THERE was a Royal visit in Tiverton this week, as HRH The Countess of Wessex visited the town to officially open Hospiscare’s new mid Devon centre Pine Lodge.

The centre was opened on Monday, October 17, following an outstanding community effort to raise £250,000 to convert the former residential home into a thriving multi-functional centre for patients.

Pine Lodge was bought with a Department of Health grant and was a dark and neglected building before Hospiscare launched a campaign to transform it.

The charity provides care and support to patients and families throughout Mid Devon and offers patients a wealth of facilities including a day centre with complementary therapies, craftwork and a hair salon.

Glynis Atherton, Hospiscare chief executive, said: “This visit was a real honour for us - the perfect reward for an outstanding effort by the local community. To raise so much money in just a few months in difficult times is extraordinary. We couldn’t be more pleased or grateful.”

Her Royal Highness was introduced to Pine Lodge nurses and hospiscare volunteers who helped to raise the money for the centre, as well as patients including 102-year-old Phyllis Lewis of Silverton.

Phyllis charmed the royal visitor by talking about her large family which she joked made for a rather long Christmas list.

Phyllis said: “She was so lovely - absolutely charming and so natural. It was a real treat for us all.”

The visit was the second Royal honour for Hospiscare this year, after the charity’s volunteers won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service back in June – the highest award of its kind for voluntary effort.