Our team, and a collection of CRASH charity corporate Patrons and supporters, completed a new dining room extension at Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice.

The light and spacious dining room will provide mobile patients with a welcoming space to dine in, and with visitors where possible. It can also be used for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and special anniversaries.

Jason Fairbrass, operations manager for VolkerFitzpatrick. said: “It was a real pleasure to be involved, as the hospice has a personal connection with my family. It was amazing to be a part of giving something back to this facility.

“We took great care during the build to carry out our works with minimal disruption for the staff and residents. We were able to maintain a fully operational dining area, while shielding staff and residents from the site. The hospice manager had our ‘Can Do’ attitude, which made a complex environment much easier to work in.”

Kate Heaps, CEO of Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice, said: “What a difference the new extension makes to the amount of space available, and to the mood of the area too. It is considerably brighter and now opens out onto a much-improved courtyard full of sun and flowers.

“Patients, families, and visitors will now be able to have easy access to an improved kitchen, dining room and courtyard. The current COVID-19 situation has highlighted the stress and anxiety of dealing with terminal illness, and this new part of our building will be a place for people to relax over a meal.”

Francesca Roberts, chief executive of CRASH, said: “A huge thank you to VolkerFitzpatrick and all the CRASH corporate Patrons and supporting companies for all their hard work and generosity with this project. They have created a beautiful space that will improve the quality of life for patients, staff and families at the hospice, and make a significant social impact that will last for many years.”

The hospice provides specialist care to people who have a terminal illness, along with facilities for their families and carers. The charity helps over 2,500 people each year - at home, and in the day hospice clinics.

The project was led by CRASH’s Patron, VolkerFitzpatrick and supported by fellow CRASH Patrons - Arcadis, Areen Design, Bauder, Dulux Trade, London Building Control, Newtownstewart Construction and Sunbelt Rentals.

The works started in October 2019 and finished before lockdown.