Thames Hospicecare formed from the merger of Thames Valley Hospice in Windsor and the Paul Bevan Cancer Foundation in Ascot. The two well-respected and highly regarded organisations joined together to form a new organisation in the interests of better and more seamless patient care. Here is the journey that brings us to the present day.
Early 80's
Thames Valley Hospice was founded by a group of dedicated persons from St Anthony's RC Church in Slough and the Justice and Peace Group of St Joseph's RC Church in Gerrards Cross who had the same ideas and aspirations for founding a hospice and which came to function under the leadership of Dr Douglas Denny. They realised the need for a specialist cancer centre, for patients diagnosed with a life limiting illness, where the very 
best care could be provided by specialists in the field of palliative care medicine. After much effort by the groups to establish the Hospice, Dr Douglas Denny continued to play a pivotal role in securing funds for the Hospice. For many years Pine Lodge, the home of Thames Hospicecare Windsor, was a private dwelling until it came onto the market in 1987, Dr Denny immediately realised o
n entering the building that 'this was the one,' he felt that the maturity of Pine Lodge would counteract the inevitable rawness of any new building work, and contribute towards a welcoming atmosphere. There was a lot of support and the Denny’s were tireless in their efforts to involve the community and raise the necessary funds. Their hardwork was rewarded and the Hospice was opened by Her Majesty the Queen on 9/11/1987.
Mrs Penny Bevan Rahming, following the death of her husband Paul in 1982, formed The Paul Bevan Cancer Foundation in 1995. Penny, along with her husband's GP Dr Geoff Cook, knew there was a lack of day to day local support for 
people to turn to following a life limiting diagnosis and set about finding a solution. Following visits to other centres they determined that people needed a place to visit where they could receive information and caring support from both professionals and others in similar circumstances. They set about raising the funds from offices in what is now the THc Sunninghill shop and in the interim funded a home nursing service to help meet the immediate need. 
The Paul Bevan Cancer Foundation was opened on 15th May 1995 and has provided a much needed service to people living in the Ascot area and continues to do so as Thames Hospicecare, with patients coming from across East Berkshire and South Bucks
2001 - An extension is added to THc Windsor to provide more in-patient beds and to meet the growing
need for its services. The Hospice closed for several months to allow the work to be completed and the new extension was opened by Her Majesty the Queen. The extension provided a 17 bed in-patient service with 2 four bedded bays plus 9 single en-suite rooms. An attractive courtyard, accessed from the in-patient unit provides a light and airy environment.
2005 - The two Hospices merged. The Paul Bevan Cancer Foundation had built upon the palliative day-care during the previous two decades and was a perfect match for the specialist nursing care given to patients through: in-patient bedded care, Hospice at Home and and day-care at Thames Valley Hospice.
With these two highly professional organisations operating just six miles apart from each other and caring for the same patients, it was a natural and obvious move to bring their services under one single organisation.
2007 - THc Windsor transferred its day-care service over to THc Ascot. THc Ascot was closed for a short while to update the facilities and provide a more interactive area for patients, including a cafe style eating area. 
2008 - THc Windsor changed the previous Windsor day-care area to form the new out-patient suite.
2008 - THc opened three new shops, Woodley, Stainash and Wokingham to bring the total THc shops to 16 plus the Furniture Mart in Dedworth.
2009 - Thanks to the generosity of external capital funders THc Windsor opened a new reception area, continuing Dr Denny's original aim of providing a welcoming and friendly environment for patients and families from the moment they enter the Hospice.
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2010 - THc Ascot Community Service re-opens, offering a variety of services for local people living with a life limiting illness. Click here for further information about THc Ascot.
2011 - April, the former THc Furniture Mart was remodelled to become the THc Homestore and Donations Centre offering a new and exciting opportunity for local people seeking good quality furniture. The Donation Centre offers another facility for supporters to donate their good quality clothes and goods.
2011 - November - An exciting and eclectic new store opened replacing the previous THc Windsor shop, with Retro and Vintage inspired pieces making for a unique and inspiring shopping experience. ‘Really Me’ is no ordinary store, it is Thames Hospicecare’s longest established store being true to its roots and reinventing itself as the shop of the moment, just as it was 25 years ago. It holds true to its original passion, raising funds to help local families to receive the specialist care that they need, without charge.
