Work on the ‘Forget Me Not’ room at Sunshine House is progressing rapidly as part of the refurbishment works to the children’s centre on Walker Street, Hull.
The room will provide a space for families to be together at the end of a child's life, or during difficult times of their illness. It will also house equipment so that, in the event of a child passing away, the temperature of the room can be dropped and controlled for as long as parents want so they can say goodbye to their children in their own time.
Sewell Group, alongside the Smile Foundation and local construction partners are pooling together materials, skills, staff and resources to gift Sunshine House with the major refurbishment, estimated at a cost of £110,000.
Commenting on the progress Carl Sarel, project manager said: “All demolition works are now complete and staff are fitting electrics, the new air conditioning unit and plastering. We've also fitted the new double glazed doors that will lead to the private family garden. It’s coming along really well; the team are really positive working on a project for such a worthwhile cause.”
Alongside the 'Forget Me Not' room, Sewell and partners are on with constructing a family room which will cater for up to three family members, two new bathrooms and additional storage space.
Sara Ness, manager at Sunshine House, said: “The provision of the parent’s room will mean so much to families who will be able to stay 24 hours to comfort their children whilst they receive nursing care. The room also provides the right environment for the staff at Sunshine House to offer support and comfort to the families. The hard work and dedication of all the people involved with this project will enable families and children to have a choice of where to receive their care should they become very poorly.”
Sunshine House provides palliative care and support to families with children who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Run by Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, it also provides respite care, as well as enabling families to have short breaks. Although the trust pays for staff and medical equipment, extras have to be covered by fundraising.
Sewell Group began supporting Sunshine House in September last year as part of their charity and community arm, the Sewell Foundation. Staff members completed a 555 mile bike ride in just 5 days, cycling from Hull to Scotland and back, and raising approximately £50,000 worth of pledges in kind from their supply chain. The pledges along with further donations as a consequence of the bike ride are covering almost the entire bill for the refurbishment. However the centre is still in need of support.
Andy Barber, Charity Manager at Smile Foundation said: “Sunshine House still desperately needs your help in spreading the word for this essential facility. Whilst their services are managed by Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust, and they provide the unit with everything the children and staff need from a medical perspective, every parent knows what a child ‘needs’ and what a child ‘wants’ are two entirely different things.”
You can play your part by raising funds, or by donating online to the just giving page http://www.justgiving.com/sunshinesmile
