The Tulip suite in the Johnson Community Hospital has been open since the Spring of 2010 and offers the people of South Holland a dedicated palliative care unit in the heart of our district.

The Suite is supported by members of the Spalding Hospice Foundation, a small team of volunteers who 10 years ago had a dream of Hospice beds in Spalding. This Committee raised considerable funds with support from local people, businesses and organizations who gave generously to our cause despite us initially not knowing where the Hospice beds would be situated. Thankfully as plans for the new Hospital began to take shape we were able to have representatives on the steering committee and lobby for a dedicated Hospice Wing.

Our dreams became a reality and a 4 bed wing which we named ‘The Tulip Suite’ was included in the plans, with each of the 4 bedrooms being named after red tulip varieties grown locally in the past. There is a quiet sitting room for visiting relatives to use and we bought comfortable top quality furniture for all areas to give a homely atmosphere to the Suite, tulip pattern matching curtains and bedspreads for the bedrooms, large comfortable reclining chairs for patient’s and visitors comfort, patio furniture for the balcony area and many other items. Beautiful original paintings of tulips adorn the walls and these were given by local artists. On the main Welland Ward there is a bedroom and small kitchen area for visitors to use for overnight stays when necessary.

We wanted the Suite to be a warm, comfortable and calm environment in the heart of our community for those we love as they reach the final stage of their lives and we receive many heartfelt thanks from families and friends whose loved ones have used the Suite.

All of the superb staff at the hospital work hard to ensure that patients are very well cared for and support families during a sad and difficult time with kindness and compassion. Through the generous donations we receive from grateful families and local groups, we are able to support Hospital staff with funds for extra training in specialist palliative care and purchase new and replacement items for the Suite as and when they become necessary.