HRH the Duke of Gloucester stood alongside wounded hero Nick Gibbons today as they broke the ground for the new Fisher House ‘home away from home’ at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

The project has been launched as a partnership between the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, Help for Heroes and American charity Fisher House Foundation to provide a place where wounded Service Personnel can spend time away from the ward with their families, friends and colleagues.

The purpose-built two-storey property will be a short walk from the hospital and has been designed by a Birmingham-based firm of architects to complement the surrounding buildings.

Catering for people of all abilities, the home will be a largely open plan property with wide connecting corridors and wheelchair accessible lifts. There will be 18 en-suite bedrooms for families of patients to stay in as well as communal living facilities including a family room and play area, lounge, kitchen, dining areas and laundry room. Outside will be a private garden with space for children to play in and guest parking.

Mike Hammond, chief executive of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, said: “Today is an exciting step forward for our work in supporting the UK’s military patients and their families. As well as providing world class medical care for our troops, we will be able to give the same quality of care and support to their family members staying in Fisher House, a home away from home within walking distance of the hospital, and it will allow military patients to get off the wards and spend some time with their families and friends in a relaxing and comfortable environment.”

Bryn Parry, Co-founder of Help for Heroes, said: “We are delighted to be supporting our wounded and their families, working in partnership with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity and Fisher House Foundation. This project is key to helping our heroes on their road to recovery. Through our financial support of the SSAFA Norton Houses, we have seen a clear demand for Fisher House and know how important it is for families to be near loved ones during times of distress when support is so greatly needed.”

Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House said: “This is a day of great honour for Fisher House, as we share with our British brothers and sisters our unique American model for caring for military families. Today we begin construction on what will be a sanctuary for the people who need it most: those who have made deep personal sacrifices – whether on the battlefield or on the home front – to keep us safe. We thank them even though we know it will never be enough.”

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity is very grateful for the generous grants from Fisher House Foundation and Help for Heroes. Fisher House Foundation has awarded a grant of US$2m to the project, the first time it has supported a project outside of US soil. Help for Heroes has awarded a £1.5m grant, and has already confirmed a further £50,000 per year for the ongoing running costs. In total, the Fisher House will cost in the region of £4.2m.

The completion of Fisher House is anticipated to be early 2013.