A hospice which has provided care and support for terminally ill people for nearly forty years is to receive Liverpool’s highest honour.
St Joseph’s Hospice – also known as the Jospice – will be granted the Freedom of the City of Liverpool this week – Tuesday 26th March.
Based in Thornton, the Jospice has been caring for terminally ill patients within the Liverpool and Sefton areas since 1974.
Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Sharon Sullivan, said: “It gives me great pleasure to be admitting St Joseph’s Hospice to the Freedom Roll of Associations and Institutions.
“The dedication and commitment of the staff at the Jospice, and the support and care they give to families at the most difficult of times, is an inspiration to us all.
“This honour is well deserved – may they continue with their care for another 40 years.”
The Jospice was the vision of a missionary priest from Liverpool, Father Francis O’Leary, who worked tirelessly in the 1960’s to raise funds to make his dream a reality, and on 19 March 1974 the Jospice welcomed its first patient.
Pat Murphy, Director of fundraising for Jospice said: “Everyone involved in Jospice are delighted that we have been honoured with the Freedom of the City of Liverpool. It is a great recognition of the wonderful work that Father Francis O’Leary started many years ago and is continued daily, caring for local terminally ill people and their families.
The Freedom scroll will be presented to Brendan McLoughlin, Chair of Trustees, in the presence of Margaret Culshaw, who is the Jospice’s longest serving nurse.
