Rob Fielder, who has incurable pancreatic cancer, has raised £25,000 towards a free New Forest holiday home for people with terminal cancer and their carers.
Rob Fielder, a care business owner from Fareham who has incurable stage 4 pancreatic cancer, has raised about £25,000 towards Rob’s Place: a holiday home at Shorefield Country Park in the New Forest where people living with terminal cancer, and their families and carers, could stay for up to a week for free.
His aim is to buy a luxury mobile home there, which he puts at around £100,000. Rob is a regular visitor to Winchester. “I live in Fareham and have been visiting Winchester regularly for many years,” he told us. “I also attend the Christmas Market there each year.”
His GoFundMe appeal stood at £24,524 from 1,035 donations when we checked it on 21 October, against a target of £120,000.
How the idea came to him
Rob was diagnosed in November 2025 and began palliative chemotherapy, according to his appeal page, which says he has worked in care since 1981. The idea for Rob’s Place came on a day he was too ill to go to the football.
“The idea came to me one Saturday afternoon. I was too unwell to go to St Mary’s to watch Saints play Derby, so I was watching Sky Sports at home,” he said.
“I began thinking about how a terminal diagnosis can lead to a significant reduction in income. Many people are no longer well enough to work and have to rely on benefits to replace their income. With the rising cost of living, food and heating, some expenses have to be cut. This can mean that people living with a terminal illness are unable to afford a holiday or a restful break.
“That’s why I set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for holiday accommodation.”
Why Shorefield
Earlier this year Rob visited Shorefield with Melissa, her daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend. Melissa is from Somerset.
“From my point of view, as a man living with incurable cancer, it was a perfect day,” he said. “The area is full of nature and felt like a wonderfully relaxing retreat. Being there helped me unwind, and for a while I wasn’t worrying about dying and leaving behind everything I love.
“Shorefield has a lovely restaurant and entertainment area, and it is also in the heart of the New Forest, close to many tourist attractions. It met all my needs. I felt safe and secure, and I could see it being the perfect sanctuary when life gets tougher for me.”
What families would get
Rob’s Place will offer free holiday accommodation for people living with terminal cancer, along with their families and carers, for stays of up to a week. Guests would pay for their own travel, food, drink and entertainment.
Exactly what gets bought depends on the money. “The amount we raise through funding will shape this decision, so we are keeping our options open for now,” Rob said. “Our aim is to buy a luxury mobile home, which would cost around £100,000. If we raise additional funding, we would also consider a lodge. Our decision will be based on affordability and value for money.”
He shared a Shorefield sales video of the kind of home he has in mind.
The GoFundMe page still describes the project’s first form, a small hotel by the sea run as a non-profit, and says that banks will not lend a mortgage to someone with a limited life expectancy. It also says that if the money needed is not raised, whatever has been given will go to a charity that shares the aim.
Where it has got to
Rob’s Place will be run separately from Redleif Care, Rob’s care business. “We have completed the relevant forms to register as a Community Interest Company and submit an application to the Charity Commission,” he said. “We are just waiting to add the details of one of the trustees before sending them.”
“We have raised £25,000 so far and are focusing our efforts on raising awareness of what we hope to achieve,” he said.
There is no opening date yet. “Our start date will depend on how quickly we can raise the additional funding required,” Rob said. “I hope to have everything in place before I lose my fight against pancreatic cancer, something I know will happen one day.”
What it means for you
- To give: donations go through the Rob’s Place GoFundMe page. The total moves daily; it was £24,524 on 21 October.
- Who it is for: people living with terminal cancer and their families and carers, once the home is bought. Stays will be free, for up to a week; guests cover their own travel, food, drink and entertainment.
- Not open yet: there is no booking process and no start date until the money is raised.
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