Monica's lasting legacy will be her gift of home that became Manorlands Hospice (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Monica's lasting legacy will be her gift of home that became Manorlands Hospice

9:00am Saturday 26th January 2013 in News

A woman whose act of kindness led to the launch of the Manorlands Sue Ryder hospice in the 1970s has died aged 96.

Although many people give a few pounds a month to charity, Monica Vestey and her husband Gordon made a much bigger gesture – donating their Oxenhope family home on Hebden Road to the charity.

It was turned into a palliative care home, with the first patients admitted in 1974. The building has gone on to provide end of life care to thousands of people over the years, and the 16 bed home is viewed as one of the most important facilities of its kind in West Yorkshire.

After her husband died in 1986, Mrs Vestey also donated a cottage and garages to the charity in his memory.

For the past three-and-a-half years, she had been a resident at Herncliffe Care Home in Keighley.

The couple’s legacy continues through Sue Ryder’s Gordon and Monica Vestey Award, given by the hospice each year to someone who supports the charity in an outstanding way.

Tribute was paid to Mrs Vestey this week by Lizzie Proctor, head of care at Manorlands, who said her generosity “would live on” with the care provided there.

She said: “Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of Mrs Vestey at this very sad time.

“Most of us give to charity at some point in our lives, but it was because of the generosity of Gordon and Monica Vestey that their family home became what today is known as Manorlands hospice, one of seven hospices run by health and social care charity Sue Ryder across the UK.

“In addition to this original gift, Mrs Vestey continued to be extremely supportive to Sue Ryder-Manorlands Hospice throughout her life and in 1996 donated Woodhouse Gate cottage and garages in memory of her husband. This enabled us to develop a base for education, meetings and fundraising.”

She added: “The legacy of Mrs Vestey will live on and the generosity of the family will continue to enable us to provide incredible care to those who need it in our local area."