Sobell House Hospice Launches “The Extra Mile Appeal” to Provide Dedicated End-of-Life Ambulance Service

Sobell House Hospice Charity has launched ‘The Extra Mile Appeal’ to fund a dedicated ambulance service that will provide urgent, specialist transportation for patients receiving end-of-life care.

The initiative aims to ensure that patients can be moved with dignity, comfort, and speed to their preferred place of care — whether at home or in the hospice.

For those in the final stage of life, every moment counts. The appeal will create a dedicated hospice transport fund to dispatch specialist ambulances which will meet the specific needs of palliative care patients.

Amelia Foster, CEO of Sobell House Hospice said: “With end-of-life care, we only have one chance to get things right for our patients and their families. By having more control over when and how our patients are transported, we can minimise stress and maximise dignity, ensuring their final journey is as comfortable as possible.

The transport fund will give us the autonomy to be more agile when time is of the essence.”

The service will partner with expert providers trained in palliative care and syringe driver management, ensuring patients remain pain-free during transport. Unlike standard emergency vehicles, these ambulances will not be diverted for other calls, allowing them to focus entirely on the hospice’s patients.

The transport fund, which launched today (18th March) has been kickstarted by Didcot-based charity Play2Give, which has donated over £5,000 to begin the appeal. Play2Give raises funds for the hospice in memory of a late supporter, Angela Norris, who received palliative care at home from Sobell nurses and passed away in late 2020. Angela  was  mother to vice-chair of trustees, Matthew and like a second mother to the charity’s founder, Andrew.

Founder and chair of Play2Give, Andrew Baker MBE BCAv, said: “Play2Give is delighted to be supporting this very special project. For the charity to be able to fund something so meaningful and impactful and to know that it will be changing and transforming the end-of-life experience of those with life-limiting illnesses is very poignant indeed.”

Sobell House is calling on the community to support The Extra Mile Appeal with donations, helping to make this essential service available 24/7, 365 days a year.

“A donation today means local families can focus on what truly matters—spending precious time together—without the added worry of transportation challenges,” added Amelia.

To contribute to The Extra Mile Appeal and make a difference for those in need, visit https://sobellhouse.org/appeal/extra-mile-appeal/

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For more information or interviews, please contact Cara Churchman on cara@thankstomarketing.com

About Sobell House

Since 1976, Sobell House Hospice has provided compassionate care to adults with a life-limiting illness and supported their loved ones. At any given time, we care for around 650 people across Oxfordshire at home, on our inpatient unit, in the local hospitals, and through our Living Well service.

Our mission is to enrich the lives of our patients and those who love and care for them. That’s why our focus is on the here and now and making every moment matter. By providing our patients with a better quality of life, we hope to give them more time making memories with loved ones or doing what matters most to them.

In addition to medical care, we are able to offer a wide range of services, to help fulfil every person’s psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual needs. We also provide bereavement support to people who have lost a loved one.

Sobell House Hospice is jointly funded by the NHS and the Sobell House Hospice Charity.  Every year, the Charity raises around £4 million to help fund the care we provide.

Our vision is to offer high quality end of life care to all those who need it in Oxfordshire. Over the next 5 to 10 years, our aim is to build the necessary infrastructure to deliver more direct care across all of our services, to provide more education and training for health and social care professionals who deliver end of life care and develop a network of carers and volunteers capable of alleviating the stress of those with a terminal illness and the bereaved, where they live.

Find out more at: https://sobellhouse.org

Charity Registration No 1118646. Sobell House Hospice Charity Ltd, Churchill Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ