A SUPERB £16,000 fundraising drive has helped Ardgowan Hospice transform two of its rooms into a pair of fully-fitted family spaces and refurbish its Nelson Street base.

Last December the vital local cause ran its Big Give campaign, which saw all the donations it received up to £8,000 matched thanks to support from The Reed Foundation and McDonald’s in the Community.

The campaign, which was backed by hospice patron and Greenock actor Martin Compston, saw McDonald’s contribute £5,000, while The Reed Foundation added a further £3,000.

Greenock Telegraph: Ardgowan Hospice opens pair of fantastic family rooms.

The money raised from the donation drive has now been used to create a lounge and an overnight room at the hospice, purchase a pair of rise and recline chairs and invest in the hospice’s reception area to create a more welcoming atmosphere for patients and their loved ones.

The launch of the two new rooms was attended by hospice staff and local officials, including Inverclyde’s Provost Drew McKenzie.

Hospice chief executive Graham Gardiner told the Tele the new facilities would mean they could offer even more support to patients and their families.

Greenock Telegraph: Ardgowan Hospice opens pair of fantastic family rooms.

He said: “This is amazing for patients, they’ve got facilities here that make more sense than they did before.

“We have the ability for families to stay over at night in a much more comfortable environment than the one we had.

“The fact we have dedicated space that people can come to is amazing.

“This room will become much more used by patients and their families, we’ve got a nice space here that they can come and sit in or play some games in.

“We had someone in recently who had his mates come round and they were able to have some beers and takeaways.

“He was given the chance to just be round his friends and that kind of opportunity can only happen if we’ve got the right space.

“It gives them a nice place to do things like that, where it doesn’t feel like a hospice, hopefully it feels like a living room.

“We’ve had amazing work from people here to make this happen and we also couldn’t have done it without all the money that we’ve got in.

“It’s nice to be able to show people what the money has done.

“I want to thank our operations support manager Mairi Harper, our marketing and communications manager Colette Cameron and the hospice maintenance team for executing the refurbishment.

"A heartfelt thank you goes to Finn and Alan from McDonald's and The Reed Foundation, as well as to all our generous donors who went above and beyond to support our Big Give campaign, surpassing our £16,000 target. Your kindness and generosity are truly appreciated.”

Provost McKenzie hailed the new facility as a big boost for the hospice and praised the charity’s vital work.

Greenock Telegraph: Ardgowan Hospice opens pair of fantastic family rooms.

He said: “There will be very few people in Inverclyde who have not either had use of this facility or had some sort of engagement with it over the years.

“When you look round, they’re making the best of what they have here.

“There’s eight beds and there’s need for expansion and modernisation, which is the challenge going forward, but it’s such a welcoming place.

“It’s not a place one would perceive as a place to die or a place of sadness, it’s exactly the opposite.”