– We hope to find private donors to finance two full-time positions who can work on repositioning the association, says chairman Knut Ragnar Johannessen. He is sitting on the sofa in Andreas Kjærs vei 90 at Eg in Kristiansand, the building that was to become the country’s first children’s hospice. All equipment and interiors are in place, but the brand new building is completely empty. All employees have been dismissed. The association behind the hospice has barely any money left. A month ago it became known that they have to pay NOK 6.5 million more to the Directorate of Health. FFB has already paid back NOK 4.2 million after using state money incorrectly. Thus, the total amount they have to repay is 10.7 million. Willing to regain trust The association has complained about the latest decision. Johannessen has faith that they will get there. He took over as chairman from Ansgar Gabrielsen at the general meeting in April. He has faith in the future despite the fact that the coffers are almost empty. – When I agreed to be chairman of the board, it was completely obvious to me that the long-term goal is to realize Norway’s first children’s hospice. – How are you going to get the funds for that? – It is a long-term project. We will work with the activity required to reposition the association. We will then regain the trust of the authorities so that we can once again apply for public funding. According to what news learns, the association will have around one million kroner left after the last claim from the Directorate of Health has been paid. Then the association’s flat, which has not yet been sold, must be sold at the asking price. Johannessen does not want to comment on how much money is left. The former pilot has himself worked with fundraising for both voluntary organizations and commercial projects. – I know a bit about what will get financial donors interested, and here we are sitting on a fantastically good project, he says. Knut Ragnar Johannessen got to know the association when there was a storm around it this autumn. He now works almost full-time as chairman of the board. – There will probably be no summer holiday this year, he says. Photo: Heidi Ditlefsen / news Will rent out the building The association has paid rent to landlord Knas (Kristiansand Næringsforening) until November. Now they want to sublease the building to other actors in health to reduce expenses. The rent is NOK 4.5 million a year. – We don’t expect a tenant to come knocking on the door this morning, but you can achieve a lot with a few, simple alterations, says Johannessen. The managing director of Knas, Jan Omli Larsen, confirms that it is possible for the association to sublease the building. – Yes, under certain conditions it can happen. That means that we must approve the tenants, says Larsen. The association has signed a ten-year lease with Knas. – What happens if FFB is unable to pay the rent after November? – Then we act in the same way as other landlords do. – Then they have to leave the building? – Yes, no one can stay in a place if they cannot pay for themselves. The children’s hospice in Kristiansand should have opened its doors to four seriously ill children and their families in January. Now it’s empty. Photo: Siv Kristin Sællmann / news In a new dialogue with the municipality Former chairman Ansgar Gabrielsen worked to reach an agreement with Kristiansand municipality on health-related activities in the building. When the association’s members at the general meeting in April decided to preserve the association against the board’s recommendation, this solution was no longer relevant. Johannessen says that they have recently been in contact with the municipality, but do not want to go into what they talked about. The association will hold an extraordinary general meeting next week, where the members will, among other things, take a decision on subletting the building and possibly renting the apartment in the city centre.
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The association for child palliation will hire two people – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
