WORK has begun on expanding care facilities at Cotswold Care Hospice.

Construction crews have started expanding the creative therapies space at the charity in Minchinhampton.

Last month Cotswold Care Hospice launched an urgent appeal to raise £55,000 to carry out the work after it was awarded a £116,000 Department of Health grant.

The grant will only pay for two thirds of the work. The charity must raise the final £55,000 in time to ensure it hits the Department of Health deadline.

So far the appeal has raised £36,459. The charity needs to raise a further £18,541 to reach its target.

“We are deeply touched at the positive response from the community following our plea for help. It is not too late to play your part in helping us reach that final target,” said Jules Eaton, chief executive of the hospice.

Construction work is being carried out by Speller Metcalfe and is due to be completed by mid-October. During the expansion the creative therapies department has been relocated to the Garden Room at the hospice.

“Work is going well as the weather has been kind to us. We are all anxious to get it completed as soon as we can and to cause the least disruption to the people we support,” said Mr Eaton.

The extension is at the hospice in Minchinhampton, near Stroud. It will allow the charity, which provides all its services free of charge, to develop its range of creative therapies including music, drama and creative writing.

Therapeutic art helps people with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses - and their carers - to cope with trauma, anxiety and depression. The hospice also offers Art for Health, which is specialist one-to-one therapy to help with specific issues.

Send cheques payable to Cotswold Care Hospice to Cotswold Care Hospice, FREEPOST SWC2421, Burleigh Lane, Minchinhampton, GL5 2BF or donate online at: www.cotswoldcare.org.uk/urgentappeal