Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice receives new van to get fundraising back on the road thanks to charitable trust donation

The hospice is a charity focused on helping families in North Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and North Lincolnshire make precious memories in the time they have with their child, whether in the hospice or at home.

Offering services such as respite stays for children and their families, music therapy, physiotherapy, sibling support and bereavement counselling, many families also chose to go to the hospice for end-of-life-care.

All services provided by the hospice are free of charge and with only 15 per cent of their funding coming from the Government, they must raise £14,000 every day to keep their services running.

Relying so heavily on fundraising, the pandemic had a catastrophic effect on the hospice, robbing the team of the chance to get out and pull in the vital funds.

Even as restrictions lifted, and the team rallied to ramp up the events calendar - Bluebell Wood’s tired van finally became unusable, meaning fundraising opportunities have been thwarted by a lack of transport.

Jason Gossop, regional fundraiser at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, said: “By helping us to purchase a new van, the Charitable Trust will be creating a legacy which, we anticipate, will last for the next 15 years.

“As well as transporting our fundraising equipment, the van will also be used to deliver vital PPE equipment to keep our care team staff safe and able to do the amazing work they do every day.”

Vickie Preston, head of HR at Mansfield Building Society, commented: “Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice is the epitome of why the Society puts so much into the Charitable Trust each year, the hospice works tirelessly all year round, year after year, providing such vital care to so many in our local community.

“I can’t begin to fathom having to experience what so many families go through, but the amazing services the hospice provides for the entire family is exceptional, and without doubt, essential.

“We wanted to provide the hospice with the funds to purchase a new van, so they can get back on their feet with their planned calendar of fundraising events and start bringing the donations in ready for 2022 and many years to come.”

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