Located on the first floor of the shopping centre, the unit was opened to the public on 28 November at the same time as the doors were opened to their 19th hospice shop just next door. The new unit will become a hub for local people with a life-limiting illness.
The Living Well Centre is a bold forward-looking initiative that will redefine and bring hospice wellbeing services directly to the community, reaching underserved populations and enabling the charity to be more responsive to the needs of local people.
The charity, founded in 1984, has committed to reimagining how hospice care is accessed and experienced, prioritising support for under-served groups, including ethnic minorities, disabled people, LGBT+ individuals, and those living in areas of high deprivation.
North London Hospice has a proud history of delivering Living Well services, supporting people to have a better quality of life despite their life limiting condition. The creation of the centre follows a transformation of North London Hospice to make its services more sustainable. The new model of care for the centre has been designed to be flexible, inclusive and community based for those living with life-limiting conditions.
North London Hospice has been helping local people for over 40 years and is a leader in community-based palliative care. With a new centre right in the heart of the community, it will extend the hospice's reach and deepen its impact by providing greater awareness and ensuring a more equitable service.
It is anticipated that the Living Well Centre will become a hub for wellbeing activities and living well groups, as well as peer support sessions. The full range of services will be announced following community consultation and feedback and is expected that Living Well services will commence from early 2026.
The costs to refurbish the unit to accommodate the Living Well Centre were paid for through a Department for Health and Social Care grant for capital expenditure. In December 2024 Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced a £100million funding package for the sector, in what has been described as the biggest investment in a generation for hospices.
Wolfie Smith, Director of Patient Services and Quality at North London Hospice said:
“The development of our joint retail and service delivery model offers a bold, innovative response to the challenge of expanding our services to include members of the community who traditionally have not accessed hospice services.
“We will use the space to engage with the local community to understand what they would value from the Living Well Centre, and together, using our expertise and experience, deliver a range of individual and group wellbeing services, reflecting the needs of the community.
“We hope that by bringing hospice wellbeing to the high street, we will be breaking down barriers, removing fear and anxieties associated with end-of-life care, making it more visible, approachable and accessible for everyone.”
Peter Brook, Director of Retail at North London Hospice said:
“We are delighted to open a brand-new shop in The Mall, right in the heart of Wood Green. In a first for our charity, we are creating a community hub where people can learn more about hospice services whilst also bagging a bargain and helping to raise vital funds for the hospice.”
Declan Carroll, Chief Executive of North London Hospice added:
“We are really excited to be expanding our reach and providing wellbeing services in a vibrant, community-orientated setting. It is anticipated that our Living Well Centre will transform community-based palliative care, as well as drive inclusion, helping us to realise our vision of providing the best of life, at the end of life, for everyone.”
