Money donated to Richard House Children's Hospice, based in Newham, East London, is used to help it continue to offer its services to children and families across east and north east London
Richard House Children's Hospice depends on voluntary donations. Without your support the hospice could not offer its vital services to children, young people and their families.
As well as essential medical care, it also offers play possibilities and life experiences to the children and young adults we care for.
This is what your money could be spent on:
Music Therapy
£23.50 will allow a youngster to express themselves in a music therapy session. Music therapists are specially trained to tune into how children with severe sensory impairments, enabling them to communicate through sound. Using music as a therapy tool they can boost their confidence and have fun.
Art Therapy
£28.50 will give a child a chance to communicate through an art therapy session. Specially trained therapists can help children who normally may not be able to verbally articulate their feelings to express themselves through art. Art therapy helps youngsters to deal with issues they have in a non-confrontational and relaxing manner. It broadens their skills and helps them create a piece of work they can be proud of.
Cookery Session
£28.50 will enable a youngster to explore their senses in a cookery session. Even children who are unable to eat can create positive memories with food during this activity. Cookery sessions are a sensory activity that allows children to connect with food through sight, smell touch and, if they’re able to, taste.
Multi-sensory session
£47 will enable a child to have a therapy session with Nurse or Play and care worker in the multi-sensory room. With different light, sound and tactile sensations the Richard House multi-sensory room provides our children with a stimulating and therapeutic experience. Children can experience levels of stimulation and calm that they are unable to elsewhere. The session can help the children to relax, reduce blood pressure and stabilise breathing.
Girl’s pamper session
£45.25 will help a young adult to feel confident and happy about their body image when they have a girl’s pamper session. A top treat for the girls where they get to feel special through a variety of therapies including manicures, pedicures and makeovers. Like all youths the girls at Richard House like to look and feel their best especially when going through the transition from child to adult. During this transition it’s important that the young adults share memorable bonding experiences, which the pamper session can provide.
Swimming session
£212 will give a child with a life-limiting or complex healthcare condition a rare treat of a swimming session in a specially adapted pool. For children with lack of mobility and in constant need of specialised medical equipment it can be difficult attending a public swimming bath but through these sessions they can experience the sensation of floating and swimming that many of us take for granted as regular feature of our childhood. The sessions are a vital physical therapy enabling the children to have more movement of their body, especially if they are normally wheelchair bound. Swimming relaxes the children, which is medically beneficial as it also lowers their blood pressure.
Living Films activity session
£307 will allow a youngster to gain new skills, build their confidence and develop their creativity when producing their own movie during a series of Living Films activity sessions. The concept created by Richard House play and care worker Bernie Wighton enables the children to take part in a unique experience where they can enjoy creating their personal film that they’ll be able to feel proud of. This activity helps to create positive, fun and cherished memories as well as increase the youngsters self esteem and self belief.
Day and Night Care
£525 will provide a day’s care for a child at Richard House. Many of our children require care 24 hours a day. For our children and families a day at Richard House means they can relax and enjoy their precious time together in a caring supportive environment. With assistance of a one to one nurse or play and care worker the child’s visit focuses on care but also on play. During their stay at the hospice children are able to participate in a variety of activities and guide the type of play they participate in.
Respite and Palliative Care
£2,905 would fund a Respite and Palliative Care Nurse for 1 month. A Respite and Palliative Care Nurse provides care and clinical support delivered on a tailored basis to the special needs of the individual child and develops relationships with the child and their family. The nurse’s work requires flexibility, creativity, empathy and extraordinary responsibility – our nurses are specialists who meet the children’s holistic needs.
