From Outdated to Outstanding: The Transformation of Willow Burn

In 2014, a new day centre opened its doors at Willow Burn Hospice. It wasn’t just an upgrade; it was a rebuild from the ground up and it was made possible thanks to funding from the Sir Tom Cowie Charitable Trust.

Before that, the original centre had been in use since 1989. Housed in an old NHS building from the Second World War, it had served its purpose but was no longer fit for the kind of care Willow Burn wanted to provide. The Trust stepped in with funding in 2011 and, three years later, the new purpose-built Sir Tom Cowie Centre opened to the community.

The centre now supports people with life-limiting conditions who are still living at home. Once a week, patients come in for social interaction, therapies, and a chance to focus on their well-being. For many, it's not just about treatment, it’s about friendship and routine.

Rachel Quince, Head of Fundraising and Marketing at Willow Burn, says the impact of the new space has been significant.

She said: “It became more accessible, it's bright and it’s got lovely big windows. It offered more rooms for treatment and therapies and it was also a bit bigger, so there was more that could go on.”

That added space meant Willow Burn could expand support beyond day patients. Bereavement services and family support now also operate out of the Sir Tom Cowie Centre. This makes it a place that serves people at every stage of care, from early diagnosis to end of life.

The building might not grab headlines, but for those who walk through its doors every week, it means everything. It’s a warm, open space where people feel welcome, not clinical. It gives people something to look forward to.

The Sir Tom Cowie Centre is still in use today, more than a decade after it opened. Its impact continues, quietly and consistently, in the lives of people who need it most.