TV DES LAUNCHES HOSPICE WORK
14:51, 7 December 2009

THE first piece of turf on the site of an extension to Treetops Hospice has been cut.

BBC weatherman Des Coleman used a digger to cut the turf – and did a weather report from the Risley hospice.

Building work on the new care centre will take six months. It will double the hospice's capacity and mean it can offer 5,000 day-care places each year.

Stapleford and Sandiacre Rotary Club has handed over a cheque for £125,000 in response to Treetops' Ripple Appeal.

Club president Richard Taylor said: "The donation was possible because of a legacy left to the club from the estate of the late Tom Blaney.

"We are delighted to have been able to support the Ripple Appeal since its inception.

"We're very pleased that building work has finally started."