Saturday shock news - Derek Norcross has been killed

ONE of Hastings' best known citizens has been tragically killed in a car crash.Derek Norcross died at Robertsbridge yesterday.

It is understood the driver of the other car suffered a heart attack, and his vehicle shot across the road.

Derek was well known for so many different things - he was a former chair of the county council, and had just given up as chair of St Michael Hospice.

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He was fondly loved by those connected with the hospice - but then he was loved by so many.

He was also a governor at Frewen College in Northiam, and heavily involved with a charity in Rye.

Hastings Observer Group Editor Peter Lindsey said, 'I feel totally unqualified to pay tribute to Derek, because so many other people knew him better than me.

'But he was just a lovely, lovely caring man.His death has already shocked so many.

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'The last time I saw Derek when he was a guest of the paper at this year's Battle Proms. He was charming as ever.

'To say somebody will be missed is said often. To say derek will be missed is the biggest understatement of the year.'

This is what we wrote about him on January 13 this year:

A CHARITY'S chairman and former county councillor is stepping down after almost eight years.

Derek Norcross, 76, chairman of St Michael's Hospice, has also sat on the charity's board since 1992.

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The Observer caught up with him on Monday to find out how the service has changed in the eight years of his chairmanship.

Mr Norcross said: "We have expanded in that time phenomenally to meet an ever-increasing demand. We have gone from having eight beds to 29 beds since 1998.

"We now have day care for patients and Hospice at Home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year."

Just before Mr Norcross became chairman St Michael's Hospice was almost bankrupt. He said: "The response from the public at the time was phenomenal and now we have almost doubled the amount of services.

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"We have 1,000 patients a year. The hospice, as an organisation, is thriving and it is now, in a sense, a big business.

"But we rely absolutely on the

residents in our area and the goodwill of our 750 volunteers. Without them we could not function."

Mr Norcross, a former county council chairman, said the one thing he will miss being chairman of St Michael's Hospice is the 'day-to-day satisfaction' the service gives its users, which was 'very much needed'.

The services on offer, which include complementary therapies, respite care, day care, and bereavement support, are free to users.

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Mr Norcross said: "I shall miss the companionship and the sense of friendliness that pervades the place."

But he said he was not leaving the hospice completely, just leaving the board of trustees.

He said: "Although stepping down from the chairmanship and membership of the board, I will

always be available to help and support the hospice in any way.

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"We are at a point where we have such a talented senior management team, such a dedicated workforce and such an amazing army of volunteers, as well as the tremendous support of the general population.

"The future of the hospice looks good but will always need constant support to keep going."

Mr Norcross is also chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme in Hastings, chairman of the Activity Rehabilitation Centre (ARC) in Rye and sits on the board at Frewen College in Northiam.

And this is what we published in September 2005:

IN DYING a person is laid bare - often stripped of dignity, afraid and too often alone.

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Almost 40 years ago Cicely Saunders changed all that with the opening of the first hospice, St Christopher's in London, in 1967.

Twenty years later, thanks to Ms Saunders' hospice movement, Hastings received its own hospice with the opening of St Michael's Hospice on Upper Maze Hill with six beds - it now has 29.

Earlier this month Ms Saunders passed away aged 87 in St Christopher's surrounded by the care and comfort she worked her whole life to achieve.

Last Friday a service of celebration and thanks giving in memory of her life and work was held at St Augustine's Chapel in St Michael's Hospice.

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Chairman Derek Norcross said: "Cicely Saunders died with dignity and without pain in conditions she fought for all her life. She was a remarkable lady. Everyone who met her said three things - she was very tall, very intelligent and very shy. She realised no one was addressing the needs of the dying but was told no one would listen to her unless she was a doctor, so she trained for six years and became a doctor and people listened."

Mr Norcross has been on the board at St Michael's Hospice for 13 years and chairman for over seven years and in that time has been actively changing the image of hospices.

He said: "I visit schools and ask the children what a hospice is and they always say a place people go to die and I say it's the exact opposite. They then know it's a place people go to live."

St Michael's Hospice is one of 200 hospices, covering six continents, 100 countries and over 7,000 initiatives, to emerge from the work Ms Saunders began 38 years ago.

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Another remarkable lady, Sheila Leach, was the inspiration behind Hastings achieving its own hospice with encouragement from Ms Saunders.

Now it has an annual turnover of 5.5 million a year and the hospice is expected to raise over 2 million of that itself.

Mr Norcross said people often ask why the hospice doesn't rely on the National Health Service for funding.

He said: "It is always important the hospice movement is independent so we can set our own standards. Our patient/nurses ratio is way above what we could achieve under the NHS.

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"I have found the work of the Board of Directors immensely satisfying. Trustees make a huge difference both to the charities and the communities they serve and have an important say in the way the charity supports and provides services to its users."

St Michael's Hospice is now looking for volunteers to join the Board of Directors and continue the great work of the hospice.

According to Mr Norcross, they are seeking anyone who has the time, energy and commitment to participate actively in the continuing development of the Hospice's services.

Particularly those with skills in building, architecture, marketing, finance and education combined with networking skills.

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Chief executive, Celia Pyke-Lees, said: "We want to attract people from all over Hastings and Rother because the hospice belongs to the whole area."

Mr Norcross added: "This community abounds with generosity and this hospice belongs to the people of Hastings and Rother. No one can live in this area for any length of time without being touched by its work.

"The hospice movement is truly one of the great miracles of present times and we must ensure its continuation."

l If you are interested in becoming a member of the board at St Michael's Hospice contact the chief executive, Celia Pyke-Lees, at the hospice on 445177.