A housing developer has donated £500 towards the upgrade of a sensory rooftop garden at an East Lancashire hospice.

Taylor Wimpey Manchester’s donation was put towards a wide range of items for the garden at Rossendale Hospice in Rawtenstall, including new plants and shrubs.

The garden acts as a place of calm and relaxation, offering patients the opportunity to tend to flowers and shrubs and bring enjoyment to their time in the hospice.

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Rossendale Hospice offers end-of-life care for patients in Rossendale with cancer and other life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families.

The hospice offers a range of essential services, including Hospice at Home care, a wellbeing centre, complementary and psychotherapy support, including pre and post-bereavement counselling, and a befriending service to reduce loneliness and social isolation.

Irene Smith, chief executive of Rossendale Hospice, said: “We have a really lovely rooftop garden at Rossendale Hospice where patients can sit outside, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the calm and beauty of the plants.

"Many of our patients enjoy tending to the plants and shrubs which they find very soothing, as well as a sense of escapism from their health issues and the joy of doing something 'normal'. 

“We are very grateful for the support Taylor Wimpey has offered us in upgrading our rooftop garden, it will provide hours of enjoyment for our patients.”

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Sam Evans, sales and marketing director for Taylor Wimpey Manchester, said: “We are delighted to support the valuable care services that Rossendale Hospice provides to the Rossendale community.

“Having professional support and expert palliative care is vital for such a difficult time in anyone’s life.

"We hope the patients at Rossendale Hospice enjoy the rooftop garden that the hospice has worked hard to put together.”