Vital service needs £5million

Liverpool’s Hot Water Comedy Club is arranging a fundraising night to help save a local baby hospice

Zoe’s Place in West Derby may have to close by Christmas unless it can raise £5 million to help secure a new home in the city.

Now a fundraising comedy night on Monday October 28 will feature John Bishop, Jason Manford and Russell Kane performing to help raise funds.

They will be joined by Iain Stirling, Adam Rowe, Jamie Hutchinson and Dan Nightingale at the 589-seat Theatre 1 space at Hot Water’s Blackstock Market home

The gig is already sold out, but will also be live streamed on Hot Water’s YouTube channel.

Zoe’s Place cares for babies and toddlers up to five  years old with life-limiting, life-threatening or complex conditions, offering respite, palliative and end-of-life care.

But the lease on its Yew Tree Lane site runs out in 2025 and plans to build a new £3.5million hospice building close by have fallen through due to delays in securing planning permission and rising costs within the construction industry.

Last week, devastated staff and families were told it meant Zoe’s Place would close by the end of the year. The charity is now looking to raise £5 million by the end of October to secure its future in the city.

Hot Water Comedy’s Paul Blair says: ‘As soon as we heard about the situation with Zoe’s Place, Hot Water and all the local comedians were keen to help. It was a matter of calling and texting around, and within 30 minutes the line-up was sorted – everyone jumped at the chance.

‘It’s shocking that a charity like Zoe’s Place, which means so much to Liverpool and cares for babies and children, is in this position. We’re aiming to make as much noise as possible with the live stream.

‘While the event is all about raising awareness and encouraging donations, we didn’t want to make it inaccessible for people who want to help but might not be able to donate. By live streaming the evening for free we hope it means anyone who can’t donate can still get involved and do their bit by sharing it as much as possible.’

• Jenny Eclair is headlining a Christmas comedy in aid of Women and Children First at the Leicester Square Theatre on Monday  December 2. She will be joined at the fundraiser by Nish Kumar, Michelle De Swarte, Amy Gledhill and Lorna Rose Treen. Tickets are available from the Leicester Square Theatre website, priced £19 to £24

Published: 16 Oct 2024