We are delighted to receive £10,000 from The Evelyn Trust which will help us to continue to support families with a seriously ill child in Cambridgeshire’s leading paediatric hospitals.
The Sick Children’s Trust runs ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country, two of which are located in Cambridge, giving up to 23 families a night a free place to stay just minutes from their child’s hospital bedside. The donation from The Evelyn Trust – a grant-making charity supporting medical research and health and wellbeing projects in Cambridgeshire – will go towards the running of Acorn and Chestnut Houses.
Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought with it, we have been able to open our doors to families and keep them together when they need it the most. Since being awarded the £10,000 donation earlier this year, we have been able to support 64 families at Acorn and Chestnut Houses. Jane Featherstone, Chief Executive at The Sick Children’s Trust, said:
“2020 was a challenging year for us, as it was for many charities, and as a result we saw a loss in income due to cancelled fundraising events. The £10,000 grant from The Evelyn Trust means so much our charity because it has come at a time we need it the most.
“£10,000 means that we can give families with a seriously ill child in hospital one less thing to worry about. Families tell us that by having a place to stay near their child helps them cope with the everyday stresses and challenges that come with having a child in hospital. It is a space where they can gather their thoughts and look after themselves during what is an extremely emotional and often uncertain time.
“On behalf of everyone at The Sick Children’s Trust and all the families we support with children in Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie Hospital, we’d like to say a huge thank you to The Evelyn Trust for this generous donation.”
In 2020/2021, we supported 275 families across Acorn and Chestnut Houses who stayed, on average, for 15 nights while their child was in hospital. This donation from The Evelyn Trust will go towards supporting more families throughout the year.
Over the last 15 years, The Evelyn Trust has granted millions of pounds to support health projects across Cambridgeshire, from the clinic to the community. Each year, The Evelyn Trust hopes to make grants of around £1m for medical research, capital projects and health and wellbeing projects. Charity Director at The Evelyn Trust, Rebecca Wood, said:
“We are really delighted to be able to help families stay close to their child at what is a frightening time, and when the last thing you should have to worry about is where you are going to sleep and eat.”
