The woman who has led a hospice charity for the past 16 years is retiring to spend more time with her family.
Over the coming months, Dr Barbara Gale MBE, chief executive of west Suffolk-based St Nicholas Hospice Care, will work alongside colleagues and the hospice’s Board of Trustees to recruit and hand over to a new CEO.
A statement on the charity's website said: "Under Barbara’s leadership, the hospice has been recognised for many significant achievements, including national awards for its innovative clinical work.
"This work and development will not stop as the hospice remains dedicated to its vision for everyone to matter in life and death.
"With Barbara’s continued support and guidance, the charity will seek to appoint an experienced CEO with the compassion, drive and passion needed to continue to lead the hospice to establish a greater reach in our community, improving the lives of many more people faced with dying, caring and grief.
"The Hospice’s Board of Trustees thanks Barbara for her work and dedication and wishes her well for the future."
Dr Gale was made an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for 2019 in recognition of her contribution to hospice care, supporting people living as carers or coping with dying and bereavement.
St Nicholas Hospice Care provides help, advice and support to people in West Suffolk and Thetford in the final chapters of their life, who are living with long-term and life-threatening illnesses.
The charity's big annual fundraiser, Girls Night Out, is back this year from Angel Hill.
Last year the charity made redundancies after it lost £1million due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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