Knutsford care home resident opens respite centre in honour of late husband

 

A 92-year-old care home resident helped reopen the Neil Cliffe Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital. 

Joan Cliffe, a resident at Care UK’s Cranford Grange, in Knutsford, was delighted to officially reopen the newly refurbished Neil Cliffe Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital, that was created in honour of her late husband’s fundraising efforts. 

After Joan’s husband, Neil Cliffe, was diagnosed with colon cancer back in 1981, when he was aged 45 and began fundraising. Neil took it upon himself to raise as much money as he could to create a place for cancer patients to find respite and comfort. 

Neil beat the disease after undergoing a life-saving operation and continued to fundraise to help others. After raising money by running marathons and encouraging others in the local community to join him, as launching the ‘Buy a Brick Appeal’, he raised more than £1 million. 

This sum allowed him to open the doors of the Neil Cliffe Centre located at Wythenshawe Hospital in 1992 run by St Ann's Hospice. 

32 years later, the centre has been given to Wythenshawe Hospital. To mark its reopening, Joan Cliffe and her daughter, Jacqui, visited the centre to declare it officially open with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

On the day, Professor Richard Booton, Clinical Director for Lung Cancer & Thoracic Surgery at Wythenshawe Hospital made the opening speech. Guests and team members chatted and enjoyed refreshments as they reflected on Neil’s impressive legacy. 

Commenting on the reopening, Joan said: “As a family we have given support for over 40 years. Neil was a marvellous husband for 66 years, and a wonderful man, and I was always by his side. We want to ensure that his legacy is being perpetuated, so agreed to reopen the centre. At the age of 92 it was a true honour to be asked back and I am proud to still be able to support people living with cancer.”

Lisa Burrows, General Manager at Cranford Grange, said: “We were incredibly proud to support Joan at the reopening of the Neil Cliffe Centre. This not only honoured Neil’s legacy but also reinforced the importance of community and coming together to achieve extraordinary things when times become challenging.

“Joan’s dedication to preserving her husband’s memory is truly inspiring and we were thrilled to support Joan on this memorable occasion.”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Cranford Grange, which remains open to potential residents, incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The home has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.