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Date of release: 29th November 2024

School donates £1,700 for garden appeal

Children and young people in hospital will benefit from a generous £1,700 donation from a school which will boost a garden appeal.

The Friends of Birchfield School in Albrighton chose The Royal Wolverhampton NHS (RWT) Charity as its cause to support from the proceeds of a raffle at its annual summer ball, with this year’s theme masquerade.

The Friends is a group of parents who raise funds for the school and charities to enhance children’s time at school by delivering fun experiences and complement their learning.

Money raised will go towards The RWT Charity’s £30,000 appeal to transform the Children’s Ward garden at New Cross Hospital into a bright and beautiful space.

The charity’s wishlist for the garden is focused on sensory features, including a walk-through space with paths wide enough for wheelchairs and beds, lighting and projections for night-time use and a cinema projection space.

This will allow children and young people to watch films outdoors from beanbags, wheelchairs or their hospital beds.

Rebecca Hewitt, Transition Clinical Nurse Specialist at RWT, whose son attends Birchfield School, said: “The Friends decided to choose this charity as being in hospital can be a scary place for anyone, but being a child it can be especially hard.”

The proceeds from the raffle at the summer ball were donated by Penny Simkin, The Friends of Birchfield chair.

Penny said: “We are so pleased to support the development of the garden at New Cross which will hopefully provide an outside sanctuary for children to play and also a place of reflection for parents.”

Kirsty Lewis, Senior Matron for Acute Children’s Services, said: “We’re very grateful to Birchfield School. This will really help in our quest to give children a place to play and relax at an otherwise stressful time for them.”

Amanda Winwood, Charity Development Manager, said: “Thank you to Birchfields School for its generous donation – this is a great boost to our appeal towards giving the children a space to savour and enjoy while they’re in hospital.”