KEMP Hospice is based in the heart of The Wyre Forest District and offers care and support services. But do you know what KEMP Hospice does?
The team at our Kidderminster hospice hear a lot of assumptions about who we are and what we do, so we’ve put together a short myth-buster to help you learn more about our support in the community.
Think you know KEMP Hospice?
At KEMP Hospice, it’s our mission to provide free holistic palliative care and support to people living with a progressive life-limiting illness. Providing support to adults, children and young people affected by bereavement…but what does that mean?
If you’ve never had the need to experience hospice care or our bereavement support, we understand that you might not be familiar with who we are or what we do. Below are some of the common myths we hear and the truth behind the myth…
Myth 1: “KEMP is a Hospice, so it’s funded by the NHS.”
Fact: KEMP must raise around 80% of the funds needed to provide our services each year. That’s around £1.9m. The remaining 20% is from government funding which we apply for each year and is never guaranteed.
Myth 2: “I would like bereavement counselling but can’t use KEMP because they didn’t go there.”
Fact: Bereavement support is available to anyone in the Wyre Forest who has experienced a bereavement in the last 3 years. You do not need an existing connection to KEMP Hospice.
Myth 3: “A hospice is somewhere you only go to die.”
Fact: Our Care Services team help people to live as well as they can, for as long as they can. Our specialist care is led by highly skilled trained nurses, specialist therapists and practitioners who provide support through one-to-one clinics and groups settings to make their lives better.
Myth 4: “You have to pay for the services at KEMP.”
Fact: We never charge a penny for our services. This includes KEMP Day Hospice, Hospice at Home, Counselling and Emotional Support and Welfare & Financial Advice.
Myth 5: “To get help from KEMP, you must be referred by a healthcare professional.”
Fact: We support patients who are 18 years and over who have a palliative diagnosis of a life-limiting illness and are registered with a Wyre Forest GP. You can self-refer if you feel you need help following your diagnosis and we will assess your needs and see if we can help.
Myth 6: “Hospices are sad places.”
Fact: KEMP takes great pride in being warm and supportive, with compassionate staff who prioritise emotional as well as physical care. Patients pursue activities they enjoy and the atmosphere is calm and caring, helping people feel valued and understood.
So that’s our hospice care, but what about our shops.
We have seven retail outlets around Wyre Forest and in 2025 we had 28,025 boxes and/or bags generously donated to KEMP Hospice shops. This is incredible and helps us raise the funds we need each year to continue to offer our services free of charge. But what are some of the common misconceptions we hear about our charity shops:
Myth 1: “If you reduce your prices in your shops, you will sell more.”
Fact: We have a responsibility to the donor to raise as much as possible from their donations. They want us to make money for the hospice and will give their items to other charities if the items are sold too cheap. We have a responsibility to our patients and clients to raise as much from the donations as possible to be able to deliver our services at no cost to them.
Myth 2: “My items are not in very good condition, but somebody will buy it.”
Fact: Poor quality, damaged or dirty donations can’t be sold in any of our retail outlets. Anything we can’t sell becomes commercial waste and is a cost to KEMP. When you’re thinking of donating, remember, “If you would buy it, we can sell it.”
Care Services
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Family Support & Bereavement Services
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Donate to KEMP Hospice
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