Staff at Oxford's Sobell House hospice, who care for hundreds of dying people every year, are celebrating their 30th year by launching an appeal to help even more people at home.

The hospice opened in 1976, and cares for about 400 terminally-ill patients at its site at the Churchill Hospital, in Headington, Oxford, every year.

But it also runs a hospice in the home service, providing equipment, volunteers and qualified nurses to look after people in familiar surroundings.

At the moment, about 2,500 patients have access to the scheme, but through the 30th anniversary appeal, Sobell House's chief executive Richard Berry wants to raise extra money every year to help even more people.

He said: "The care we provide at Sobell House is priceless, but unfortunately everything else isn't. Even though our new hospice opened in 2003 to replace the old building, two of the 20 beds have still not been opened. We're hoping to raise £150,000 every year to open these and use them as part of our hospice in the home scheme. We could help a lot more people in the community, and use these beds as day beds when people come in for treatment like a blood transfusions or radiotherapy. They would be picked up and taken home by members of our volunteer community team."

The extra money, which would be on top of the £1m already funded through charitable donations, would pay for resources needed to keep the beds open, like staffing, maintenance and equipment.

Mr Berry said many people already visited the day hospice at Sobell House.

He added: "It gives them companionship and acts like respite for the carers who can have one day off to go shopping, or have their hair done or just relax.

"They have more and more time with us, until eventually they come to us when their care gets too great to cope with at home."

To help raise money for Sobell House, call 01865 857007 for further information or see the website www.sobellhospice.org