FOOTBALL manager Harry Redknapp has launched a new “buy a brick” appeal to help raise funds for the new Lewis-Manning Hospice.

Sandbanks’ most famous resident is urging people to get behind the Echo-backed campaign, and help the charity raise £2.5million to rebuild the hospice and create a 15-bed unit which will allow patients to stay overnight for the first time.

The Spurs manager, who is a patron of the charity, said: “The work Lewis-Manning do in the community is so important and as our local hospice I would urge everyone to get behind this great cause.”

Fundraising manager, Maria Tidy, said: “There are 400,000 people living in the Lewis-Manning Hospice catchment area. If each person bought a brick for £5 this would raise £2million.

“The community has always been behind us, so we are hoping that they will once again come out and show their support.”

As well as the new in-patient unit the new building will also include improved day care facilities, a combined gymnasium and music room, clinics and a conference room.

Elizabeth Purcell, chief executive of the charity, said: “The new bedded unit will mean that patients and carers can have a planned or sometimes emergency break, or even end of life care beds for those who need them.

“The new building will also be able to provide the much needed place between hospital and home.

“Patients coming out of hospital after treatment can receive intensive rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and respite that will enable them to get back home as soon as possible with new found ways to cope with the symptoms of their life threatening illness.”

The project is due to be completed at the end of the year, until which time it has moved to a temporary home in Constitution Hill Road.

Hospice fundraisers have so far raised £700,000.