A plaque honouring the founders of a Watford hospice has been unveiled.
The plaque celebrates ten key individuals involved in establishing Peace Hospice Care, now called Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.
The founders came from diverse backgrounds, including medical, faith, and business sectors.
They established the Peace Hospice Appeal in 1991 which resulted in the health authority agreeing in November 1992 to hand over the old Memorial Hospital building in Watford to the hospice appeal.
The plaque recognises the first appeal chair Gill Hollander; doctors Patrick Russell, Robin Gain, and Ann Horsburgh; the then leader of Watford Council Mike Jackson; solicitor Paul Nicholas; accountant Nigel Mundy; chartered surveyor David Hollingsworth; ex-chaplain at Peace Hospice Care Rev Michael Carter; and the appeal’s first CEO and their only paid employee, Helen Ellis.
Nigel Mundy, a member of the Peace Hospice Appeal and former chairman of the hospice, said: "I remember the tremendous joy we all felt when we found out our appeal had been successful, and that the hospice was to become a reality.
"While the Inpatient Unit was being built, we started providing a day service for patients in a portacabin in the grounds of the Peace Memorial Hospital.
"We were all volunteers, led by the founder Chair the late Gill Hollander OBE, working together for something we strongly believed in - for everyone to have the very best quality of life throughout their illness."
The unveiling ceremony was attended by former England and Watford FC footballer Luther Blissett, who has been a patron of the hospice since 2019.
Luther said: "I feel honoured to have joined some of the early pioneers today to celebrate the original fundraising and campaigning efforts, which helped place Rennie Grove Peace at the forefront of the hospice movement."
Stewart Marks, chief executive of Rennie Grove Peace, added: "Today we are honouring some of the original campaigners and fundraisers who through sheer hard work and determination, have helped make Rennie Grove Peace what it is today.
"Their efforts enabled us to support, last year, over 4,600 people with progressive life-limiting illness live better for longer through emotional, physical, and spiritual support for both them and their loved ones."
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