Charity’s search for a sustainable future for Peterborough landmark while protecting vital care services continues
National healthcare charity, Sue Ryder, which owns Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough, is taking the next vital steps in securing a solution to preserve a much-loved local landmark and help protect the care the charity gives.
Sue Ryder, which is the current custodian of Grade I Listed Thorpe Hall mansion house and Grade II listed gardens in Longthorpe, just outside Peterborough, first announced in 2023 that it had begun working with local planners, heritage experts and a property consultancy firm to find a sustainable future for the building.
As part of the next step in the process, the charity will shortly be listing parts of estate, including the Thorpe Hall mansion house, some agricultural land and the separate lodge house, for sale on the open market.
The marketing of the property has no impact on Sue Ryder’s care services in the region, as the land on which Sue Ryder’s inpatient unit is located is excluded from the listing, with the charity continuing to provide care from its inpatient unit and in people’s homes in local communities as normal.
Martin Wildsmith, Chief Commercial Officer for Sue Ryder said, “I would like to thank all partners we have been working with for their valued expertise in getting us to the point where we are now ready to take the next vital step in our search for a more sustainable future for the mansion house and part of the estate.”
“We have shared previously how the age and listed status of the Thorpe Hall mansion house is making maintaining the building and estate very challenging for our charity at a time the cost of delivering our care is rising, and more people are needing our support.”
These pressures are sharply increasing, which is why we must take action now, not only to preserve this unique building but to ensure our charity funds are not diverted away from those who depend on our care.
“Sue Ryder appreciates this is a building of historical importance. We are doing all we can as a healthcare charity to secure its positive future while ensuring inpatient care will continue from the site, so our care teams can be there when it matters for people at the end of their lives or living with grief.”
“The marketing of parts of the estate does not impact the palliative, end-of-life care and bereavement support the charity provides across the region, with all the hospice’s services continuing to be provided from the Thorpe Hall site and in the community as normal.”
“Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice’s inpatient unit remains a vibrant, vital service for the local community, which alongside our care in the community and bereavement services supports thousands of people,” Martin adds. “By seeking a more sustainable future for the mansion house and parts of the wider estate now, we can provide more of this care to more people in the future.”
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