularly in this mining community where people were more at risk of suffering life-limiting conditions later in life. 

To help pay building costs members of the community bought bricks for 25p each and support groups were set up across the district to fundraise for the appeal.

 
Castleford support group in 1981

News of the fundraising reached His Royal Highness The Former Prince of Wales who boosted the appeal by visiting the support groups in 1986.

A further boost came in 1987 when Wakefield Council donated the plot on Halfpenny Lane and finally, in November 1989, The Five Towns Plus Hospice opened one day a week. A year later the Hospice started opening three days a week and was able to admit patients for 24-hour care in a newly-furnished bedded area.

Shortly after, Her Majesty The Queen gave permission for the Hospice to use its current name, The Prince of Wales Hospice.

The Prince of Wales visiting the Hospice in 1986

H.R.H. the former Prince of Wales became the Hospice’s patron in 1987 and he then became its president in 2000. He gave his name and recognition to the essential work the Hospice does for the Five Towns plus community. You  can read more about H.R.H. the former Prince of Wales's link to our Hospice here

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