A HOSPICE that helps families of terminally ill children is one of 10 good causes benefitting from a donation scheme set up by South East Water.
The Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service in Maidenhead is sharing a £20,000 bounty from the water firm’s Community Chest Fund.
It was one of 189 good causes that applied for a share of the funds, and five South East Water employees had the hard task of deciding where to send the £2,000 grants.
The money will be used to help with the cost of transporting children to the hospice.
Tanya Sephton, customer services director of South East Water, said: “This award from our Community Chest fund will give families greater access to care which will improve their physical, emotional and social wellbeing at such a difficult time for them and will increase the experiences available to the children.
“This year the Community Chest saw a massive 491% increase in applications, giving the judging panel difficult decisions to make.
“But after careful thought and discussion they choose projects covering a wide range of good causes, including this one, that needed a little extra financial help to make a difference.”
Jenni Green, lead for trusts and supporter engagement at Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service, said: “We support more than 165 children and their families and many of them find it difficult to travel to the children’s hospice due to the complex nature of the child’s condition and the volume of equipment needed to be taken with them.
“The cost of a journey to the hospice for a day of respite care and back home again in an ambulance costs £350.
“This grant means we can pay for a private ambulance to bring families who cannot afford this transport to the hospice.”
To view the full list of this year’s winners, visit www.southeastwater.co.uk/communitychest
For more information about Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service visit www.alexanderdevine.org
