Thirteen students from across the region have been fundraising and have raised a whopping £315 which has been used to purchase toys which will be put to good use in the Children’s Assessment Unit and the children’s waiting area in the hospital’s Emergency Department. The students raised the money through a ‘Go Fund Me’ profile.
Fran Heald, an NCS student from Retford, said: “One of the challenges set by NCS is a social action project that is sustainable and will leave a lasting effect. As a group we were unanimous in our decision – we wanted young children at our local hospital to benefit from our fundraising. We visited the Children’s Ward and met with the Play Leaders and decided we wanted to purchase toys for the outdoor play area. We’ve purchased a basketball net, basketballs, footballs and new scooters which brighten up the play area. Thank you also to anyone who has donated toys and games to the ward following our appeal.”
The National Citizen Service (NCS) is a voluntary personal and social development programme for 15 to 17 year olds. The government-backed programme gives young people the opportunity to build skills for work and life while taking on new challenges, meeting new people and making a difference in the local community. The social action project is to raise awareness of or fundraise for a particular cause. Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals have been the beneficiaries of many of the local NCS projects over the years.
Anne Bacon, Play and Activity Team Leader, said: “On behalf of the Trust, I want to say ‘thank you’ to the students participating in the NCS programme. The toys they have purchased will make a real difference to patients attending the hospital either on the Children’s Assessment Unit or in the Emergency Department. It’s always lovely to see young people getting involved and supporting their local hospital. Many of the students we talked to said they had been patients themselves at some point over the years and they felt this project was their way of giving back and saying thank you.”
The Trust recently launched its very own charity, called ‘Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity’ (DBTH Charity), in a bid to make it even easier for local people to support the Trust. If you would like to get involved in fundraising for our hospitals, or would like to know more about support and sponsorship please contact the Communications Team on Tel: 01302 644244, email: DBTH.Charity@nhs.net or head to www.dbth.nhs.uk/charity.