In October staff from Pound Gates, Contior and Sevatas voted to support the St Elizabeth’s Hospice with money raised within the Acorn Fund.
The grant of £1,178 has helped provide play equipment and furniture for a dedicated children’s room at the Hospice, this room has been named the Sunflower room.
A further grants of £544.37 was given to buy more children’s toys for the room.
In February six members of staff from Pound Gates, Contior and Sevatas (Ally, Asha, Brooke, Tara, Claire B and Gretta) went to the Hospice to see the finished room and were shown the facilities that the hospice offers patients and their families.
The Emotional Support Team at St Elizabeth Hospice has employed a dedicated Children’s Specialist Worker/Counsellor, which means they are now able to offer children and young people the emotional support they need during the time of illness and after someone dies.
The purpose of this room is to provide an interactive space to enable children and young people to express and explore their thoughts and feelings. This room has been designed for ages 5-18, as you can see from the photo’s the room is not too childish, it has bean bags for comfort, and smart tablets for the older children. All the toys have been specifically chosen as a tool for communication.
It is estimated that each year around 230 parents die in Suffolk, leaving around 390 dependent children. In addition to this, children may experience the loss of a grandparent, sibling, extended relative or friend, all of which can have a huge impact on their lives.
It is estimated there are around 2,480 children aged 5-16 in Suffolk who have been bereaved of a parent or sibling at some point in their childhood.
Follow the link below to see the article in the EADT
