Health reporter EMMA HARRISON reports on a new era for St Leonard's Hospice, York

STAFF beamed with delight as the great day arrived at last and the patients moved into the new annexe at St Leonard's Hospice, York.

The light airy dome-shaped building, with wood features and blue, green and burnt orange decor, is calming and peaceful and is the first and biggest part of the £2 million rebuilding and refurbishment programme taking place on the Tadcaster Road site.

As the staff drank a celebratory glass of champagne yesterday afternoon, everyone praised the new facilities and expressed their thanks to readers of the Evening Press for all their efforts in fundraising.

Dr Sarah Anderson, medical director at the hospice, said: "It seems to be a really super new building and gives us lots more space. It's much lighter and airier in comparison to the old building.

"St Leonard's needed to go into the future and without the support of the Evening Press and its readers we would not have managed this."

The £2 million target was finally reached this summer after a two-and-a-half-year fundraising appeal through the pages of the Evening Press.

Heather Agar, a care worker and medical secretary who has been working at the hospice since it opened in 1985, said: "I am sad that we are leaving the old building.

"But we are thrilled, because it will work, we will make it work. Patients are still our number one priority."

Beneath the huge glass, wooden and copper dome is a central reception and nurses' station area surrounded by two wards of four beds and 12 single rooms each with its own balcony. There are also family rooms and additional bathrooms with special hydro-baths.

Underneath the ground floor level are scores of offices, doctors offices, meeting rooms and locker rooms.

Care assistant Rachelle Ashton added: "I think the new annexe is fantastic. It really is a privilege to be a part of it. The facilities are fantastic for both patients and their families, with state-of-the-art equipment."

The staff have worked hard in the last week in a rolling programme to make the patients' transition from the old hospice wards to the new building a smooth process.

Rob Weldon, hotel services manager, has been in charge of the move. He said: "The amount of planning that has gone into this has worked and we are on target in the transition."

Today work was startinng on the old part of the hospice, which is to undergo a 12-week project of refurbishment to transform it into a new day care unit and therapies centre.