Liverpool FC legends Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher have joined a city-wide campaign to try and save Zoe’s Place baby hospice.The Reds’ stars have joined a growing list of famous faces from the city and beyond have pledged their support to the bid to keep the vital facility in the city, which is under imminent threat of closure.

Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice was founded by Catholic pro-life campaigner Professor Jack Scarisbrick in 1995. Jack and his wife Nuala were co-founders in 1970 of groundbreaking British pro-life charity, Life.

Prof. Scarisbrick identified that many babies and infants with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and their families were desperately in need of specialist facilities where children could receive respite or palliative care. Crucially, it was recognised that families most needed this facility during the early years of their child’s life. Consequently, the idea of a hospice specifically for babies and infants was born and fittingly the name Zoe’s Place was chosen since Zoe is the Greek word meaning ‘Gift of Life’.

Zoe’s Place became a reality in February 1995 and the first hospice was opened in West Derby, Liverpool. It’s opening signified the beginning of a unique and much-needed service. In 2004 a second Zoe’s Place was opened in Middlesbrough and in 2011 the third hospice opened in Coventry.

However, families using Zoe’s Place in West Derby, Liverpool, have been told that the centre is no longer “fit for purpose”. The Institute of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy – who own the site – have said the centre will have to close its doors by the end of the year after plans to move to a new purpose-built hospice fell through. The Institute added that its “ageing community” and “greatly reduced number of sisters” meant it had to leave the Yew Tree Lane site.

Zoe’s Place fundraising manager Matt Meaney told the BBC that the only way the service could be saved was if suitable premises with a long-term future were found soon.

“It does feel like we are looking for something pretty close to a miracle,” he said.

Mr Meaney said the costs of building a new facility had ballooned from an estimated £3.5m to in excess of £5m, due in part to inflation. Unexpected costs had also become clear as the design was refined and researched, but time and the lack of available premises has proved to be a bigger problem than money.

It is estimated that it would take about 13 to 14 months to complete the project, whereas the lease on its current site only extends until June 2025.

When asked whether the lease could be extended, the Institute said: “That’s not an option that’s available to us at the moment.”

In a statement to the BBC, the Institute’s Sister Bernadette said it had been explained to Zoe’s Place that the lease was due to end in June 2024 and that the Sisters would also be leaving the site.

She said the lease was extended until summer 2025, and that no rent had been asked for since 2023.

“In May this year the Institute was approached by Zoe’s Place about the possibility of extending the lease for a further period beyond the end of June 2025, but we advised them that, unfortunately, this was not possible due to the potential sale of the site, which had been planned for some time,” she said.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the trustees of Zoe’s Place blamed increased costs but also said: “The time taken to get planning permission has left insufficient time to construct the building.”

Speaking of the devastating impact of the closure, Mr Meaney said: “It’s a cliché but words really can’t describe it. Nobody ever expected this to be something that they would have to do, where they would have to tell staff they haven’t got jobs in the future potentially, or even worse, even more devastating, tell families the support we provide is no longer available to them.”

The news has create a rush of support across Liverpool. Having met with charity bosses last week, Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne said the race is now on to raise £5m in the next 30 days that could save the hospice. The campaign was quickly joined by a number of leading Merseyside figures, including Claire Sweeney, Robbie Fowler, Peter Hooton and Lady Anne Dodd, the widow of Liverpool comedian Sir Ken Dodd, who has said she wanted to help via the Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation.

“It’s a job they all love, they’re not paid a fortune to do it, it’s one of those jobs where it’s love they’re giving, it’s themselves they’re giving, and just desperately sad,” she said.

Liverpool FC legends Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard have also thrown their support behind the fundraising campaign.

In a video message last night, Gerrard said: “I just wanted to do a little short video message regarding Zoe’s Place. This is a charity that is very close to myself.

“It’s one that I’ve supported for many years. Giving these children and these kids the best end of life care is really important for all the families that are local and beyond.

“I’d ask everyone to dig deep as they possibly can and please raise as much money as we possibly can to save Zoe’s Place. I’ll certainly be supporting it. This is really important for our city. In times of need, this is when the city all pulls together and we’ll get there.”

Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said: “This is a message about the situation we find ourselves in regarding Zoe’s Place within the city. I think we all have to do our best and our utmost to try and reach this target of £5 million quid in the next 30 days. It’s not going to be easy but if any city can, Liverpool can, that’s the motto we have to all get behind.

“I’m involved in a number of initiatives that can hopefully help us along the way and hopefully you can too. Don’t forget the motto, if any city can, Liverpool can, fingers crossed we can get there,” he added.