GRACE'S Place children's hospice could be taken "back under the wing" of Bury Hospice in a move to boost both charities.

The idea has been suggested by a source close to Bury Hospice at the start of a key month for the two organisations.

On Friday, Grace's Place director Joan Grimshaw chaired a meeting of trustees and other parties determined to finally get Grace's Place open.

The organisation that owns the land on which Grace's Place stands, in Dumers Lane, is Pennine Care, whose spokesman said: "Another constructive meeting was held on Friday to discuss Grace's Place.

"All the partners involved are continuing to work together with the aim of creating a positive future for the children's hospice.

"We will provide an update as soon as we are able to do so."

Meanwhile, an independent investigation into Bury Hospice's activities since it moved from the Dumers Lane site to its new base in Rochdale Old Road in 2013, is nearing an end.

The report, written by a consultant, is complete and will be considered by a panel appointed by Bury NHS Clinical Commissioning Group chief officer Stuart North, who hopes to make any recommendations to the Bury Hospice board by the end of April, but possibly sooner.

The source who suggested Bury Hospice and Grace's Place could form a close bond, added that it would be mutually beneficial as it would give them financial security and allow them both to prosper.

"Grace's Place started out as a joint project with Bury Hospice and Pennine Care and it is possible that the parties involved could get back to that principle," said the source.

The stumbling block is that there has been a parting of ways between the two organisations since 2014.

Jacqui Comber, the then Bury Hospice chief executive, resigned as Grace's Place secretary last May and, in January, Bury Hospice withdraw facilities for a Grace's Place fundraising officer, which meant the officer could no longer work.

This was because, Bury Hospice leaders said, Grace's Place had not paid for the fundraising officer's overheads and it could no longer foot the bill.

The source added: "All these things happened under people who are no longer associated with Bury Hospice and it is possible that the new board of trustees might take the opposite view.

"We could see the two organisations brought closer together and benefit each other, possibly under new branding to indicate a fresh start, but it is up to the two boards to decide."