IT has been 10 years since the Post attended the ribbon cutting of Holsworthy’s outreach centre The Long House – and since then the service has grown exponentially with thanks to the community’s support.

Run by North Devon Hospice, the team were delighted to mark the 10th anniversary with an open evening and cake cutting on September 30 to demonstrate to the public what goes on in this seemingly “quiet” corner of Holsworthy — but it is anything less than quiet.

On the day we spoke to complementary therapy counsellor Mandy Bateman who has been with the project from the beginning.

Since opening, The Long House has become a sanctuary for hundreds of people living with life-limiting conditions and their loved ones and carers. Mandy said this is something that drew her to the project, adding: “When patients and their families come here for the first time you can often see how stressed they are.

“But within a few moments of seeing the relaxing space, the wood burner and sofas, and being offered a cup of tea you can see them start to relax.”

It is also what intrigued fellow counsellor Miranda Broadhead, who put The Long House’s success down to its drive to improve whilst ensuring an equilibrium for those dealing with huge upheavals.

She said: “It is a bit of both, keeping it steady and making sure that we have got our core provision in there — the complimentary therapy and the 1-2-1 counselling core.

“The groups we offer depend on the needs of the people we are working with — we could have a group that needs a safe holding place where they can talk about their feelings and other times we run creative groups; and sometimes it is just about having a space where people can come and talk with one another in a place that’s quite safe.”

CEO of North Devon Hospice Stephen Roberts said it was a “privilege” to be a part of the organisation.

He said: “I think from the outset when we first wanted to build The Long House, there was just a real issue of rural access to good quality end of life care, so we knew there was a gap for Holsworthy and its community.

“We felt really passionate about filling that gap and here we are 10 years later and we are still providing that outstanding end of life care.”

Mr Roberts extended his gratitude to the community of Holsworthy and surrounding areas for how it had embraced this hospice and its works. He said it was important people understood The Long House was charitably funded and it was thanks to the local support it received from the community that these last 10 years had been possible.

He added: “I think the community should be really proud. Whilst we do get some statutory NHS funding to provide our care, none of the care the comes out of The Long House is statuatory funded, it is all charitably funded — so in many ways this isn’t North Devon Hospice’s Long House, it is the community’s.

“It is thanks to them and their efforts of support that we can continue to be here for thousands of people over the years.”

Joining the celebrations, the mayor of Holsworthy Cllr Jon Hutchings commended the work of the team who go “fairly unnoticed” but deserved a lot of thanks.

He said: “I was deputy mayor at the time this facility was opened and it is wonderful to be able to return here 10 years later, as mayor, and see it being so well utilised.”