East Surrey MP, Peter Ainsworth, has received a letter from Knights Plant & Life garden centre based in Godstone which highlights the level of dissatisfaction at Marie Curie’s decision to terminate its services at its Caterham hospice.

The letter states:

“For many years now we have been happy to place collecting tins, and more recently your ‘buy some sweets boxes’, on our tills and like to think that we have played our part in supporting your incredibly worthwhile charity. However, during the last couple of weeks the mere sight of the sweet boxes bearing the Marie Curie logo have ignited such a negative reaction in our customers that we have been forced to withdraw them from view. I am not talking about a handful of customers here, but probably between thirty and forty. In the space of a fortnight, Marie Curie Cancer Care has gone from being the best supported charity in the whole area to the object of unprecedented public outrage.”

Commenting on this development, Mr Ainsworth said:

“The cruel uncertainty which hangs over the future of local cancer services is simply not acceptable. The Marie Curie charity appears to have completely misjudged the strength of local feeling and it is essential, for the sake of local families and Marie Curie staff, that the future of this vital service is resolved without delay. Matters are not helped by the charity’s apparent reluctance to be open and straightforward about their intentions, and the causes of this crisis. The good name of Marie Curie is at stake.”

Peter Ainsworth MP has written to the Chief Executive of Marie Curie, Mr Thomas Hughes-Hallett, asking whether he would be willing to attend a public meeting in Caterham to discuss the charity’s closure plans.