Fleetwood Trust, owners of Fleetwood Hospital, are delighted to announce that The Prince’s Foundation, a charity founded by HRH The Prince of Wales, will be supporting them with their plans to develop the Hospital into a new and vital community-led facility.
The announcement was officially made at a community event at Fleetwood Hospital on Thursday 13th December at which residents and local organisations were able to hear an outline of the Trust’s plans and given the chance to share their ideas and suggestions to help shape future uses for the Hospital.
Fleetwood Hospital is one of a small select group of high-impact community projects chosen this year to celebrate HRH The Prince of Wales’ 70th birthday. The 7 for 70 Projects exemplify His Royal Highness’s deep passion for building and supporting local communities and draws on The Prince's Foundation’s experience of engaging with local people to create harmonious and sustainable communities.
Fleetwood Hospital went through a rigorous selection process to be shortlisted for 7 for 70, and was chosen from over 90 other potential projects across the UK. The Prince's Foundation was attracted to the project by the local need for particular services and the opportunity to provide these facilities and services to people in Fleetwood by adapting the former hospital. The Prince's Foundation will apply its skills in community engagement, planning and design to support the Trust in delivering a hub of community support reaching out across a broad spectrum of issues from health and wellbeing to social care and family welfare.
Working in partnership with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the Trust’s aim is for the Hospital to maintain and increase NHS care provision in Fleetwood - discussions are at an advanced stage with the NHS Trust to see supportive and rehabilitative healthcare available on the site for patients in recovery - while also creating new community spaces on-site for the benefit of local residents.
Trustee Frank Heald is delighted to have the support of The Prince’s Foundation: “This is great news for the Hospital and for Fleetwood as a whole. The support from The Prince’s Foundation is a massive boost to the project. The exemplary background and expert skills of The Prince's Foundation will make a real difference to delivering the Hospital back to the people of Fleetwood.”
Kim Hitch, Director of Projects, The Prince’s Foundation, said: “It’s the future use of the building that is so exciting. We want to create a place that serves the current and future needs of the community and is therefore fully inclusive, accessible and sustainable for the long-term.”