Banner Jones kickstarts year of community support for Ashgate Hospice with £3,630 funding boost

Ashgate Hospice has received a £3,630 funding boost from local law firm Banner Jones, marking the start of another year of community support for the North Derbyshire charity.

The donation builds on a series of initiatives by the firm, including its involvement in Free Wills Week in November, which encouraged legacy giving and helped strengthen the hospice’s long-term financial resilience.

Ashgate Hospice provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care free of charge to people aged 18 and over living with life-limiting illnesses, including cancer, neurological conditions and end-stage heart, kidney and lung disease. Each year, it supports around 2,600 patients and the people important to them, both in the hospice and in their own homes.

The support comes at a challenging time. Ashgate has previously said it has been forced to make £2.6 million of savings due to unfair and insufficient NHS funding, alongside rising costs and increasing demand for services, underlining the importance of continued backing from the local community.

Alongside the financial donation/contribution, Banner Jones sponsored the medals at the 2025 Sparkle Walk and its staff take part in fundraising events including the Sparkle Walk, High Peak Trail Walk and Christmas Jumper Day.

Ashgate has encouraged others to get involved where they can, whether by donating directly, fundraising, or taking part in organised activities.

This includes upcoming events such as the hospice’s annual High Peak Trail Walk, which returns this spring. Walkers of all ages and abilities are invited to take part on Sunday 22 March, following the historic route of the former Cromford and High Peak Railway, with a choice of distances available.

Commenting on Banner Jones’ ongoing support, Kathryn Wheeldon, Head of Private Client at the firm, said: “We are proud to support Ashgate Hospice throughout the year through a range of initiatives, including Free Wills Week and fundraising events. The hospice provides an essential service for local people and their families, and we are pleased to play a part in supporting its work within the community.

Banner Jones Solicitors is committed to the charity sector and to making legal services accessible to all. In 2025, through the National Free Wills Network, our will writers assisted clients in pledging more than £400,000 in legacy donations to a range of charitable organisations."

Liam Bittles, Individual Giving and Legacy Officer at Ashgate Hospice, added: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Banner Jones for their continued commitment to Ashgate Hospice and to the people we care for across North Derbyshire. At a time when rising costs, increasing demand and insufficient NHS funding have forced us to make extremely difficult decisions about our services, support from trusted local partners like Banner Jones is absolutely vital.

Their support goes far beyond a single donation. Through initiatives such as Free Wills Week, ongoing fundraising and administration of estates, Banner Jones are helping us respond to the challenges we face today while also strengthening our long-term financial resilience. Gifts in wills made through these events play a crucial role in securing the future of hospice care, ensuring that we can continue providing compassionate, specialist care to patients and their families for years to come.

We are hugely thankful for their continued generosity and for standing alongside us at such a critical time for hospices.”

(Picture - Emily Gascoyne, Lucy Vinson, Kathryn Wheeldon and Tina Fisher from Banner Jones present the cheque to staff members of Ashgate Hospice)