Kind hearted shoppers give children’s hospice a boost in 2018

Families who need the support of local children’s hospice, Bluebell Wood, are set to benefit from the generosity of South Yorkshire shoppers.
More than 890 bags of unwanted clothes, shoes and toys were donated by customers at Lakeside Village in Doncaster during 2018, as part of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice’s Bag it for Bluebell scheme.
Each bag raises an average of £15, equating to £13,395 in funding for the hospice, which is enough to pay over 500 hours of specialist nursing care, or 260 sessions of counselling for bereaved families.
David Aunins, centre manager at Lakeside Village, said: “We are thrilled that the support of our customers will make a real difference to families in the region.
“Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice is a vital resource for the region, offering care to children and young adults whose lives are too short; and their families. We have supported the work of the hospice for many years as a collection point for their Bag It for Bluebell scheme and would like to thank our loyal customers for their overwhelming generosity in 2018.”
Bluebell Wood currently supports around 290 families, both in their own homes and at the hospice in North Anston. This support includes end of life care, short breaks, music therapy, counselling, sibling support, home visits and more.
All of its services are completely free, and its hospice – surrounded by six-and-a-half acres of land –  houses eight bedrooms and accommodation for family members, as well as a lounge area, dining room, sensory room, a cinema room and more.
Helen Mower, Head of Fundraising at Bluebell Wood, said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to each and every shopper at Lakeside Village who has supported our Bag it for Bluebell scheme this year.
“At Bluebell Wood, every day is about making special memories that families can treasure, whether they have days, weeks, or more together. Just 10% of our funding comes from the government, and the rest is fundraised by our incredible supporters – like the shoppers at Lakeside Village. Each bag of pre-loved items that customers have donated are sold in our shops, to help raise the £4 million we need to keep our doors open each year. We really couldn’t do it without fantastic organisations like Lakeside Village.”
To find out how you can help the hospice make more memories for the 290 children Bluebell Wood cares for, both in the community and at their hospice, please visit www.bluebellwood.org.