A NEW Palliative Care Unit that has been fully funded by the people of Llanidloes and surrounding communities will open this Wednesday.

Llanidloes Hospital will celebrate the launch with an open afternoon and evening for the whole community from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 7pm on Wednesday, May 16.

At the opening of the new unit, which has been named The Garden Rooms, locals will have the opportunity to look around the two new bedrooms with en-suite facilities, state of the art therapeutic beds and multipurpose mattresses. Each room has been designed to incorporate outside areas that are accessible by the beds with a separate family room for relatives.

There will also be an opportunity to meet members of Powys Teaching Health Board and the League of Friends of Llanidloes Hospital to hear more about the development of the service for the people of Llanidloes and the locality.

The new suite at the Llanidloes War Memorial Hospital was able to take place with generous support from the League of Friends of Llanidloes Hospital and from donations and fundraising by the general public which raised £75,000.

In November 2017, building work got underway after a two-year period of raising money by people from the town and areas such as Llangurig, Trefeglwys, Llandinam and Caersws. The wider community felt it was important for palliative care patients to have a unit close to their homes in the town.

Mary Oliver, chair of the League of Friends, said: “The League of Friends is grateful to all the organisations and individuals who have supported this idea, and for all the hard work they have put in to turn this from a dream into a reality”.

Senior Sister at the hospital, Julie Powell, added: “Our thanks go to our fabulous community that has helped us realise a vision and develop a beautiful bespoke area to care for patients and families. Please do come along on Wednesday 16 May between 2pm and 4pm, or 6pm to 7pm, to see the new facilities.”

A Powys Teaching Health Board spokesman said: “We are very much looking forward to opening the suite and providing care in this improved setting for people nearing the end of their lives.”