Our Story

A Dream Takes Root

In 1986, Dr Wink White’s wife spoke a sentence that changed everything: “He is not going to retire; he is going to build a hospice.” With this vision, the seeds of Keech Hospice were planted on 14 October 1986. By March 1987, we had opened our first bank account, and by 7 July, the Trust Deed was established, naming our first trustees. Dr Wink White, John Every, Betty Robinson, Geoffrey Squires and Ron Upton. The deed was drawn up by local solicitor Tim Watson who would later become a companion of the charity.

Meet our team

Passionate is a very good word to describe the atmosphere between the trustees in the early days… It was simply put together and kept alive by friends and friends of friends

Tim Watson LLB

Building a legacy

Following a generous donation of land by local land owner Betty Robinson the hospice had a place to call home. This coupled with the tireless dedication and unwavering community support, enabled us to open the doors of Luton and South Bedfordshire Hospice in 1991. That Easter, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester officially inaugurated the adult hospice.

As Dr David Siegler remembered, “Without Betty we would never have got started”

During the 1990’s the hospice developed and grew at pace. From opening our first shop in 1993, the development of the Keech lottery to the Smily Sam Christmas float our fundraising flourished. By 1996 we were able to build and open a Day Hospice Service.

In 1998, we became The Pasque Adult Hospice, taking the name of our emblem as the name for our adult hospice, embodying our deep commitment to care.

A hospice for all ages

In 2000, Keech Cottage Children’s Hospice was born from a generous £1 million donation by Dennis Keech, whose name we proudly bear.

Keech Cottage served a wider catchment area including Hertfordshire.

Officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal, Keech Hospice became a sanctuary for children and families facing life-limiting conditions. For the first time, our care extended seamlessly to both adults and children.

Find out more about our care

One name, one mission

In 2009, the two hospices came together to create the one all age hospice we are today. We embraced a single identity as Keech Hospice Care, uniting our services under one name.

Reflecting our commitment to holistic, seamless care for everyone we serve.

Our mission

Keech Hospice has consistently grown and evolved to meet the needs of our communities:

2002: We opened our hydrotherapy pool
2009: Esther Rantzen unveiled our new Adult In-Patient Unit, alongside The Walk of Life pathway.
2011: Our refurbished Day Hospice opened its doors.
2020: The Wellbeing Centre began offering tailored programmes to support independence and improve quality of life.
2020: Keech Hospice awarded Queen’s award for voluntary service.
2024: Keech Hospice receives Hospice UK’s Improving inclusivity award and ranked 51st of the best large companies to work for in the UK by Best Companies and the 8th best charity to work for.

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A significant merger

In 2023, an opportunity was identified to merge with the Bedford Daycare Hospice offering day services to adults in the Bedford area.

Established in 1992, by the Bedford Daycare Trust, The Bedford Daycare Hospice had a highly respected history of providing specialise palliative day care, receiving the Queen’s award for voluntary service in 2014.

The merger has allowed for further expansion of our care.

Services are offered from our site in Bedford, which is part owned by Keech Hospice and the Bedfordshire Charitable Trust. The Bedford site was expanded and renamed the Keech Hospice Living Well Centre in 2024.

Who we are today

The modern-day hospice movement came into being in 1967 when Dame Cicely Saunders founded St Christopher’s House in London. However, hospice care in the UK goes back to the mid-1800s. Today there are more than 220 hospices. However, Keech is one of only a handful of hospices that provide services to both adults and children.

Today, Keech Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end of life care for people of all ages.

We support adults in Bedfordshire. Children and their families in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Milton Keynes. At home, in hospice, or wherever we’re needed.

As a teaching hospice, our exceptional people, training, and facilities are helping local communities to live and die well.

In 2023/24 we supported over 2,100 patients and their families, saving the NHS over £6.5m.

A Future of Compassion
As we look ahead, our mission remains clear: to lead the way in innovative, inclusive care. From hosting community events to launching award-winning initiatives, we’re constantly evolving to ensure no one faces death or grief alone.

Be Part of Our Story
Every milestone in our journey has been made possible by people like you. By volunteering, fundraising, or simply sharing our mission, you’re helping us create a brighter future for those who need it most.

Thank you for being part of our story. Together, we’re making the difference when it matters most.

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