Fundraising brothers campaign to help Wheatfields Hospice buy "desperately needed" equipment

Since retiring as a GP in south Leeds, Stewart Manning and his brother Michael have been involved in fundraising for end of life care with a number of organisations and are now trying to do their bit for Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley.

The latest project is to raise £8800 for four pressure relieving mattresses which are desperately needed at the hospice.

As well as looking at applying for grants, they hope that organisations or individuals may also be able to contribute towards some of the costs.

It comes as the Yorkshire Evening Post reported last week that the hospice was in desperate need of more than £1m to plug a funding shortfall.

He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "We found a need in hospices and started up a small emergency fund at St Gemma's to pay for things like a taxi for a girl whose mother was terminally ill and for a lady to have Christmas cards sent out from the hospice.

"We went to Wheatfields last year and, although there are two hospices in Leeds, it is not as well supported as St Gemma's. In March we rang up and gave them a donation and for my 70th in June I could not have a party but said to people 'I don't want gifts or restaurant vouchers, I want some money so it can go to the charity'.

"Wheatfields is desperately in need of these four pressure mattresses. We found out you can apply for grants, and my brother and I will approach other people and organisations to see if they are willing to contribute."

Mr Manning said they were interested in helping organisations who give end of life care, both because of family experiences but, also, because of the help given to his patients and their families over the years.

He added: "It has been very difficult for people in lockdown and, what is not really fair, is that the government has given £3bn to health services but not to hospices, and it really is time that care home and hospices came under the same umbrella."

For the last few years, the brothers have been ambassadors for the Robert Sinclair Davidson Foundation, a charity set up in Leeds by Robert Davidson, a Leeds man who died aged 34 from Motor Neurone disease. The charity offers financial support to young couples and families affected by life threatening and terminal illness.

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Laura Collins