Fabulous fundraisers at the DHL Supply Chain depot in Thrapston, Northamptonshire, have donated £580 to Newlife Foundation, to fund a Play Therapy Pod to support disabled children with complex needs.
The money was raised through a series of dress-down days and a raffle among the 250 members of staff. It was presented (on Tuesday 11 March) to Newlife Lead Nurse Karen Dobson by DHL IT manager Lisa Reading, customer services adviser Leia Nethercott and warehouse staff member Linda Charles.
Leia Nethercott added: “Every year we hold a staff party and raffle and we gave everyone who came along the opportunity to vote for the charity they wanted the fundraising to go to. Newlife was the winner.”
The money will fund a Play Therapy Pod, which can be sent out on three-month loans to disabled and terminally ill children anywhere in the UK.
Play is an important part of any child’s development – but specialist toys are particularly expensive and often beyond the financial means of families with disabled and terminally ill children. Newlife play specialist Lucie Mallen explained that “fun specialist toys really do make a difference to the way children interact with each other and the world around them.”
Play Therapy Pods fall into two age categories – under and over-fives – with targeted equipment for tactile, visual, interactive and auditory needs in each age group.
Newlife Equipment Loan Services Manager Carrick Brown said: “We have used the knowledge and experience of our play specialist, from working with sick and disabled children in a hospital setting, to help us develop and improve the service. Play Therapy Pods give families an opportunity to ‘try before buying’ a wide range of specialist toys and aids that are targeted at specific and complex needs.”
Anyone wanting to find out more about Newlife’s range of practical support services can contact the Newlife Nurse Helpline on freephone 0800 902 0095 or email nurses@newlifecharity.co.uk. Alternatively, go to www.newlifecharity.co.uk. Newlife Lead Nurse Karen Dobson said: “All enquiries are dealt with in confidence – and no query is too trivial or too important. We understand that each child and family experience is unique, so our help is tailored to individual needs.”
Pictured: Newlife Lead Nurse Karen Dobson receives a cheque from DHL’s (from left to right) Linda Charles, Lisa Reading and Leia Nethercott.
Web: https://newlifecharity.co.uk Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/newlifecharity Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/newlifefoundation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/NewlifeFoundation
