The gardens had been landscaped and planted up by a team of dedicated volunteers, headed up by Margaret Farrow.

Matron Jenny Wayte and her nursing team were ready to continue the vision of Cicely Saunders, the pioneer of the modern hospice movement, by caring holistically for the whole person.

Chris Holmes, chair; Pat Gosling, administrator; Dr Elizabeth Hall, medical director; and the rest of the of the council of management, were about to see their hard work come to fruition.

It was 20th May 1985.

Timeline to St Helena Hospice's opening day

6th July 1979

A meeting was held in the Grand Jury Room, Town Hall, Colchester, “to consider the setting up of a hospice for the terminally ill to serve the Colchester Health District”. Those present: The Bishop of Colchester, Father Michael Stokes, Dr Kennedy, Dr Rhys Lewis, Deirdre Allen, Irene Overton and some 140 members of the public

July 1979

A steering committee was formed chaired by Dr Elizabeth Hall, and the volunteers of the Colchester Area Hospice Project were ready to take on the groundwork

17th May 1980

A £250,000 public appeal is launched at an old time music hall at Holmwood House School to establish St Helena Hospice, named after the patron saint of Colchester

11 August 1980

St Helena Hospice was incorporated and the steering committee became the council of management

October 1980

Colchester health officials agreed to back a proposed home care scheme “to provide specialised care at home for the terminally ill” run in conjunction with the planned Hospice, as long as the National Society for Cancer Relief would fund it for the first three years

1st April 1981

The National Society for Cancer Relief agreed to fund the home care scheme throughout north east Essex, with the help of Keith Dallisson, District nursing officer for the community, who became director of St Helena Hospice a few years later

May 1981

St Helena Hospice registered as a charity organisation

July 1981

Two Macmillan nurses, sister Nuala Peddel and sister Maureen Percival, were appointed to the home care scheme