Royal honour for Vale of Belvoir hospice founder

Chris Gatfield (70) has supported thousands of local people with terminal illnesses since she started up the Stathern-based hospice in 1996.

And she has been awarded the British Empire Medal in The King’s New Year Honours List for the services she and her army of staff and volunteers have provided there.

Her award citation adds ‘She has created places of employment for 43 households and given purpose and meaning to the lives of more than 250 volunteers’.

Chris, who retired nine months ago, told the Melton Times: “When I opened the official letter I couldn’t really believe it.

“It was quite emotional. I read it and a bit of a lump came to my throat.

“What has been so lovely these last few days is that so many people who have been involved with Dove Cottage are so excited as well about the honour.

“I keep saying to them ‘we did it together’.

“I couldn’t have done it without amazing people around me, volunteers or staff or supporters, families, patients, everybody owns a bit of Dove Cottage.”

Chris founded the hospice from humble beginnings, converting dilapidated farm buildings with huge help from the Braithwaite Gospel Trust.

Lots of generous community support from individuals and businesses helped get the service up and running, opening at first on two days a week.

A substantial extension was added in 2000 following a successful £100,000 appeal launched by the Melton Times.

The then editor, Michael Cooke, had called Chris offering to run an appeal to fund the building work

“There was enough money in the kitty to start building just seven months later which was incredible,” she recalled.

“The money came flooding in, it was very humbling.”

The hospice, which is now managed by Dan Smeeton, has continued to develop with four smaller extensions and the opening of a tea room and local charity shops to help fund the running costs of more than £500,000 a year.

It now opens four days a week, supports 14 people every day and has been merged with the LOROS county hospice since last March.

Chris is looking forward to attending a summer garden party at Buckingham Palace with husband John.

The response of people who benefit from the hospice continues to move Chris.

"It is wonderful to read the feedback from families,” she added.

"The change in people’s lives and how it’s helped people cope, how wonderful the volunteers and the staff are.

"I remember one particular person saying how much they looked forward to a day of fun and laughter at Dove Cottage every week.”

Cricket legend Stuart Broad rounded off a memorable year when he received a CBE in the honours list for his services to the sport.

Stuart, who retired in the summer after a career in which he became one of the greatest ever Test match bowlers, started out in the game playing for Egerton Park CC in Melton Mowbray.

He posted on Instagram that it was ‘A huge honour for me and my family’ and ‘A beautiful end to the most memorable year’.