Mark Hawkins, Chief Executive Rowcroft Hospice
A year ago Rowcroft Hospice was pushed to the brink of closure. Now the charity, which helps people with life-limiting illnesses, is meeting its funding targets and has opened a new boutique shop in Dartmouth. Our reporter Steph Woolvin has been talking to the charity’s new Chief Executive Mark Hawkins
Mark Hawkins joined Rowcroft in March, as the hospice neared the end of an urgent fundraising appeal to raise more than half a million pounds and save it from closure. With his help and the amazing support of the local community, the charity’s finances are back on track but he says there are still big challenges ahead; “We’ve seen a significant drop in legacy income, so we need to continue to fight and continuously fundraise to keep this fantastic charity on its feet.”
For almost 35 years the charity has helped people coping with life-limiting illnesses. There’s a 12-bed hospice in Torquay but most of the people the charity supports are cared for in their own homes and some are in other care homes. Despite recent reductions in the breadth of services the charity is able to provide, Rowcroft still supported over 2,000 patients and their families in 2016.
It costs well in excess of £8 million a year to run Rowcroft. “With an ageing population the demand for our services has never been higher,” says Mark. Over the coming years he and his team will develop new income streams to secure the hospice, not just for the immediate future but for generations to come.
Mark says he is working to a five-year plan to improve financial stability and when things start looking up they will be able to increase patient numbers and the breadth of care once more. “We rent a 22 acre estate in Torquay which doesn’t generate any money for us, so we’ll be looking closely at potential opportunities there. We’re also hoping to expand the Rowcroft Lottery and invest in more retail shops.”
The charity’s newest shop is the one that opened here in Dartmouth earlier this year. On their first weekend of business they made more than £3,500. It’s one of the hospices few ‘boutique’ shops which sells a selection of high quality pre-loved men’s and ladies’ clothing as well as handbags, shoes and other accessories. It means Rowcroft now has 16 shops across South Devon, including a tea room in Churston, coffee shop in Ashburton and furniture outlets in Paignton, Torquay and Newton Abbot.
Another of Mark’s ambitions is to create more precious moments for people who are coming to the end of their lives: “Our vision is to make every day the best it can possibly be. A patient of ours was once visited by her granddaughter on her horse Puzzle. We made it snow outside another patient’s bedroom window. We also managed to reunite one lady with her family who she had lost touch with many years earlier. These things make a big difference.”
Mark’s been in this role for six months. Previously, he has had a few high powered jobs - starting at Unilever (the company that brings us Persil and Marmite). Later he helped the TV Production Company Twofour expand in Britain and abroad. He lives near Totnes with his wife Denise and two boys Zach and Finlay and enjoys the commute to Torquay much more than the three-hour slog to London that he suffered with previous jobs. “I spend most of my days off with my family walking our new border terrier puppy Toby. I said I never wanted a dog but the boys were so keen and I must admit he is a great little chap.” If he’s not out with his four-legged friend at the weekend he and Denise are the cold (often wet), dutiful parents that you see on football pitch sidelines. Their boys play in two different teams so they have a lot of games to watch, whatever the weather!
It seems Mark is the kind of boss who really wants to make a difference - getting up at 5am to go out with the shop delivery drivers to see what life is like on the road. He’s also spent time on the ward and with the community and ‘Hospice at Home’ nurses, to a build up a picture of what life is like for people in his organisation. “The only way you really see how something ticks is if you get on the ground,” he says earnestly. “I have been bowled over by the enthusiasm, work ethos and determination of the people - whether it’s paid employees or the army of volunteers who work tirelessly to help keep Rowcroft going. You need to keep smiling and try and stay positive in this job and they all manage to do it.” Mark says the job does make you reflect on life and learn to value the small things.
First published in By The Dart Magazine October 2017