School pupils raise incredible £3,000 for Eden Suite
School pupils from Widney Junior School have raised £3,000 in the space of just a week to support the Eden Suite at Heartlands Hospital. The Eden Suite is a specialist bereavement maternity unit at the hospital which provides specialist support for women who have experienced a stillbirth, miscarriage or neonatal death.
The pupils at Widney Junior School picked the Eden Suite as their chosen charity for Charity Week and set about raising money by holding a wide variety of fundraising events. The pupils held a sponsored walk, bake sales, a talent show, and a ‘bring and sell’ event that saw them bring in toys from home to sell at school.
The pupils also did a lot of research into the Eden Suite, and also learned about how Heartlands Hospital Charity supports the unit. Some pupils chose to write a poem about the Eden Suite, some of which were read out in a special assembly.
The school had a fantastic fundraising idea, which saw them install a see-saw in the hall, with a teacher, Mrs Kitching, sat on one end. They then put all the money that they had collected into a bucket on the other end until the teacher was lifted up off the ground!
Headteacher Mrs Jo Bridges said: “The children were absolutely wonderful, bringing in cakes, sweets, toys and books to sell in the House markets and collecting coins to lift children on the see-saw. It really was a wonderful week and the sense of community in the school was fantastic.”
The money that the school raised will be going towards the Eden Suite memory garden, which allows parents to spend time outside, giving them a relaxing and peaceful space to reflect on their experiences.
Sabrina Hussaine, Fundraising Officer at Heartlands Hospital Charity, said: “Well done to all of the pupils and teachers at Widney Junior School who have helped to raise such a wonderful amount of money to support the Eden Suite here at Heartlands Hospital.
“It sounds like they came up with some brilliant, creative ways of fundraising and it’s great that they have been learning all about the vital work that is done by staff on the unit.”
You can help Heartlands Hospital Charity to provide the very best care to mothers and their families on the Eden Suite by visiting hospitalcharity.org/edensuite
Pictured above are Clare Beesley, Beareavement Midwife, Harry White, pupil, Headteacher Mrs Jo Bridges and Sabrina Hussaine, Fundraising Officer at Heartlands Hospital Charity.
