Walking into St Clare's Hospice does not feel like entering a centre for the seriously ill.

A bright, friendly atmosphere pervades the building in Primrose Terrace, Jarrow, which has won a permanent place in the affections of people throughout the borough.

South Tynesiders have raised countless thousands of pounds to finance the hospice, since the first complex opened its doors in Westoe Village, South Shields, in 1987.

Scarcely a week goes by without the Gazette featuring a picture story about a pub, club or some other communuty group which has raised cash for St Clare's.

And, as ever-friendly hospice fundraising manager Marie Watson explained, providing care for almost 200 seriously ill patients a year does not come cheap.

She said: "Running the hospice costs £1.1m per annum, with about 50 per cent of that coming from the primary care trust.

"Breaking that down further, we receive about £200,000 from our hospice shops in Jarrow and South Shields, with the rest of the funding made up of charity money and donations."

Ms Watson said the constant efforts of local fundraisers are vital to the continued health of the hospice.

"We did have serious financial problems a few years ago, but thankfully those were resolved," she said.

"But we cannot survive without donations and the kindness of people raising money in the local community."

Apart from the support of families of hospice guests, the organisation would not operate without its dedicated medical staff, plus a network of some 180 vounteers, who ensure the daily operation of the hospice, from selling raffle tickets to working in its charity shops or carrying out a multiplicity of tasks in and outside the Jarrow centre.

Historically, the ordinary people of South Tyneside have been at the heart of the hospice ethos.

A public appeal was launched in 1982 to raise enough money to convert a large detached house in Westoe Village into a residential hospice.

The first public meeting of hospice members was held on November 26, 1984, in the reception room at South Shields Town Hall.

Sir Robin Chapman was elected chairman and in due course, a nursing sister was appointed to work in the community.

Borough fundraisers rallied round and the doors of St Clare's Hospice eventually opened in 1987.

Thanks to a great deal of work, the former three-storey Edwardian house was opened for day care, five days a week, helping more than a dozen people with life-threatening illnesses.

From day one, the hospice adopted a holistic approach to care, tending to the physical, mental and spiritual needs of its guests.

But it wasn't long before the original hospice building became too small and health officials eventually offered the current site.

Plans were drawn up for a purpose-built hospice, at a cost of £1.3m.

Work soon got underway and staff moved into the new building on August 31, 1994, with day and 24-hour residential care offered for the first time.

November 2004 saw the opening of a new extension, bringing the total number of bedrooms to eight, all single units, incorporating full en-suite facilities.

The extension proved vital to the hospice's professed aim of providing free care to anyone in South Tyneside and beyond.

Its wide range of clinical services includes pain control, a lymphoedema service and a breathlessness clinic.

This is complemented by a counselling service, plus spiritual support.
But what about the future?

Ms Watson explained: "We are starting work on a renovation scheme in November, which will cost £250,000.