Naomi House Children's Hospice

Naomi House Children’s Hospice has regularly received grant aid from the Trust to support young people who are terminally ill in West Berkshire and North Hampshire.

The latest grant of £5,000, awarded in the autumn grant round 2010, will help pay for a specialist community outreach nurse who provides invaluable support to families and carers of children who are coming to the end of their lives.

Naomi House Legacy and Trusts Fundraiser Paula Flower said: “Naomi House children’s hospice is delighted to receive a grant of £5,000 from the Greenham Common Trust. The grant will support the salary of one of our specialist community outreach nurses who provide crisis or end of life care to children from Berkshire/North Hampshire, in their own homes."

Shirley Mumford Clinical Team Leader added: “The Naomi House at Home Team are extremely grateful for the support of the Greenham Common Trust. The funding will enable us to provide a rapid response to families of life limited children from Berkshire/North Hampshire who are in crisis, and also give invaluable support to the family at the end of a child or young person’s life in the family home, if this is preferred."

As well as providing grant aid to help Naomi House provide the excellent level of care services it also paid £50,000 for a hydrotherapy hoist for the hospices new extension for older children called Jack’s Place.

Local mother Beverley Campbell whose daughter Bonnie receives care at Naomi House said: “Bonnie loves the pool. I can see that she is relaxed and happy. The facilities at Naomi House give us both the chance to do something that is not usually accessible to us at a public pool. Bonnie needs are met here because we have the use of equipment like hoists to lift her into the pool, and a warm environment where we can both get changed in privacy. A hydro session makes a big difference to Bonnie, and we both look forward to taking a dip!"

Naomi House also received £8,000 as a runner up in Greenham Common Trust’s Greenham Gift grant aid scheme in 2010.

At the time Paula said: “We are delighted that Naomi House has been shortlisted as one of the four community projects who will go through to the final at the Corn Exchange on June 17.

"Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for us on-line it really was a tremendous effort which has resulted in us being awarded an incredible £8,000 with the further chance of winning the top award of £50,000."

Statistics show there could be up to 170 children in West Berkshire alone with palliative care needs.

Naomi House has been providing care to life-limited children since 1997. The dedicated staff provide care to children with life limiting conditions 24/7 365 days a year. It costs £5m a year to run all of the services and they have to find 90 per cent of this from fundraising. If you want to donate or would like further information about Naomi House please visit www.naomihouse.org.uk