'Amazing' Dove Cottage dispels the stigma around hospices

New Dove Cottage manager, Dan Smeeton (right) and head of marketing, Jenny Hendry at the Stathern day care hospice

New manager of Dove Cottage, Dan Smeeton, says the Vale of Belvoir day hospice destroys the often negative stigma associated with caring for people with terminal illnesses.

Dan, who worked for LOROS for six years and in social care for Leicestershire County Council before that, has taken over following the retirement of founder Chris Gatfield.

She has been struck by the warm atmosphere around the Stathern hospice, which this week merged with LOROS, and the close relationships guests have with volunteers and staff.

"It’s an amazing place,” Dan told the Melton Times.

Some of the guests relax this week at Dove Cottage Hospice at Stathern

"There is a stigma around hospices that they are dark and depressing places where people live out their final days.

"But that is certainly not the case at Dove – they have built an amazing ethos of local people caring for local people.”

The hospice has an average of 14 guests a day visiting on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and the same people will attend on particular days so they develop friendships with others.

Dove will also be opening on Mondays from June which will enable more people to go along and give even more respite for carers.

Jenny Hendry, who heads up marketing, said: “Dove exudes a welcoming kindness which is what Chris wanted to achieve from the word go, 26 years ago.

"It is light an airy throughout the building and we have a family atmosphere which makes people settle.”

She added: “Families are comforted that their loved ones are going somewhere for the whole day where they enjoy being and it gives them a break for caring from them.”