Fond farewell and sincere thanks
As Tim Mourne, Chairman of Blythe House Hospice, steps down
Tim with Reverend Betty Packham, Blythe House founder, at the hospice’s 25th anniversary celebrations
Staff, volunteers and supporters at Blythe House Hospice have bid a fond farewell to Tim Mourne, who has stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Trustees after more than a decade of dedicated service.
Tim first joined the hospice as a trustee in 2013, before becoming Chairman in February 2014. Alongside running his own local accountancy firm, Tim has given over 12 years of voluntary service to the hospice, guiding it through a period of significant growth and transformation.
When Tim first became Chairman, the hospice’s annual turnover stood at just over £910,000. By 2024/25, this has trebled, with Tim ensuring every decision made by the Board focused on directing as much income as possible into patient care. His financial stewardship has been central to the charity’s long-term stability.
Driving innovation in care
Under Tim’s leadership, Blythe House launched its Hospice at Home service in 2016 following by the Roaming Car service in 2023, giving people the choice to be cared for and to die at home if they wish – something not previously available locally. Since their launch, thousands of patients have been supported at home, ensuring they could remain safe and comfortable surrounded by loved ones, and easing pressure on NHS services.
Tim also oversaw the development of the Community Volunteer programme in 2018, with trained volunteers offering companionship, and help with everyday tasks. The service became a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic, when volunteers provided more than 3,400 phone calls, 1,140 visits and over 2,500 hours of support to vulnerable and isolated local people.
Another area close to Tim’s heart has been the hospice’s children’s counselling and bereavement service. Twice supported by BBC Children In Need funding, Tim worked to secure the programme’s continuation when external funding ended, ensuring children and young people could keep accessing specialist counselling and play therapy at the hospice.
Steering through challenge and change
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Tim oversaw the successful merger of Blythe House Hospice with Helen’s Trust, creating one, stronger organisation able to deliver more end-of-life care across North Derbyshire. He also led a major strategic and operational review, ensuring the hospice modernised services, re-deployed resources into areas of greatest need, and invested in building improvements to make services fit for the future.
Tim has also been instrumental in the expansion of the hospice’s retail operations, with income from shops and online sales doubling under his leadership. Retail activity now contributes over a quarter of the charity’s running costs – more than is provided by the NHS.
A visible and valued leader
Despite the demands of chairing the Board, Tim remained a regular presence at the hospice, fundraising events and in its shops. Known for his approachable and hands-on style, he has built strong relationships with staff and volunteers, ensuring they always feel valued.
Shane O’Reilly, CEO at Blythe House Hospice, said: ‘Tim has given outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to Blythe House Hospice over so many years. His vision, financial stewardship and compassion have helped shape the hospice into the strong, resilient organisation it is today. On behalf of everyone at Blythe House, I want to sincerely thank Tim for everything he has done – his legacy will continue to benefit local patients and families for many years to come.’
Reflecting on Tim’s departure at the hospice’s Annual General Meeting on Monday 24th November, Dr Sarah Parnacott, trustee and lead of the hospice’s Clinical Committee, gave a speech to pay tribute to his commitment and foresight, which have enabled Blythe House to revolutionise local hospice care and ensure services remain sustainable for the future.
Delia Butler, who has been the hospice’s Treasurer and Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees since 2015, was officially welcomed at the new Chair of the Board.
Delia said: ‘I want to pay tribute to Tim for his incredible dedication and leadership over the past decade. Under his guidance, Blythe House has grown and modernised in so many ways. Having worked alongside him for many years, I’ve seen firsthand the energy and dedication he brings to everything he does.
‘I’m truly excited to take on the role of Chair and continue to build on the legacy of Blythe House’s 36 years; doing all that I can to help the hospice thrive for many more years to come.’
In other news from the AGM, Antony King, who joined the Board of Trustees in 2023, has taken on the role of Treasurer.
Tim with hospice staff on one of his final days as Chairman of the Board
Tim receiving gifts from Shane O’Reilly at the AGM
