The appeal comes in the wake of Eastbourne Borough Council's shock decision to turn down plans to rebuild the hospice on the existing site in Mill Gap Road.

With a positive outcome of an appeal looking unlikely, the Board of Trustees has decided to look for an alternative site and is launching the SOS - Support our Search - campaign to enlist the community's help.

Kara Bishop, chief executive of St Wilfrid's, explained why support from the community was so important. "We suffered a great blow when the plan to build on our existing site was vetoed, but we cannot give up our dream to care for more people.

"We urgently need to find a way to build a bigger hospice. Currently we can only treat one in four of the people who need our services so we simply have to increase the number of beds and clinical facilities. If we can't rebuild at Mill Gap Road, we must look elsewhere."

The Hospice is severely limited by its current premises at Mill Gap Road, with only 10 beds and limited clinical facilities.

Kara added, "We believe that with the help of the public, we will be able to find a site much more quickly. We have been deeply touched by the messages of support following the refusal of planning permission, so we know the community is behind us. We now need people to rally round and help us find a new home for St Wilfrid's Hospice.

"If anyone has a suggestion for a possible site or has any contacts in land development, we would be delighted to hear from them. We will welcome any suggestions within our catchment area.

"The hospice services Eastbourne, Seaford, Heathfield, Uckfield, Hailsham, Pevensey and all villages in between, so the site does not necessarily have to be in Eastbourne itself. The most important element is that it will be able to provide a peaceful sanctuary for our patients and their families."

Hospice managers believe the downturn in the commercial property market may mean that development land previously beyond their means could now be within reach.

There are a number of other ways local people can back the St Wilfrid's Hospice's SOS campaign such as signing a petition of support, either online at www.stwhospice.org or at one of the hospice shops, by sporting a sticker in a car or window and by fundraising or volunteering. The Hospice relies on donations and fundraising for nearly all of its costs with NHS funding accounting for just 15 per cent of its annual running costs

Hospice staff and volunteers will be promoting the SOS campaign at Eastbourne's Christmas Magic weekend on Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7. Visit their stand in the Arndale Centre for more information.