Zoe's Place 'confident' Liverpool baby hospice can be saved amid celeb messages of support

Zoe’s Place, which launched in 1995, had been hoping to build a new hospice at Hayman’s Green, near to its current location on Yew Tree Lane in West Derby. However, long waits for planning permission and spiralling costs led the charity to last week announce it would be forced to close by the end of the year.

The lease on its current home expires in June 2025 and “insufficient time” has been left to construct a new building, which is expected to cost in excess of £5m.

Since announcing the closure, local businesses and famous faces have come together in support of the hospice, with Liverpool-based clothing brand Montirex donating more than £100,000 and the Hot Water Comedy Club raising over £18,000.

Now, just over a week since the shock announcement, Zoe’s Place’s fundraising total is at more than £1,700,000 with the charity saying “we are so confident” that the Liverpool site can be saved.

• You can donate to the official Zoe’s Place JustGiving page here and sign the petition to save it here.

Speaking to the BBC, Aimee Clare, capital lead officer at Zoe’s Place, said: "We're so hopeful that we can either raise the money and have it in the bank or that we can have some pledges that are real secure pledges that can give us the confidence to move forward.”

The charity’s trustees recently met with West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who described the meeting as “extremely positive” and noted that a “designated builder” can begin work on a new building once pledges are in place and land has been purchased.

And, with just four weeks to raise the funds needed, Liverpool celebrities have spoken out about the potential closure, with football icon and Zoe’s Place ambassador Robbie Fowler describing the news as “devastating” and UFC fighter Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett telling his followers, “we can’t let his happen.”

In a video sent to the Liverpool ECHO, Liverpool FC legend Steven Gerrard described Zoe’s Place as “close to my heart” and said: “I’d ask everyone to dig as deep as they possibly can and please raise as much money as we possibly can to save Zoe’s Place, I’ll certainly be supporting it. This is really important for our city and, in times of need, this is when the city all pulls together and we’ll get there.”

Famous faces are also hosting their own fundraisers, with Liverpool comedian, Adam Rowe, cycling more than 450km around India to raise money for the charity and singer Jamie Webster hosting a concert at Hangar 34 alongside The Zutons, Miles Kane, Red Rum Club, The Royston Club and Finnlay K.

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