'Sir Gareth Southgate has been exceptional': Former England manager helps Martin House Children’s Hospice reach fundraising target

He’s a long-serving ambassador of Martin House Children’s Hospice in Wetherby and, back in 2024, launched its largest ever fundraising campaign, a £21.9m project called "The Build”, which is extending and refurbishing the nearly 40-year-old hospice, to improve its care for children and young people with life-shortening conditions across West, North and East Yorkshire.

In February, Clair Holdsworth, chief executive at Martin House, was delighted to announce that the “Build” had hit its £2m public appeal target, which has seen the hospice create a new children’s wing.

"Gareth Southgate has been exceptional. We wouldn't have achieved this success without him,’’ said Ms Holdsworth. “He aligns with our values and has a genuine interest in making a difference for families. We couldn't ask for a better ambassador.”

During the public appeal, thousands of people supported Martin House by taking part in events organised by the hospice, including a big zip wire challenge and its Raise the Roof campaign last September, which reeled in more than £400,000 in just 36 hours.

In addition to the public appeal, Martin House has been supported by significant donations and grants from individuals, trusts and foundations to help raise the £21.9m.

Ms Holdsworth said that many children are living longer with much more complex conditions than they did 40 years ago.

"The buildings need to reflect that’’ she added. “The new bedrooms are much bigger, featuring piped oxygen at each bedhead and integrated H-framed hoisting systems.

"There are also ensuite bathrooms with significantly more space provided to improve family support. The new Acorn Suite will be used for groups and day care, other additions include state-of-the-art sensory and immersive cinema space and a new hydrotherapy pool.

"A new young people’s wing has been created that reflects the life of a teenager today,’’ she added. “The whole project aimed to transform the environment to match the level of specialist care provided. The changes are incredibly exciting; there is lots more space and it feels like a home from home environment. Homes have changed significantly since the 1990s and we want the hospice to reflect those changes.”

Ms Holdsworth added: “There is a tranquil, woodland-themed interior. A lot of families don't have disposable incomes to go on holiday so we want to make the parent bedrooms feel like hotel space.

"We had a reserved pot of £10m for building work, so we launched a £12m capital appeal target in 2024. A £3m contribution from the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation (founded by the British businessman and philanthropist Terry Bramall and his wife) helped to kickstart the project and provided valuable endorsement. We held private events hosted by Sir Gareth and even attracted interest from a foundation based in Hong Kong.

"We are trying to create a legacy in Yorkshire for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. We wanted people to buy into what their donations are achieving and the impact Martin House has. It's definitely not been easy but the support has been phenomenal.”

Ms Holdsworth, who started her career as a physio in the NHS, took a “leap of faith” in her mid 30s and moved into the children's hospice sector by joining Forget Me Not in Huddersfield.

She added: "I found there was less red tape; in a hospice everything is focused on the patient receiving the best possible care where and when they need it. We have 220 staff which includes over 30 people employed in our 13 retail outlets.”

The hospice’s management team cannot pause for breath; the funding challenge never ends.

"At the start of every year the balance goes back to zero and we have to raise £13m annually to keep going,’’ said Ms Holdsworth. “75 per cent of income is from voluntary support – just over £10m – this is achieved by our team via diverse income streams. We've taken a double whammy in recent years regarding costs. The increases in National Insurance Contributions cost us an extra £195,000 annually, and the cost of living has also risen. These costs are affecting everyone in society, meaning people's ability to give also goes down. We need people to stay on the journey with us now we have built the hospice to help us run it.

"We're bucking the national trend regarding skills shortages because we match NHS terms and conditions, have a strong brand and now really excellent working environment. We generally do well in attracting and retaining people. We have a really open dialogue with our team and we focus on the community within the hospice alongside building the community outside. I am only as good as the team around me.”

Ms Holdsworth wants to reach more families and debunk the myths surrounding hospices. They provide comfort, care and dignity, and precious moments that last a lifetime.

"We all roll our sleeves up and help out; it’s a collective team effort,” said Ms Holdsworth. “ We currently support 550 families annually through the hospice's services, with about 125 new referrals each year. It's a real privilege to do what I do."

"Resilience is vital in the hospice sector. It offers a great sense of perspective. We're a people service and we believe in our mission. Being personable and open is a big part of it.”