Michelle Knight, Matron and Palliative Care Hub Service Lead

I was born in Wisbech and still live there. My family have deep routes in the fens, and as such I am very aware of the inequalities and deprivation faced in this area.

I was delighted to be appointed lead nurse in 2007. The Alan Hudson Centre officially became part of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity in 2015 and has developed steadily over the years.

I am proud to say we have a fantastic team that supports patients right from diagnosis to the end of their lives, whether this be for clinical treatment, living well and specialist palliative care services or Hospice at Home, all focusing on quality of life and ultimately dying ‘well.’

My amazing colleagues work so hard, always demonstrating their care and compassion and we could not do this without our fantastic volunteers. In 2021, the Duchess of Gloucester visited and formerly opened our redeveloped unit and our sensory garden, which was created by volunteers. It has made such a difference to patients and colleagues.

We have just unveiled a Memory Tree in it where people can remember and celebrate their loved one with a beautiful engraved dedication.

I am excited about what more we can achieve and the difference we can make as we fulfil our ambition for equal access to care no matter where you live.

I have worked in Palliative Care and managed the Alan Hudson Centre for 18 years, supporting patients and their loved ones through extremely tough times. I know first hand how valuable life is and making every moment count is so, so important. When the opportunity was presented to climb Mount Toubkal, how could I say no! Not only could I raise vital funds for our services, but I will also be using it personally to remember and celebrate every single patient and their loved ones, whom our team and I have cared for.

In May 2026, Michelle will be taking on the Mount Toubkal Trek for the Hospice; an incredible challenge of conquering the highest peak in North Africa. Find out more about the challenge here.