Gareth Southgate to Unveil Martin House Children’s Hospice Following £21.9m Redevelopment

On Friday, 5 June, former England manager and long-standing Martin House ambassador Sir Gareth Southgate will perform the ceremonial ribbon cutting at a special launch event. The celebrations will bring together families receiving care, staff, community partners, and regional supporters who helped fund the two-year transformation.

Next-Generation Palliative Care for Yorkshire

Initiated in autumn 2023, the extensive construction project was designed to safeguard the future of children’s palliative care across West, North, and East Yorkshire. Advancements in medical science mean that children with life-shortening conditions are living longer with increasingly complex needs, requiring the hospice to modernise its clinical infrastructure.

The newly expanded facility features a brand-new children’s wing alongside a completely refurbished teenage wing. Key upgrades to the site include:

• Hydrotherapy Pool: Providing families with therapeutic, accessible swimming opportunities.
• Immersive Sensory Room: Creating dedicated spaces for specialist developmental support.
• Recording Studio: Offering young people creative outlets during their stays.
• Enhanced Clinical Spaces: Equipped with advanced provisions, including piped oxygen in every room.
• Regional Education Centre: Expanding specialist palliative care training pathways for healthcare professionals across Yorkshire.

A Lifeline for Local Families

Every year, Martin House delivers free, round-the-clock specialist care to more than 550 children and young people, alongside vital bereavement support for around 200 family members.

For parents like Bethany Harrison, whose son Thomas relies on the hospice for respite stays and symptom management, the facility upgrades represent a monumental shift in quality of life. Thomas lives with ATR-X Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that leaves him unable to walk or talk, requiring gastric tube feeding and oxygen access.

Bethany Harrison, Thomas’s mother:

We wouldn’t cope without Martin House. They put you and your child at the centre, giving us that extra level of support—it’s just like another member of the family to help us. Because of THE BUILD, we will have our first chance to swim with Thomas as a family in the new hydrotherapy pool. Martin House is also better equipped than ever to meet Thomas’s changing needs, with specialist facilities such as piped oxygen in every room. Martin House is a lifeline for my family, and now that lifeline is bigger and better than ever.

Community and Corporate Backing

The project reached its multi-million-pound target through public fundraising campaigns and corporate partnerships. Confectionery manufacturer HARIBO UK, which has operated in Yorkshire for over 50 years, served as the headline sponsor for the development, with employees raising funds through regional events ranging from charity zipwires to the Leeds Dragon Boat Race.

Clair Holdsworth, Chief Executive at Martin House:

The launch event is going to be an incredibly emotional and proud moment for everyone connected to Martin House. THE BUILD is so much more than bricks and mortar. It’s about creating a modern, family-focused hospice that matches the extraordinary quality of care our teams provide every day. Children, young people and families will now experience a more spacious, welcoming and state-of-the-art environment, designed to support them in the best possible way. We would never have reached this moment without the incredible support of people, businesses and communities across Yorkshire. Demand for children’s palliative care continues to grow, with more children living longer with increasingly complex conditions. THE BUILD ensures Martin House can continue adapting to those needs and supporting even more families across Yorkshire when they need us most.

Sir Gareth Southgate, Martin House Ambassador:

Seeing firsthand the difference Martin House makes for children—giving them somewhere to escape and feel supported—has really stayed with me. It’s that personal, tailored care that makes it so powerful. I have huge admiration for the work they do for children, families, and the wider Yorkshire community. The hospice is a vital support for local families, and it genuinely transforms the lives of young people with life-shortening conditions every single day.

Phil Murphy, Chief Marketing Officer at HARIBO UK:

HARIBO has been privileged to support Martin House throughout this transformational project, helping create a hospice that will provide the care children and young people across Yorkshire deserve. We’ve called Yorkshire our home for more than 50 years, so it means a great deal to contribute to such an important local charity through our long-term partnership. Together, we’ve helped create a lasting legacy that will transform lives, create precious memories, and allow the families that Martin House support to enjoy some moments of joy together, now and for years to come.