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This morning, a few of us from the Wimbledon office went to visit the Shooting Star Chase hospice in Hampton where we had a show round of the facilities that were available to those who need, care, respite and support from their debilitating and life limiting conditions that they live with.
The facilities were incredible and the fist thing that strikes you when you go in to the hospice is how much it doesn’t feel like a hospice, but more of a safe haven.
A hydro therapy pool and several rooms including a music room, arts room, a memory room, a sensory room, a teenage living area, a café, bedrooms for children and parents and a beautiful garden which has playground equipment specially adapted to suit children with disabilities were amongst the facilities that were available at the hospice, all of which are vital for the children to be able to communicate their feelings and explore their senses through smell, touch and light.
The hydrotherapy pool was the most impressive facility and is by far the most popular and beneficial to the children who are suffering with severe muscle restricting conditions as it enables them to relax and enjoy the feeling of the warm water while having a good time, splashing around.
A lot of the staff that work there are volunteers who help out in the reception area, serving and providing food in the café, and the cleaning of the rooms. There are no doctors on site but there are highly experienced nurses that specialise in paediatric and palliative care and other trained carers who help in the day centre, all who do a fabulous job in contributing to the running of the hospice itself.
In the main entrance there is a very large wall full of finger prints which they call the ‘Popple’ people and whoever visits have to sign the wall as a way of extending the Popple peoples family of support.
Paul had the opportunity to pick three Popples and he named each one W S M!
Thank you to Anne and Sarah who took the time to show us around.
Keep an eye on the website for all our fund raising events that are coming up during 2017!
Amanda graduated from Brunel University, with a joint honours degree, achieving a BSC and BA degree in Leisure Management and Television and film studies. Amanda started her career in a customer service role before joining the hotel group Le Meridien as an Events coordinator, she was in the hotel industry for seven years and during her time won an award from a major international airline for her outstanding attitude and dedication to customer service, which she achieved while working for the Rezidor hotel group in the position of Airline Crew Manager. Amanda has over 20 years experience in customer relations and event management.