First Spade in the Ground for Landmark Gorleston Hospice

St Elizabeth Hospice has broken ground to mark the start of construction work on its community hospice in Gorleston.

Taking place on 20 October, the landmark first spade was put in the ground by members of the hospice team, including the charity’s Chief Executive Officer, Judi Newman, Chair of the Board, Ann Monks, and nurses, alongside project partners and Barnes Construction Joint Managing Director, Mark Hart. The milestone comes just over a year after planning approval was granted by Great Yarmouth Borough Council to build St Elizabeth Hospice, Gorleston, on a seven-acre site off Sidegate Road, close to James Paget University Hospital.

Judi Newman, St Elizabeth Hospice Chief Executive Officer, said: “What a brilliant day this has been and what a fantastic moment for the local community.

“Having a purpose-built hospice in Gorleston has been a long-held ambition for so many people across Great Yarmouth and Waveney, and today we move one step closer to making that vision a reality.

“Our thanks go to the many people who have worked tirelessly towards this goal, fundraising and advocating for greater equality in palliative and end-of-life care across the area.

“Together, we are moving closer to fulfilling this long-held ambition and today is a day to reflect on and celebrate the community’s determination in achieving this goal.”

St Elizabeth Hospice, Gorleston will include an outpatient and community hub providing day services and therapy, a base for local hospice staff, a community café and an Inpatient Unit with up to 16 beds.

The project builds on the dedication and vision of members of the local community who have worked tirelessly for many years to improve end-of-life care provision across Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

Roberta Lovick, founder of the Louise Hamilton Trust and long-time campaigner for greater end-of-life care provision, said: “To see the first spade in the ground for St Elizabeth Hospice, Gorleston, is an incredibly emotional and significant moment for me.

“I have campaigned for many years for better end-of-life care for the people of Great Yarmouth and Waveney, and to see this vision now becoming a reality is something I am immensely proud of.

“When my daughter Louise died in 1998, I vowed to dedicate my life to improving end-of-life care in this community and across the country.

“For too long, people in Great Yarmouth and Waveney have not had the same access to specialist hospice care as other communities, and this hospice will help change that.

“Seeing construction begin is a huge milestone, but it is also the start of something that will make a lasting difference to our community for generations to come.”

Jonathan Chadd, whose mother, the late Margaret Chadd, first identified the need for a local hospice and was instrumental in raising the funds to acquire the site and secure the original planning consent, said: “Today is a tremendously important milestone and one I know my mother, who dedicated the last 18 years of her life to this cause, would have been thrilled to see.

“It really is a landmark moment for the community and a testament to the fantastic work of so many local people who have campaigned and worked tirelessly towards this goal over many years.

“St Elizabeth Hospice is now making that vision a reality for Great Yarmouth and Waveney, an area which for far too long has not had the level of end-of-life care services it deserves and needs.”

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, Suffolk-based Barnes Construction will lead the development, working with an East Anglian project team including Norwich-based LSI Architects, Ipswich construction consultants Castons and Norfolk consulting engineers Create.

Mark Hart, Joint Managing Director at Barnes Construction, said: “Hospices hold a very special place in our hearts at Barnes Construction, so being entrusted with delivering this wonderful new facility is both a privilege and a source of immense pride for our team.

“We know how much this hospice means to the people of Great Yarmouth and Waveney, and we recognise the years of dedication, fundraising and hard work that have brought the project to this significant milestone.

“We are delighted to play our part in turning that long-held vision into reality, creating a lasting legacy that will benefit the local community for generations to come.”

Since April 2019, St Elizabeth Hospice has cared for more than 7,000 patients and their families in Great Yarmouth and Waveney, through their healthcare partnership with East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH).

The development of St Elizabeth Hospice, Gorleston, will build on the hospice’s existing services in the area. Construction is expected to cost around £16 million and take up to two years to complete, with a capital fundraising appeal set to launch in the near future.

Demand for hospice care in Great Yarmouth and Waveney is expected to increase by 35% by 2040. Yet only 2.1% of residents in Norfolk and Waveney currently die in a hospice, compared with 4.4% nationally.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, St Elizabeth Hospice identified 352 local patients who would have been referred for hospice inpatient care had a service been available, highlighting the urgent need for St Elizabeth Hospice, Gorleston.

To find out more or to donate towards St Elizabeth Hospice’s services in Great Yarmouth and Waveney, please visit – www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/gorlestonhospice