Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice will throw open its doors this month for the public to have a look around.

On Saturday, 13 October the Abbey Wood based hospice is inviting people to see first hand the service and facilities available for the community.

The event also marks World Hospice & Palliative Care Day, a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world. The theme for the day is ‘Living to the end: palliative care for an ageing population’.

Every year on the second Saturday of October events are organised across approximately 70 different countries to celebrate and support the work of the hospice movement, bringing together patients, families, health care professionals, policy makers and funders.

The preceding seven days is also Hospice Care Week (8-14 October) with a national campaign called ‘Hospice care, be surprised’ which highlights the inspiring and personal way that hospice care helps patients living with terminal illness.

Members of the public are invited to Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, 185 Bostall Hill, Abbey Wood to have a tour of the hospice, meet the hospice staff and volunteers over light refreshments, and hear first hand the type of service and facilities available.

There is no need to book a space - just turn up on Saturday, 13 October between 12 noon and 4 pm.

Hospice Chief Executive, Kate Heaps, said: “The care the Hospice provides does not just take place in this building; Hospice care happens wherever the person needs it, it aims to improve the lives of people who have a life-limiting or terminal illness, helping them to live well before they die.

“Hospice care not only takes care of people's physical needs, but looks after their emotional, spiritual and social needs as well. It also supports carers, family members and close friends, both during a person's illness and during bereavement.

“Our Hospice Open Day is a great chance for people to find out more about the service and facilities we provide to the people of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Bexley borough, and to see the facilities first hand.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION please visit www.communityhospice.org.uk .