In memory of Cecil Duckworth CBE
This site has been created as a tribute to the late Cecil Duckworth CBE, a passionate supporter and proud Patron of Acorns Children's Hospice.
Cecil began his long and wonderful association with Acorns Children's Hospice in 1997, through a family friend whose child was using the charity's Birmingham hospice. The care there was wonderful, but it was a long way to travel. As the years passed, Cecil began conversations with John Overton, Acorns Chief Executive at the time, about his wish to support Acorns opening a children's hospice in or around Worcester, for children and families from across the Three Counties.
In 2001 an opportunity arose, when a friend of Cecil's alerted him to the possibility of acquiring a wonderful plot of land in Worcester off the Bath Road. Cecil helped Acorns acquire the land and donated the first £1 million to an appeal to raise the funds needed to build it. The foundation stone was laid in 2004, and the state-of-the-art Acorns Children's Hospice opened its doors in 2005 and has been supporting children and families ever since.
Cecil remained closely involved with Acorns and helped to establish the long-standing partnership between Acorns and Worcester Warriors that has been so beneficial to both. He and Beatrice were very regular visitors to the hospice, to keep in touch with their many friends there in the staff and volunteers, and to see how the children were doing.
Our family kindly invites anyone who would like to make a donation to Acorns in memory of Cecil to do so here. Thank you so much.
Cecil began his long and wonderful association with Acorns Children's Hospice in 1997, through a family friend whose child was using the charity's Birmingham hospice. The care there was wonderful, but it was a long way to travel. As the years passed, Cecil began conversations with John Overton, Acorns Chief Executive at the time, about his wish to support Acorns opening a children's hospice in or around Worcester, for children and families from across the Three Counties.
In 2001 an opportunity arose, when a friend of Cecil's alerted him to the possibility of acquiring a wonderful plot of land in Worcester off the Bath Road. Cecil helped Acorns acquire the land and donated the first £1 million to an appeal to raise the funds needed to build it. The foundation stone was laid in 2004, and the state-of-the-art Acorns Children's Hospice opened its doors in 2005 and has been supporting children and families ever since.
Cecil remained closely involved with Acorns and helped to establish the long-standing partnership between Acorns and Worcester Warriors that has been so beneficial to both. He and Beatrice were very regular visitors to the hospice, to keep in touch with their many friends there in the staff and volunteers, and to see how the children were doing.
Our family kindly invites anyone who would like to make a donation to Acorns in memory of Cecil to do so here. Thank you so much.
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Candles
Everyone at Acorns will be thinking of Cecil and his family and friends today. We will always remember his incredible contributions to Acorns in support of children and families in the Worcester area, and we are so grateful for both the generosity of Cecil in his lifetime, and his loved ones as they remember him.
Lit by Ben at Acorns Children's Hospice on 15th November 2022
Cecil is very much in our thoughts today as we remember him on the first anniversary of his passing. Cecil is a hugely important figure in the history of Acorns Children's Hospice and without his incredible contributions we would not be where we are today. We are so grateful for all that he did for the children and families who need our services, and to all of his loved ones who showed such generosity in his honour.
Lit by Acorns Children's Hospice on 15th November 2021
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