A Gloucestershire hospice has announced the appointment of its new chief executive.

Longfield Community Hospice has announced it has appointed Clare Davis as its new CEO, taking over the role in November from retiring CEO Simon Bernstein who has led the organisation for the last four years.

Clare joins Longfield with two decades of experience in both the commercial and voluntary sector, having recently been CEO at the national charity Pets As Therapy.

Clare said: "I have long admired the work of Longfield Community Hospice and it is a tremendous privilege to have been chosen for this role. I'm excited to be joining colleagues; volunteers and staff across the Longfield family.

"Gloucestershire is my home county and I'm looking forward to working in partnership with the many fabulous people and organisations who share a passion for addressing and responding to the significant care challenges we face as a society in our county."

Clare knows the area well and lives in Gloucestershire with her partner and two dogs.

Chair of trustees for Longfield Dr Sally Pearson said: "Clare's wealth of experience in the third sector, particularly her experience within a charity with organisation-wide volunteer leadership, meant she was an exceptional choice from a list of high-calibre candidates.

"As well as an outstanding professional career, Clare has a warm and engaging personality. We look forward to welcoming her to Longfield.

"Clare will take over from our current chief executive and I would like to put on record my thanks, on behalf of the charity, to Simon. I am very grateful for his leadership of Longfield over the last four years.

"He steered us through the challenges of the pandemic, modernised our systems, and oversaw new ways of working, as well as engaging more collaboratively with partners across the local healthcare sector.

"Simon leaves the hospice in robust financial health, supporting more palliative and end of life patients and their carers than ever before. We wish him well in his retirement."

Clare will take up her role at Longfield Community Hospice at the beginning of November and will be working with outgoing CEO Simon Bernstein and the trustees on a handover and induction over the next few months.

Longfield Community Hospice provides free care, 365 days a year for adults in Gloucestershire living with a life-limiting illness and support for their loved ones and carers. It has 20 shops and over 400 volunteers throughout Gloucestershire, needing to raise a voluntary income of over £4.7m a year to continue to provide its free care to the local community.