CEO Blog February 2022

Here at Hospice, we have high hopes for 2022, and we are already very excited for everything we have planned for this year, which you can read more about below.

However, I can't proceed with this year until we have looked back at the past and honoured a truly great gentleman with a special connection to our charity.

It is with great sadness that we learned of the recent death of Her Majesty’s Attorney General John Quinn QC. John was a key supporter of, and ambassador for, Hospice care here on the Isle of Man, and his unstinting loyalty to our cause was humbling. Not only was John an absolute gentleman, he was a very faithful friend to many, volunteering his time and considerable energy to providing many years of valuable support to the charity.

John was Chairman of Hospice Isle of Man for nine years, from 2001 until 2010, and during this time his name was synonymous with tremendous leadership, resolution and tenacity.  His calm manner was appreciated by the Board of Governors, staff and volunteers of Hospice alike, and his own enthusiasm for the value of specialist, quality Hospice care stemmed from personal knowledge of the difference it made when his late  father was supported in the previous Hospice premises; St Bridget’s, in November 2000.
 
John’s generosity to Hospice knew no bounds, he oversaw one of the most significant projects in the history of Hospice Isle of Man, when the current specialist premises were built alongside Noble’s Hospital. He was recognised as being instrumental in raising considerable funds which allowed this ambition of a new Hospice building to be realised.
 
After nine years in the role as Chairman, John stepped down. However he continued to serve the charity in a voluntary capacity, remaining on the Board of Directors until his appointment as Her Majesty’s Acting Attorney General of the Isle of Man in March 2013.
 
John was humble about his considerable and ongoing personal commitment to Hospice Isle of Man. He understood the difference that the right support at the right time can make, and spoke plainly about the importance of the work that Hospice does on the Isle of Man “It’s clear how the entire Island community is touched by the work of the charity”.

Our thoughts are with Heather and the rest of John's family at this time, and we are so grateful that we were touched by such a truly good man.