A child's world at the end of the rainbow

10 February 2000

Thanks to the generosity of the people of west Suffolk and dedication of hospital staff a special world for sick children has been officially opened today, Thursday, [ February 10th] at the West Suffolk Hospital.

It marked the end of five years of fundraising activities which started in November 1994 when Freddie the Frog leapt into action to launch the £1 million Rainbow Appeal. The aim was to build a child's world in the hospital which included a new ward with easily accessible and larger playroom and schoolroom and outpatients department and this dream has finally been realised.

"Thousands of people have supported the appeal over the years, running events such as coffee mornings, soup lunches, jumble sales, car boot sales, performances, garden parties -the support has been absolutely fantastic," said Gerald Pawsey, Project Team Chairman.

"Today marks a very special day for the staff, whose smiling faces show how thrilled they are with the new accommodation, and for the children of West Suffolk who now have their own child-friendly accommodation where they receive the very best quality care," he said.

President of the Appeal The Duchess of Grafton, who has put a great deal of personal effort into the appeal, unveiled a commemorative plaque which will be hung at the entrance to the new Rainbow Children's Unit.

Guests at the special ceremony included the Duchess of Grafton's daughter, The Lady Henrietta St George, who also gave her support to the appeal, Mayor of St Edmundsbury, Mrs Margaret Horbury and the Regional Chairman of the NHS Executive Eastern Region Mrs Rosie Varley. There were also individuals and representative of organisations whose generous donations helped to fill the crock of gold at the end of the Rainbow.

Following the unveiling of the plaque Chairman of the Appeal Richard Allan, formally handed over the keys to the Unit to the Chairman and Chief Executive of the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust, Mr Jeremy Richardson and Miss Johanna Finn.

Attention was then turned to the children for whom the Unit has been designed. The role of cutting five brightly coloured ribbons across the entrance was given to five special people who have, over the years, been patients on the 'old children's ward'.

Bernice Hardwick, 9, Katie Abbott, 8, Ben Wallis, 12, Sally Rutter, 22 and Andrew fly, early 30s were all very proud to be invited to carry out this important task.

In her speech Karen Miles, Clinical Nurse Manager for Children's Services said: "People seeing the giant Rainbow which screens the new unit either love it or hate it! For me it is modern and futuristic, representing the children who will be here tomorrow when we are not. It acts as a banner for the new development and signals to children that here at the West Suffolk Hospital we have created a world just for them."

The Rainbow Appeal has raised £975,000 towards the £1 million target. Money is still coming in and the Trust is confident that continued local support will help to raise the final total.

Editor's notes:

• The scheme is complete except for the lift which will be installed during March 2000.

• The Rainbow Appeal had five main aims. To:

  • provide improved accommodation for parents

  • provide a larger play area readily accessible off the children's ward

  • improve the school facilities

  • bring together all the children's services and specialist doctors and nurses

  • build a children's outpatient department.

All of these have been met with many additional benefits.

• More storage space and three separate staff bases have meant the new department has lost the sense of chaos which was evident on the old ward.

• The isolation rooms are spacious, en-suite showers and bathrooms afford teenagers and parents privacy.

• The play/activity area is not only larger, adjoining the school room and an outdoor balcony, but it is on the ward and used from 7 am - 10 pm.