New ABCC charity of the year revealed

The Asian Business Chamber of Commerce has announced Birmingham Hospice as their charity of the year.

Birmingham Hospice is the main provider of adult hospice care for Birmingham, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Sandwell and provides specialist palliative and end of life care for around 670 people each day at hospice sites, in the community or in patients' own homes.

Paul Bytheway, chief executive of Birmingham Hospice said: "We are delighted to be named Charity of the Year by the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce for 2026/2027 — this is a wonderful recognition for our hospice and the many hundreds of people we care for every year.

"Birmingham Hospice supports people at the end of their lives or living with life-limiting illness, as well as their loved ones.

“From expert palliative and end of life care to community support and wellbeing services, everything we do is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves dignity and compassion when it matters most.

“We are particularly proud to work alongside the ABCC, whose diverse membership reflects the rich cultural fabric of our region. We are committed to ensuring our services are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of all communities we serve.

"As a charity, fundraising and awareness raising are essential to what we do. This year, we estimate it could cost £20 million to run Birmingham Hospice. We need to raise £8 million through fundraising activity, income from our shops and voluntary donations to cover the costs of running our charity.”

"Partnering with the Chamber gives us a unique opportunity to connect with local businesses who share our values, and together we can raise both vital funds and greater awareness of the work we do. The support of the business community will make a very real difference to the patients and families we are privileged to serve.”

Through the partnership with ABCC, Birmingham Hospice will be able to fundraise during various Chamber events and members will also be able to volunteer.

Monica Ghai, president of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are proud to name Birmingham Hospice as our Charity of the Year for 2026/27 and to support an organisation that provides such vital care and compassion to individuals and families across our region.

“At the ABCC, we believe in using our network not only to support business growth, but also to make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve.

“Birmingham Hospice carries out incredible work every day, often during the most difficult moments in people’s lives, and we are honoured to help raise both awareness and funds for their mission.

“We look forward to working closely with their team throughout the year, engaging our members through fundraising, volunteering and shared opportunities to create a lasting impact.”

Pictured from left to right: ABCC vice president Sunil Kumar Mahay, ABCC Manager Katrina Raipuri, Monica Ghai, Birmingham Hospice corporate fundraising manager Luke Manley, and ABCC vice president Daksha Parekh