A huge thank you from Rowcroft
We would like to say a huge thank you to local homeowners who participated in Rowcroft’s YOUCAN pilot. The pilot aimed to test a new social enterprise in the home improvement sector that would deliver solutions for Torbay and South Devon residents over the age of 65 to help them achieve optimum levels of wellbeing and independence, while at the same time creating a new income stream for the hospice. There were many learnings from this pilot and a genuine demand for the YOUCAN service was uncovered. However, the model fell short of its commercial requirements to generate sufficient revenue for the hospice, so the service will not be launched at this time.
A positive impact
One of the customers to benefit from the pilot was Maureen, 91, from Paignton who used YOUCAN for a bath-to-shower conversion in her home. “I’d been looking for a reliable and trustworthy company to modify my bathroom so I could easily access my shower,” said Maureen. “I was very pleased with this new service from Rowcroft and am so happy with my new bathroom; it has made such a positive impact on my day-to-day living”.
The analysis from the pilot
Rowcroft’s CEO Mark Hawkins said: “We very much appreciate all the support from those who took part in our pilot. The prime objective of the initiative was to develop a new income stream for the hospice while offering independent advice and practical solutions to assist people with day-to-day living and to support them to stay in their own homes for longer. However, it was clear from the analysis of the pilot that, at this point in time, the return on investment wouldn’t be substantial enough to make the venture commercially viable. This is due in part to the financially challenging economic climate that we’re operating in, including the cost of living crisis that’s affecting people’s spending choices throughout the region.”
Raising funds for the hospice
With Rowcroft reliant on the local community to fund around 75% of its care, the hospice supports more than 2000 patients with life-limiting illnesses across South Devon each year. Over recent years, the rising cost of living has been negatively impacting the revenue that Rowcroft receives from the public through donations and fundraising activities, and the charity continues to seek other innovative ways of generating income so that it can continue to care for its South Devon community.
Get in touch
If you have any questions about the YOUCAN pilot, please contact Justine.geldard@rowcrofthospice.org.uk
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