Property developer donates six-figure sum to Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service

A property developer has donated £100,000 to the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service to help finish construction of the hospice on the site in White Waltham.

A property developer has donated £100,000 to the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service to help finish construction of the hospice on the site in White Waltham.

The sum represents the biggest donation by the Shanly Foundation, part of the housing developer the Shanly Group, since 1997.

Broadcasting legend Sir Michael Parkinson, a patron of Alexander Devine, visited the building site on Wednesday with charity founder Fiona Devine and Shanly Homes operations director Tamra Booth.

Mrs Devine said: “It is an amazing donation and we really have to say thanks to Shanly.

“It really does take us a step further in providing the specialised care that our extraordinary children desperately need.”

Mrs Devine and Ms Booth both tried their hands at bricklaying, cementing the sides and adding them to the ever-growing walls on the large hospice site on Snowball Hill.

The charity hopes to raise the final million pounds required to complete the project as soon as possible, having already raised £4million.

Sir Michael said: “It has been a long, hard journey and we would urge people to make sure this will be finished.

“It is the first time I have been involved in such a long term project, with all the emotions that come with it.”

The Shanly Foundation will help continue the fundraising efforts by sponsoring the Maidenhead Half Marathon and the Down Town Up Flow half marathon this year, with the money raised going to Alexander Devine.

The charity itself hopes to have the hospice construction completed in early 2017.

Mrs Booth, representing Shanly Homes at the building site, said the Foundation was following up on a long-standing interest in helping the hospice.

She said: “We had been following it for some time.

“We are absolutely delighted that our donation will support the building of this fantastic new hospice and continue the great work already being done by the hard working and dedicated team at Alexander Devine.”