News Inside:
Autumn/Winter 2019
Find out how we have supported four year old Ella and her family Meet our new Chief Executive, Simon Help light up a life this Christmas
Registered charity no: 1076958. Company no: 3809663
01909 517 360 @BluebellWoodCH
www.bluebellwood.org Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice
Photos/graphics: Mary-Ellen Photography, Dean Atkins, Ant Oxley Photography, Freepix
Proudly sponsored by:
Hello from Ella When Katie and Mat went for their 20 week scan, they were told their daughter, Ella, had a serious heart defect which was changing the way her blood was getting to her lungs and through her heart. Katie said, “The doctors explained she would need open heart surgery after she was born, and that it could be linked to a genetic condition. It was really hard to hear.” Mat added, “Ella is our first child, so when Katie was pregnant we started making all sorts of plans, but after her diagnosis all those choices were taken out of our hands and we just didn’t know what was going to happen.” Katie said, “After Ella was born, we stayed in hospital for five nights before taking her home. She seemed okay at first but after a few weeks she started making small jerky movements, and wasn’t meeting milestones. At the time we were preparing for her heart surgery, and I showed a video of Ella to the cardiologist, who referred us to neurology straight away.” Mat explained, “Ella was diagnosed with West Syndrome – a type of severe epilepsy – which the doctors described as a ‘storm’ in her brain. Her brain is constantly firing with activity, so she isn’t able to process anything else. It’s had a massive effect on her.” Over the next few difficult months, Ella’s heart condition also deteriorated, and the doctors decided to operate when she was three months old: “Initially, we were both so worried about her surgery, but in the end it’s the epilepsy that’s affected her most. It’s just constant. I remember one time I was looking after Ella on my own, and she just lay there having seizures all day. It really affected me, since it was the first day I’d spent on my own with my daughter.” Since then, Katie and Mat have discovered Ella has a genetic condition which has affected her too. Despite this, they always try to see the positives and remind themselves about what she can do. “When I think back, the kind of character Ella has now really is amazing. She does things we never thought she’d do, like roll over. For someone with a child who is okay, it would be a tiny thing but for us it’s massive. Other parents sometimes take things for granted – we’d love to be able to complain about normal things, but this is our normal.” Katie and Mat first came to Bluebell Wood after talking to another parent. Mat said, “We didn’t realise Bluebell Wood did half the things she told us about. The Care Team are amazing. If Ella’s having seizures all the time it can wear us both down, but having the opportunity for someone to look after her for a few hours makes a big difference, and means we can spend quality time together.”
“It can still be hard to see what other children Ella’s age are doing, but when we come here we can talk to other families who are going through similar things, which really helps. “Everything is catered to children like Ella – she gets to go to activity days, enjoy some baking, and has even started hydrotherapy. It’s nice that she can do those things and we can all come as a family. It’s nothing like what we imagined a children’s hospice to be.” Every day we need to raise £11,000 so we can be there for families like Ella’s when they need us most. Without your incredible generosity - whether you’re holding a raffle, running a marathon, or braving the shave - we just couldn’t help as many families as we do.
From April 2018 to March 20 19 we gave 24,816 ho urs of care to children like Ella, helping them make magical memories.
Fantastic Fundraising Your generosity helps children and families during incredibly tough times. Here are just some of the fundraisers who have supported us recently. We’re so incredibly proud to have people like you on Team Bluebell! To find out more about fundraising for local families, give us a call on 01909 517 365.
Pupils at Harworth Academy hop to it Harworth Church of England Academy in Doncaster have raised over £1600 for local children, after choosing us as their charity of the year. Children at the school have been really excited to get involved with fundraising, by holding a Bunny Hop and Wear it Purple Day, to - in the words of one of their superb students - ‘look after children who can’t become grown ups.’
Shay’s 16 mile walk to Wednesday Eight-year-old Owls fan, Shay O’Grady, took Sheffield by storm after walking 16 miles from Bluebell Wood to Hillsborough in time for the Steel City derby. He raised £10,000 from the challenge, which he wanted to do after seeing how we’ve cared for his cousin, Evie-Mae. Shay said, “The walk was really good (but freezing!). I’m really happy because I know Bluebell Wood will spend it on good things for Evie and her friends. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me during the walk.”
Splashfest hits £4K in its fourth year Tim and Vicky Crossland from Retford held their ever growing ‘Splashfest’ for the fourth year this June. The event is held in memory of Marcus Richmond who sadly passed away in 2018 aged 12 after battling cancer. They work hard to bring like minded families together to enjoy a weekend of camping, while raising money for a number of charities including Bluebell Wood. This year the total tipped just over £4,000, which is amazing!
Classic tractors take over Hope Valley for annual fundraiser
Meet Hannah, our newest Community Fundraiser
This May a convoy of 165 vintage and classic tractors made their way around the villages of the Peak District, in a spectacle which raised over £2,000. The Annual Castlegate Tractor Run has been a staple in the area for a number of years (starting with just 12 tractors). Sarah, whose daughter, Gabrielle, visits the hospice for short breaks, organises the event and this year proceeds went to Bluebell Wood, in memory of Gabrielle’s godmother, Rebecca. Rebecca, who was a dairy farmer, was remembered on the day, with her daughters leading the way on their mother’s tractor.
Hannah, our new Community Fundraiser in Derbyshire and Chesterfield, joined us in April. She’s spent the past twenty years working as a primary school teacher in Rotherham. She said, “I’m absolutely loving my new role so far! I have really been enjoying getting to know supporters in the local area and representing such a fantastic cause.” If you’d like to organise a fundraising event, search for Hannah’s Facebook page at ‘Derbyshire Bluebell Wood Community Fundraising’ or call her on 01909 517 365 for support.
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Hoyland Common Primary School remembers Mia From dashing round the playground in our Elf Dash to organising a school concert, staff and students at Hoyland Common Primary School have raised over £5,000 in memory of fellow pupil, Mia Cusworth, who was supported at the hospice. Mia passed away in September 2018, eight days after being diagnosed with HLH, a rare condition where the body reacts aggressively to an infection. Mum, Dawn, said: “In eight days, everything changed so rapidly for our family. Staying at the hospice after Mia passed away was so important for all of us. “The support they offered was priceless, so our family and Mia’s school all just want to raise as much money as we can to support this incredible charity.”
Meet Simon, our new CEO We are really pleased to announce that our new Chief Executive, Simon Hills, joined the Bluebell Wood family on Monday 3rd June. Simon has worked in the charity sector for over 20 years, mostly working with children and young people, and has been CEO of a young people’s charity and an International NGO. For the last 7 years he has worked as an Interim CEO for a variety of different charities all over the UK. Simon said, “Every day, Bluebell Wood makes sure that shorter lives are filled with as many special memories as possible. In the last 11 years, the hospice has been a haven for hundreds of children and young people. Last year we received 53 new referrals, supported 239 families with memory-making and the care of their child, counselled 65 bereaved families and, having listened to the wishes of families, grew our community-focused team. “I’m delighted to be joining Bluebell Wood as we look to the future, and I’m sure with our team of wonderful staff and volunteers, the hospice will go from strength to strength. “I’d also like to thank each and every one of our dedicated supporters, who continue to fundraise tirelessly to help the hospice raise the £11,000 we need every day to keep our doors open. Your efforts continue to amaze me, and the hospice is lucky to have you on #TeamBluebell.”
A peaceful place to say goodbye Losing a child is one of the hardest things anyone will ever have to face, which is why we provide bereaved families with a private space to say goodbye in one of our two end-of-life suites. In June we finished the refurbishment of our Forget-me-not suite, updating the suite with modern furnishings and fittings, and installing a new bathroom. The project was supported by Center Parcs, and will offer that extra comfort to families during incredibly tough times.
This newsletter has been sponsored by Yellow Brolly Ltd. This is the first opportunity that we have had to officially support Bluebell Wood as we are a new Life and Health Insurance company based in Sheffield.
Protection Insurance Specialists
Rather than rambling on about what we do here, if you really want to know take a look at our website: www.yellow-brolly.com Jade, the director, is intending on being a big supporter over the coming years.
yellow-brolly.com @notyouraveragelifeinsurancecompany @yellow.brolly
“I’m so pleased to be supporting this newsletter, having done some volunteering on the odd occasion over the last few years, I have seen how hard all the staff work and the huge support the hospice is for those that are in unimaginably difficult situations. Through Yellow Brolly and it’s clients I am going to help raise as much money and awareness as I possibly can. If I don’t anyone is welcome to whack me round the head with this newsletter…”
Our volunteering opportunities Be the face of a Bluebell Wood shop Do you have an eye for organisation or always have a book recommendation up your sleeve? If you’d love to make a difference with your spare time why not support us in one of our shops as a volunteer? You’ll get to talk to lots of new people about what we do, whilst working in a fabulous team. It’s also a great way to boost skills such as customer service and managing stock. You might also be an avid E-bayer wanting to put your eye for quirky finds to good use. Our flexible hours mean you’re able to support us when you can - you could even be a student needing experience to get you on the retail ladder! Whatever the reason, we can’t wait to hear from you.
Help us out in housekeeping Do you fancy yourself the next Mrs Hinch or Marie Kondo? We need you to help keep our hospice spick and span! The children and young adults who visit the hospice are more susceptible to infections, which means it’s important that all of our toys and equipment are safe for them to use and play with. We also need help with simple tasks such as hoovering, and cleaning bedrooms between respite stays - something that we all do at home on a daily basis! Supporting us as a volunteer housekeeper is not only important to the health of the children in our care, but also a fantastic opportunity to make friends and be part of an invaluable team.
Last year our regular volunteers gave us 57,226 hours of their time, which would have cost us £448,079*.
Whether they’re cheering on supporters at one of our events or taking calls on our reception, our volunteers really do mean the world to us. If you’ve been looking for a new way to support the hospice, why not give us a few hours of your time as a volunteer? You can find some of our latest volunteering opportunities below.
Cook up a storm in our kitchen Whether you love cooking up dishes at home for your family or you just want to try your hand at something new - we think you’d be a perfect fit in our hospice kitchen, dishing up healthy meals for families. From peeling vegetables and baking cakes to serving meals or tidying the dinner tables, there’s an array of ways that you could help out in our kitchen. Retired Geography teacher Morag uses her spare time to volunteer in our kitchen every Thursday. She said, “The kitchen team are absolutely lovely to work with, we have fun and I enjoy meeting the families here. I get such joy from knowing every task I do helps families going through very difficult times. The hospice gives an invaluable service and I am very proud to be a part of that. I won’t be retiring from this job!”
Encourage our supporters at a Bluebell Wood event From cheering on our Soapbox Derby participants to helping spectators get parked up at our Dragon Boat Race, our event volunteers are outgoing, fun-loving, and ready to make a difference. Helping out at one of our events is a very important role - not only are you helping our supporters have the best day possible, you’ll be making sure we raise the funds we need. We’d love it if you could join the fold! Sophie has volunteered with us since 2015. She said, “Bluebell Wood is a brilliant charity to volunteer for. Every member of staff gives 100% for families at the hospice. “I love volunteering at events because I get to experience new things and meet new people, and it’s great knowing my time is making such a difference.” *based on last year’s National Living Wage of £7.83
Our cards and gifts are available online at www.bluebellwood.org and in our charity shops now!
Don’t be caught out this Christmas Rather than getting snowed under by the Christmas rush, why not buy your presents, wrapping paper and Christmas cards from Bluebell Wood, and help make a difference to local families this winter? We have a range of festive cards to suit everyone in your life - from nieces and nephews to your new boss or neighbour! Our Christmas cards cost just £3 per pack of 10 and are available online at www.bluebellwood.org/shop, alongside a range of stocking fillers, gift wrap and decorations. Once you’ve ordered, you can relax with a cup of hot chocolate and wait for the postman, knowing you won’t need to battle the crowds on the high street to do your Christmas shopping! Best of all, the profits from the Christmas cards and gifts you buy from Bluebell Wood will help us be there for children and families when they need us most. Now, isn’t that something to feel festive about?
Our exclusive Christmas cards Once again we’re thrilled to be working with some incredibly talented local artists on a pair of cards you can’t get anywhere else! Award-winning artist, Margaret Ellis, has designed the card, ‘Chatsworth House in Winter’, depicting a group of deer and robins in front of the picturesque Chatsworth House. Kate Morgan, an illustrator from Sheffield, has created ‘Botanical Gardens in the Snow’, a fun festive card decorated with silver sparkle. Visit www.bluebellwood.org/shop to buy a pack of our exclusive cards before they fly off the shelves!
Our star supporters We work with some incredible supporters from local businesses and out in the community who have gone above and beyond to make a difference to local families. Here’s what some of them have been getting up to since our last update.
Nick’s marathon effort After hours of training, Nick Goodson, MD of BDB Design Build, was set to join the London Marathon...before realising he didn’t have a place. Nick had already raised £10,000 for the hospice, so on race day he ran his own marathon in Sheffield to make sure he didn’t let his sponsors down. He said: “I decided I wasn’t going to be beaten. I did the race alone - the longest run I’ve ever done but it was for a good cause and I was determined to finish.” Well done Nick - you did us proud!
BT volunteers turn into ‘living mannequins’ Darren, Neil and Helen from BT’s Barlborough’s office helped us quite literally display our incredible corporate volunteers, when they visited our Sheffield shop for National Volunteers’ Week - sorting, pricing and folding goods right in the shop window! Darren said: “I felt very privileged to volunteer at Bluebell Wood, and see how much hard work, dedication and passion goes into the shop itself behind the scenes.” ”.
Jenx and Jiraffe support children in physiotherapy Jenx and Jiraffe - who sell and manufacture postural support equipment for children - recently donated three wedges as well as a ‘ziggy’, which we couldn’t wait to unwrap. When Tony saw his son, Kian, enjoying one of the brand new physio wedges for the first time, he was over the moon. He said: “He doesn’t usually like hands-on stretching in physio, so it was great that he could lie on his stomach and stretch out to play with his soft toy.” We’re so glad Jenx and Jiraffe worked with us to donate this fantastic therapy equipment, and help children like Kian create moments that matter.
A stellar performance at our charity football tournament On Friday 10th May, four teams took to the pitch for our very first football tournament at Rotherham United Football Club. After six fantastic games Team Omexom were crowned the champions, but we would like to thank all the teams that took part - Team Ecofficiency Ltd, Team Hodge Clemco (who donated the use of the ground to us) and Team Bluebell Wood. The Man of The Match was undoubtedly Alex Peterson, who scored both goals in the final for Omexom to take home the trophy. Andy Blyth, of Omexon, said: “Playing on a pitch usually reserved for professional football was a great honour. We were delighted to win and will return to defend our title.”
Liberty Steel employees prove they have ‘legs of steel’ Over 50 staff from four Liberty Speciality Steel sites recently walked 15 miles to raise money for the hospice, with over £2,000 in donations raised and still counting! From Graphic Designers to Finance Managers, the sponsored walk saw workers walking for over five and a half hours, spurred on by the thought of raising money and awareness. Alexandra Bee, at Liberty Steel, said: “Hopefully the ‘Legs of Steel’ walk will become a permanent fixture in Liberty Speciality Steel’s calendar!” We’re so grateful for Liberty Steel’s amazing donation, which means we can be there for children and their families during difficult times.
Kevin’s lasting legacy to Bluebell Wood Kevin Harrison, who passed away in August 2018 at the age of 61, left a phenomenal £46,382 to Bluebell Wood in his Will. Kevin lived in Whiston, Rotherham, all his life, and worked at Henry Garnett and Co until he retired in May 2015 after being diagnosed with cancer. Kevin’s older brother, Lawrence, said: “Kevin never married, so after he’d thought about his extended family, he decided to leave a large portion of his Will to charities, including Bluebell Wood. It meant a lot to me and my wife to visit the hospice and see how his legacy would help. I got a lump in my throat as we had a look round - it really is a lovely place and an incredibly worthy cause.”
Thursday 31st October Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre, Sheffield
Plus an evening of spook-tacular activities!
Take on our Firewalk for just ÂŁ25 (plus a minimum ÂŁ75 sponsorship). Sign up at www.bluebellwood.org
Tom’s story Tom’s mum, Gillian, lived and breathed Bluebell Wood. Tom was one of the first children to come to the hospice, and when he was 21 years old he passed away at Bluebell Wood in his mum’s arms. Gillian said, “When we had Tom, we discovered he had a heart defect and was severely brain damaged. Suddenly our lives were thrown into a world of disability. “I got involved in raising money to build Bluebell Wood and Did you know? when it opened, it felt like we were being saved. Tom needed watching 24/7 and we knew any moment he Last year we offered could die so being able to come here and have someone 93 nights in our end of say ‘we’ll take over’ was amazing.
life suites to families like
“The hospice was purpose built for children like Tom. I Tom’s, to help them remember him in the music room, flapping his hands say goodbye to in an uncoordinated way, while the nurses put a piano in front of him and helped him hit those notes. He was really their child. laughing. As a parent I could do exactly what I wanted to – I could sleep in Tom’s room at night, or nip out to the cinema - but I was still there if the Care Team needed me.”
Soon after Tom turned 21, he had a serious fit and stopped breathing. He was rushed to intensive care, where the doctors told Gillian that he might not make it. She said: “It was the day we’d been dreading. I knew he’d had a major bleed on his brain and probably wouldn’t recover. He’d always had this beautiful smile, and I thought, if he couldn’t smile, it would be kinder to let him go. “That Sunday, I headed to the hospital knowing I was turning off Tom’s life-support, something no mum should ever have to do. I wrapped him in his blanket and tucked his favourite toy under his arm and they took his life-support off, but he didn’t die. That’s when we asked to go to Bluebell Wood. After we arrived I got in bed beside Tom, and his chest was going up and down. My sister put on the song ‘Fields of Gold’ and just before the end of the song his chest went up and down, and never went up again. He’d slipped away so peacefully. After Tom died, Gillian and her family stayed in our Forget-me-not suite. She said: “I always worried I wouldn’t be with Tom when he passed away. The hospice looked after us so well and surrounded our whole family with love. Tom wouldn’t have been able to live with all the difficulties he had for 21 years without their incredible support.”
Can you ‘Bag it for Bluebell Wood’? We know how busy our supporters’ lives can be. That’s why we want to make it as easy as possible for you to donate your unwanted items to Bluebell Wood in the lead up to Christmas. Whether you’re shedding some of your summer dresses or making room in your kids’ toy boxes for a sack full of presents from Santa, our Donation Station is a fantastic place to drop off your pre-loved items, without having to hit the high street. The Donation Station - which you can find at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, Cramfit Road, North Anston, Sheffield (S25 4AJ for your sat nav) - is open seven days a week from 7am until 7pm, meaning it’s easier than ever to drop off your donations after work (or before, if you’re organised)! We also hold monthly collection days at Brinsworth Top Car Park and Lakeside Village in Doncaster too, where you can drop off your clothes, toys or bric-a-brac after a clearout. All your items will be sorted by our helpful drivers and taken to one of our charity shops, ready to raise money for the children and families we support. Jo Davison regularly drops off her unwanted items to our Donation Station. She said “It’s so convenient to be able to drop off my unwanted clothes on my way to work, rather than having to worry about if I’ll have time to get to the charity shop or find somewhere to park! My wardrobe is fit to bursting and by donating my items here I know they’ll not only find a loving home but help a good cause too.” So before you start worrying about how to donate everything from your winter wardrobe cleanse, visit www.bluebellwood.org/bag-it-for-bluebell and find out how to make a quick and easy donation to Bluebell Wood.
Eight bags or more? Give us a call on 01909 517 360 and we’ll collect them from your work, home or school!
Last year your donated goods raised an incredible ÂŁ731,641 across our charity shops
Light up a life this Christmas
We know what a special time Christmas can be for families, including those we care for at Bluebell Wood. Every year on Christmas Eve William’s family snuggle up together and read ‘The Night Before Christmas’. In 2017 - when William was five - he had a stroke, and after spending five months in hospital their home wasn’t quite ready for him. We gave them the chance to come to the hospice, where they got to enjoy some time together and celebrate Christmas as a family. Michelle said, “William is our ‘miracle boy’. He was born prematurely - at just 27 weeks - and since then we’ve nearly lost him so many times, but Bluebell Wood helps us focus on the now. It’s the only break we get as parents, and we know he loves it here. “It was William’s epilepsy nurse who suggested Bluebell Wood. I’d never been to a hospice and at first I thought it was where you took your child when you’d given up on them, but I was wrong. It’s such a relaxing place, and everyone is so understanding. “Staying there at Christmas, after everything William had been through, meant so much to us too. It gave us chance to have a proper night’s sleep in a comfy bed. One of the nurses also worked with William in the soft play room to get him crawling for the first time since his stroke. He had to learn everything again and just start over. Bluebell Wood really is our saving grace.” Every year you help us support over 300 families. From giving young adults the chance to ice-skate in their wheelchair to sharing a cup of cocoa with a mum who needs to talk, our Care Team help families create magical Christmas moments that they can treasure forever. For some of the families we support it may be the last Christmas they’ll spend together. For some of us, it’s also a time to remember the loved ones that we’ve lost.
Help light up the life of a family like William’s this Christmas by making a donation to Bluebell Wood. Your donation will help us reach families who need us during the festive season. Make a donation in memory of someone you love or dedicate your donation to a family at the hospice. Donate over the page or online at www.bluebellwood.org/light2019.
“Bluebell Wood really is ce” our saving gra m, - William’s mu Michelle
Make your donation online at www.bluebellwood.org/light2019.
Light up a Life this Christmas
LUAL19NEWS
When you dedicate your donation to a loved one or the families at Bluebell Wood, we’ll light a virtual snowflake for them at www.bluebellwood.org/light2019. Please fill in the form and return it to us at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, Cramfit Road, North Anston, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S25 4AJ or make your donation online. Your personal details: Title:
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