Zoe's Place Liverpool: Scousers come together to save much-loved baby hospice from shock closure

The baby hospice, which launched in 1995, had been hoping to build a new £3.5m hospice at Hayman’s Green, near to its current location on Yew Tree Lane. However, long waits for planning permission and issues with funding could see the much-needed service close after 29 years.

For three decades, Zoe’s Place has provided essential support for babies, children and families affected by life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. Its first hospice opened in West Derby, offering respite, palliative and end of life care for children up to the age of five-years-old. A further two sites, in Coventry and Middlesbrough, have since launched and are unaffected by closure of the Liverpool hospice.

The current site can house four children at any one time, with specialists working to make “every moment” of their childhoods count, but the lease ends in nine months.

The site for the new venue, which was given planning permission last month, would have had the capacity to house six, but, “the time taken to get planning permission has left insufficient time to construct the building” and around £5m in funds is needed.

Zoe’s Place has the support of West Derby’s MP, Ian Byrne, who met with the board of trustees and staff last week. Describing the meeting as “extremely positive”, Mr Byrne said: “We have agreed to galvanize the unbelievable response from our great city and try, over the next month, to raise the £5m needed to build the planned new world-class centre here in West Derby. This is a big ask, but if there is any city that can do this, Liverpool can. Now let's make this happen for the children, families and the amazing staff of this treasured and special place."

Since announcing the closure last Monday (October 7), many local businesses and key figures have come together in support of the hospice, with Liverpool-based clothing brand Montirex donating a whopping £106,121 - raised by 80 supporters - and popular sandwich joint Derek’s raising more than £3,400 through its ‘free sandwiches for a year’ raffle.

City centre cafe Castro’s has also announced it will be donating 100% of its takings on Thursday (October 17) to Zoe’s Place and will be open from 9.00am until sell out, and Hot Water Comedy Club is hosting two gigs for the hospice.

Other fantastic fundraising efforts include Lily Williams’ jewellery-making initiative. Lily, from Aintree, and her mum Lauren watched a video about the closure and knew they needed to do something to help keep it open.

Aged just nine-years-old, Lily said the news made her “very sad” so she decided to dedicate all of her free time to making and selling bracelets, after discovering a passion for jewellery making during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. She has already raised more than £1,800 in just a couple of days and is hoping for donations of bracelet-making materials so she can continue her wonderful work.

Famous faces in Liverpool have also shared support for the hospice, with Zoe’s Place ambassador Robbie Fowler describing the closure as “devastating” and Paddy ‘the Baddy’ Pimblett telling his followers, “we can’t let his happen.”

The official Zoe’s Place JustGiving page has now received more than £1,600,000 in donations and its petition has more than 13,000 signatures. But, there are just three weeks left to save Zoe’s Place, and a total of £5m is needed to secure a new home. You can donate to help save Zoe’s Place here.

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