IT WAS a celebrity affair at Helen House and Douglas House as Rev and Pirates of the Caribbean star Tom Hollander officially reopened the Oxford children’s hospice.

The actor cut the ribbon at the hospice in Magdalen Road, East Oxford, on Monday following the completion of £1.5m of refurbishment work. His niece Imogen, who has cerebral palsy, has been a regular visitor and Mr Hollander is a long-time supporter of the hospice.

The former Abingdon School pupil said: “Helen and Douglas House is a cross between a high-end care home, state-of-the-art hospital and pleasure palace.

“The wonderful thing about the refurbishment is that they have brought it up-to-date and made improvements but retained its spirit. It continues to bring comfort, consolation, laughter and community.”

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The hospice got £436,000 from NHS England to carry out some of the work, but raised the rest through fundraising and community donations. Deputy chief executive Clare Edwards said: “We will now be able to further develop our specialist service for critically-ill babies and children who need complex medical care.

“Children who previously may have had to stay in hospital, can now come to Helen House.”

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