THE new Julia’s House children’s hospice will be in Devizes, it was confirmed today.

Wiltshire Council has accepted an offer on two disused office buildings, Yew Trees and The Lodge, which it owns in the town.

The charity says that although they are in need of conversion and complete refurbishment, the properties are in a central location, making them ideal for the new hospice and as a base from which Julia’s House can extend its community care service county-wide.

Conveyancing is underway and expected to take around three months. In the meantime Julia’s House is working with an architect and garden designer to draw up plans.

As Julia’s House has already raised more than £3 million of its original £3.5m target it has the funds to begin work as soon as planning permission has been granted. The new hospice is scheduled to open in autumn 2017.

The remaining half million yet to be raised will fund nursing posts and items for the hospice including specialist beds, hoists and play equipment.

Julia’s House chief executive Martin Edwards said: “Finding this site is the beginning of a major landmark in care of Wiltshire children.

"We are very grateful to the council and the Wiltshire Community Foundation for their extremely useful help and advice during our search.

“Having access to frequent, free respite care on their doorstep will quite simply transform the lives of families struggling to cope with the demands of a very sick child.

"The new hospice will enable us to reach out to every family in Wiltshire that needs our support no matter where they live.”

Julia’s House patron actor Martin Clunes said: “I’m so pleased that Julia’s House has found a site for their new hospice.

"I’ve met a number of the children and families who will benefit, and it’s so good to know that more help is on the way. This next step in the charity’s plans is very exciting and I look forward to seeing it when it opens.”

Julia’s House currently has a small nursing team providing community-based care to life-limited children and their families in south Wiltshire. It also has a fundraising office in Amesbury.

One of the Wiltshire parents currently supported by Julia’s House is Rebecca Thursby whose daughter two-year-old Sophia receives care from Julia’s House nurses at their family home.

She said: "We used to be a family coping largely on our own with a severely disabled child with a life threatening condition.

"The stress we faced in coping with our daughter’s level of care was taking its toll our family. Julia’s House changed our lives significantly for the better. The nurses are fantastic and are always in touch to see how we are doing.

“The Julia’s House hospice in Dorset is too far for us to travel to regularly. We are very excited about having closer access to the additional facilities this much-needed, fantastic new hospice will bring. Julia’s House has provided our family with a life line.

"We are so grateful to them for the enormous amount of help they have given us."

Julia’s House is now looking to more additional nurses and carers – including a lead nurse to head the expanding Wiltshire team – as well as volunteers to support community fundraising.

More details can be found at juliashouse.org