The Cuddle Bed Appeal

At St Leonard’s Hospice, we believe no one should have to say goodbye from a distance.

Every day, our team cares for local people and their families through some of life’s most difficult moments. We want to give every patient and their loved ones the precious chance to lie close, hold hands and simply be together when it matters most.

With your help, we’re raising £75,000 to provide five more cuddle beds, so that every bedroom in the Hospice has one and no family has to spend their final moments apart.

Donate today

Nikki and Darren's story

Hear from Nikki, a Healthcare Assistant at St Leonard’s Hospice, who knows just how much that closeness matters.

Hello, I’m Nikki. Every day, I care for patients and families during some of life’s hardest moments.

I love my job, but most of the people I look after don’t realise I’ve been in their shoes myself.

My partner Darren came to the Hospice as a patient after months of me caring for him at home. I remember sitting by his hospital bed, holding his hand through the rails. I’d say goodnight from inches away, but it felt like miles we were miles apart.

Somewhere along the way, I had stopped being his partner and had become his carer. Nothing prepared me for how much I would miss being simply ‘us’.

When we arrived at St Leonard’s, the team cared for both of us. In Darren’s room was one of the Hospice’s special cuddle beds. It was bigger than normal and the staff could set it up for me to lie beside him.

For the first time in a long time, we were together again. We talked, laughed and rested in each other’s arms. That precious closeness meant everything to us.

Now, through my work at the Hospice, I see just how much cuddle beds matter to families. I see the relief and joy when loved ones can hold each other close once again.

But I also see the heartbreak if there isn’t a cuddle bed available. A loved one spending the night in a bedside chair, saying goodbye from a distance. Just like I thought I’d have to before St Leonard’s stepped in.

We don’t yet have enough cuddle beds for every room. That’s why I’m asking for your help.

With your support, we can give more families the chance to simply be together when it matters most.

What is a cuddle bed?

A cuddle bed is a specialist hospital bed designed to allow loved ones to lie side by side in comfort and safety.

Wider than a standard hospital bed and fully adjustable, it can be adapted to meet a patient’s clinical needs while creating space for a loved one (such as a partner, parent, child or friend) to lie close.

It may seem like a simple thing, but the impact is extraordinary. A cuddle bed allows families to: