St Christopher’s Hospice Welcomes the Deputy Civic Mayor of Croydon for Official Visit
St Christopher’s Hospice, the home of the modern hospice movement, was pleased to welcome the Deputy Civic Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Scott Roche, to visit the hospice on Thursday 6 August.
The Deputy Civic Mayor met with the hospice’s Care Director, Amanda Mayo, Director of Inclusion and Social Innovation, Mary Hodgson, and other clinical and community staff as he was shown around the hospice.
During the visit, the Deputy Civic Mayor heard about St Christopher’s work across Croydon, including its Death Literacy Project facilitated by the Community Action team. The project helps local people feel more confident talking about death, dying and loss, and understand the support available to them and their families.
Through workshops, Compassionate Chats, hospice awareness sessions and visits to the hospice, Croydon residents can learn more about end-of-life care, ask questions in a safe and supportive space, and find out what help is available for them and their families.
Amanda Mayo, Care Director of St Christopher’s, says: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Deputy Civic Mayor to St Christopher’s and to showcase the important work our hospice carries out for the community.
“Community engagement is at the heart of everything we do. Through our work across southeast London, we aim to build strong relationships, raise awareness of the support available and ensure that people from all backgrounds feel informed, included and able to access the care they need.
“Visits such as this are an important opportunity to highlight the vital role hospices play in supporting patients, families and communities every day.”
The Deputy Civic Mayor also saw firsthand St Christopher’s Inpatient Unit, which recently underwent a £3.6 million upgrade, of which more than £2 million came from the government’s emergency funding for hospices, announced in December 2024.
The upgrades at St Christopher’s focused on improving the look and feel of the Inpatient Unit, making rooms bigger and more homely, and addressing essential infrastructure issues in a building that is almost 60 years old.
The work also included enhancing staff areas for dedicated teams and installing a hoist system so people can be moved more safely and comfortably, whilst also protecting staff.
The Deputy Civic Mayor, said: ” It was a privilege to visit St Christopher’s Hospice and I did not expect to have such a positive and memorable experience. I learnt about the incredible work delivered with kindness and dignity that makes a real difference and significant impact on family, friends and loved ones. The emotional and practical support offered and most notably bereavement support to those left behind was something that St Christopher’s does so well. They ensure that nobody should face these issues alone and the team of employees and volunteers offer compassion and commitment at times when people need it most. The impact of their work makes a difference to individuals, their loved ones and the wider communities here in Croydon.”
