MP visits Chestnut Tree House for Children's Hospice Week

Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert visited Chestnut Tree House, the children's hospice for Sussex, on Friday (3 May) to mark Children's Hospice Week.

The awareness week, launched this year by the Duchess of Cambridge, raises the profile of children's hospices across the country by encouraging everyone to spare a little thought and time for local life-limited children who depend on the care and services provided by their hospice.

As well as supporting children and families who stay with them, Chestnut Tree House, which is located near Angmering, also has a large team who go to family's homes to provide palliative care and support.  The carers provide the support needed for the whole family, not just the children with life-limiting conditions. 

Nick Herbert MP is a keen supporter of Chestnut Tree House, which is in his constituency, and is also Patron of its sister hospice, St Barnabas House in Worthing. 

On Friday Chestnut Tree House held a special 'superhero' day for its children, with staff and supporters dressed up as superheroes and collecting money for the hospice.  The hospice is a charity which relies heavily on donations to provide the services it delivers across the county.

During the visit Mr Herbert met some of the children, parents and carers who were making superhero masks as part of the day's fun activities.  He was joined by Brighton & Hove Albion football player Inigo Calderon, who has recently been awarded the Player in the Community 2013 award for the support he gives to schools and charities.

After the visit Nick Herbert said: "Chestnut Tree House does wonderful work and it was a pleasure to visit it again and support Children's Hospice Week.  The children really enjoyed the superheroes theme, but I think the real superheroes are the parents, staff and volunteers who look after very unwell children.

"It was great to have the opportunity to thank them and help to remind the public that children's hospices like Chestnut Tree House receive minimal taxpayer funding and rely almost entirely on donations to keep them going.  There could hardly be a more worthy cause."

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1.    For more information on the visit please contact Janet Parsons at Chestnut Tree House on 01903 706319 or email Janet.Parsons@stbh.org.uk.

2.    For more information about Chestnut Tree House, please see their website www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk

3.    The next fundraising activities for Chestnut Tree House will be the ‘Night To Remember Midnight Walk' in Eastbourne on Saturday 18 May, and Handbags for Hospices on 20 June.  The Handbags for Hospices event is a charity auction of celebrity pre-owned and donated covetable handbags taking place in Chichester.