Peter Holliday, Group Chief Executive of St Giles Hospice in Lichfield, has been appointed the first Chairman of the newly created Help the Hospices Advisory Council.

Help the Hospices is a national charity, formed over 20 years ago to support local hospices. In particular it seeks to give a national voice to the 194 independent charitable hospices - that is, local charities such as St Giles - that provide the vast majority of hospice care in the UK. Since the launch of the charity’s new membership structure in March 2007, 95% of such local charities have become members of Help the Hospices.

St Giles, which cares for local people living with cancer and other serious illnesses, already plays a key role in the charity’s work.

Peter has previously served as Chairman of Help the Hospices’ Income Generation Reference Group and as a member of the working party which helped to steer Help the Hospices to becoming a membership organisation. As a result of his new appointment, Peter also becomes a trustee of Help the Hospices.

He says: “I’m delighted to take up this new appointment which further recognises St Giles’ role as a leading light in the hospice movement.

“By continuing to work for St Giles as well as serving on the Advisory Council, I will ensure that local charities such as ours are given the national recognition and assistance they need and deserve.”

The purpose of the Advisory Council is to advise the Board of Help the Hospices on strategic matters relating to philosophy, policy, practice and professional development within the hospice movement. It also acts as a communication channel between local, regional and home country hospices and Help the Hospices.

The Advisory Council comprises of elected representatives from member hospices within each of the Strategic Health Authority regions in England and a representative from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Peter also serves as Chancellor’s Vicar of Lichfield Cathedral and as a governor of Lichfield Cathedral School. He is a member of Lichfield Rotary Club.

St Giles Hospice is one of the best-known and most respected charities in the region, offering high-quality nursing and medical care for people with cancer and other serious illness, as well as providing support for their families and carers.

Patients come from across the hospice’s catchment area, which ranges from Ashby de la Zouch and Atherstone in the east, to Cannock and Walsall in the west – and from Burton and Uttoxeter in the north, to Sutton Coldfield and Coleshill in the south.

Care is offered at the hospice's facilities in Sutton Coldfield and Whittington between Lichfield and Tamworth, or in patients' own homes.

The range of high-quality, specialist services are expensive to provide, and the hospice relies heavily on donations and fundraising – including proceeds from the St Giles Hospice Lottery and network of 14 charity shops.