Our history

North Devon Hospice was founded in 1981 by local people who saw the need to provide specialist care for people with a life-threatening illness in North Devon.

After three years of planning and fundraising, we recruited our first home care nurse. For the next three years, the hospice operated a community nursing service from a small terraced home in the centre of Barnstaple.

In 1987 our Day Care service was added and in 1990 the services expanded by purchasing the house next door.

In 1993 we moved to our present site at Deer Park, Newport, an Edwardian property set in large grounds with panoramic views of Barnstaple and the estuary.

In 1998 the 'Diana, Princess of Wales' wing was opened by the broadcaster, Martyn Lewis. This extension was built primarily to house the extensive complementary therapy service we offer as well as rooms for our support groups and The Retreat - a quiet area for reflection and peace.

In 2002 and 2003 we ran a successful appeal to raise the money needed to build a bedded unit extension at Deer Park so that  24 hour care could be provided to those most in need.

In June 2005 we admitted the first patient to our new 7-bedded in-patient facility.

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, officially opened the hospice's new bedded unit on 10 April 2006. The visit was a fitting tribute to the people of North Devon who generously understood that providing 24-hour hospice care to those most in need in our community is not a luxury, but a necessity.

In celebration of North Devon Hospice's 25th anniversary this year, we have dedicated our autumn/winter 2009 newsletter to a beautiful overview of the North Devon Hospice history.  This is complete with time-lines, the people we are indebted to and quotes from staff, volunteers and patients alike.  You can view the Autumn/Winter 2009 newsletter online now.

You can also view further quartlerly newsletters online now.