St Columba’s Hospice has launched an interactive timeline that showcases key and quirky moments from throughout its 40 year history.
In 2017, the Edinburgh Hospice marks 40 years since its doors opened to patients and families for the first time. However the work to open a modern hospice in Edinburgh began back in 1968, when Matron Ann Weatherill convened a meeting to discuss if there was a need for a modern hospice in the city.
Almost a decade after that initial meeting the Hospice opened its doors on 5 December 1977. 40 years later the Hospice is still providing expert specialist care and support for people with terminal illnesses. The care the Hospices provides includes physical, emotional, spiritual, psychological and social support and it is provided to patients and their families free of charge.
The Hospice’s interactive timeline features key and quirky moments from the last four decades including:
– The arrival of patients on the opening of the day hospice services
– The first donation from the Lothian Health Board for £75,000
– The building of the Education Centre
– Visits from HM The Queen and other royal visits
– The opening of new shops across the city, many of which are still open today
– The introduction of computers to the Hospice
– The adoption of Hospuss – a cat that wandered in to the grounds of the Hospice and didn’t leave for 18 years
– The multi-million pound rebuild project launch and progress
– The temporary move to Kirklands House and then back to our Trinity home following the completion of the rebuild project
– The introduction of our therapets
– And much more.
To view the interactive timeline please go to www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk/history.