Creating an Accessible Community Kitchen at The Shakespeare Hospice

The Shakespeare Hospice offers specialised care and support to patients with life-limiting illness, and their loved ones and carers, across South Warwickshire and the surrounding areas. They support approximately 1,000 patients each year, partly through their Day Hospice facilities which offers a programme of groups and activities. These cater for patients, carers, and those who are recently bereaved – including bereaved children and young people. They approached CRASH for support in redesigning their kitchen, from a commercial style to something more domestic and homely, allowing it to be used to support hospice patients and their loved ones, as well as providing future opportunities for income generation.

The need

The hospice’s existing kitchen facilities became obsolete following their closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, when catering services ceased and the commercial-style kitchen was no longer required for its original purpose. As a result, a valuable space within the hospice has remained underutilised and is no longer fit for meeting the evolving needs of patients, families and staff.

A comprehensive review of hospice services identified a significant opportunity to redesign and repurpose the kitchen into a fully accessible, domestic-style, multifunctional space that better supports the delivery of holistic hospice care. The need for the project is driven by growing recognition that food, nutrition and shared meal experiences play a vital role in physical health, emotional wellbeing and social connection, particularly for people living with life-limiting illnesses, those experiencing bereavement, and individuals facing major life transitions.

The existing facilities were not accessible for many users, including wheelchair users and people with complex medical needs, limiting opportunities for participation in therapeutic, educational and social activities.

The project also addresses organisational needs by enabling redundant space above the kitchen to be converted into office space, creating improved opportunities for staff collaboration and more effective use of the hospice estate.

The project

CRASH Corporate Patrons have supported through interior design support, architectural services, mechanical and electrical design and technical expertise. The total Gift in Kind value for this project was £58,738 including professional expertise, pro bono construction materials, and a charitable grant of £10,000 made possible by CRASH Corporate Patrons, fundraisers and the construction industry.

Arcadis supported with an initial project visit and project advisors report to assess the feasibility and scope of the project.

Pascall+Watson reimagined the space with their design for a full refurbishment of the existing commercial kitchen into a warm, domestic-style kitchen, as well as redesigning the redundant space on the first floor into a functional office area for hospice staff.

AECOM helped to progress the project by preparing a cost estimate so the hospice could work towards funding the works.

Knauf provided plasterboard and ceiling system to form the updated kitchen area.

NG Bailey had 25 members of staff contribute their time to the project, including three fantastic apprentices, Lauren Taylor, Booke Hyde and Keeley Checkley. NG Bailey managed the project on site, carried out surveys, design work and installation of electrics.

The Outcome

The project has successfully transformed an obsolete commercial kitchen into a modern, accessible and multifunctional community space that supports the hospice’s holistic approach to care.

Completed project outcomes include:

• Creation of a fully accessible domestic-style kitchen, designed to enable patients, children and young people, carers, families, volunteers and staff – including wheelchair users and people with complex health conditions – to participate safely in future activities.

• The kitchen provides a flexible space that could support a range of hospice, community and organisational activities as opportunities develop.
• Development of a multifunctional activity space that supports a diverse programme of therapeutic, educational and social sessions for patients and families, as well as small events, meetings and appropriate income-generating activity.
• Improved utilisation of hospice estate, through the refurbishment of a previously underused kitchen.
• Creation of additional office space and storage, through the conversion of unused space above the kitchen, providing staff with improved working environments and enhanced opportunities for collaboration across teams.

Overall, the project has enabled the hospice to make far more effective use of its facilities, creating a welcoming, inclusive environment that improves the quality of support available to patients, families, carers and staff while strengthening the hospice’s long-term ability to deliver responsive, person-centred services.