When Acorns Children’s Hospice Staff Nurse Joanna Hutton sees a popcorn machine, she doesn’t just see a gadget that makes a sweet movie favourite. She thinks of popcorn throwing, children having fun, and families making memories. Now she speaks out about the importance of memory-making for families and children whose lives are short – as the charity launches its Celebrate Your Star campaign.

“Memory-making starts from the day we meet the family. It can be at the hospice, or in the home, and we will always make memories every day,” says Staff Nurse Joanna Hutton, at Acorns Children’s Hospice.

“Keepsakes mean the world to families, and they can look at those objects and remember, and picture loved ones in their mind. For years down the line it will always remind them of someone they loved and lost.”

Memories and celebrating the lives of lost loved ones is at the heart of a moving campaign at Acorns – and is offering a unique ‘glittering’ keepsake that people can dedicate to much-missed family members or friends.

Celebrate Your Star is asking supporters to make a donation towards the charity’s lifeline care for seriously ill children in return for a beautiful golden star which can be hung on festive trees or around the home to remember those who are no longer with us.

Memories and treasures like these stars, says Joanna, are an important part of the work that Acorns does when caring for children with life limiting or life threatening conditions.

“Christmas is meant to be the happiest time of the year,” she said. “But obviously, for some families, it can also be the saddest time of year. But with items like our golden stars, they’re like that little trigger to remind them of a moment, or to be able to start a story, to tell someone about that loved one or a memory about them.

“It’s why memory making here at Acorns is pivotal to our care. I know some families who have used hand-prints to turn them into Christmas cards, or keyrings, or baubles that they hang on the tree, and they come out every single year.”

She added: “It can also enable them to share those memories with their wider family and friends. I think that Christmas is a time for being with your family, and being together and remembering those who are no longer with us.”

As she talks Joanna points at a portable popcorn machine, which sits in the corner of a room in the hospice.

“So seeing that popcorn maker, just creates a kind of flashback in time, where I’ve been with kids at the end of their lives,” she said. “It reminds me of siblings throwing popcorn at each other and having a laugh, and of watching films with them here in the hospice and them singing and having fun.

“It can make me emotional thinking about it, but helping to create those memories for families that they wouldn’t be able to get at home makes our job so special and worthwhile.”

Joanna added: “Sometimes it can make me think of sad moments, but it also makes me feel like I’m doing the most amazing job here at Acorns, and gives me a warm feeling in my heart. I feel so very privileged helping to look after these families who come into our hospice and trust us in very difficult times. That’s what that object represents.”

Parents are also thrilled to receive items that have been made by their children, such as paintings, arts and crafts. Families who receive end-of-life care at Acorns are given a memory box, containing hand prints or foot prints, photographs, drawings or paintings, crafts, hand casts, fingerprints, and other items to forever remind the families of a child who has been cared for by the hospice.

The gift of time

Thea’s family needed the precious gift of time. They needed time as a family of four, time to cuddle Thea, time to cry and time to laugh. Most importantly to be able to do all these things knowing they were being well cared for.

They didn’t need to fear what they may need to do or not do when by themselves at 3am. They didn’t need to think of the day-to-day mundane jobs of figuring out what to eat or when to wash clothes, because it was done for them. They knew Rupert was happy and could be watched if they needed some time alone with Thea. They just got to be parents.

The family wanted to spend time to create memories with Thea in a calm and caring place, and that’s what they got. We embraced them into the Acorns family and gave them the support they needed. They knew we were keeping a close eye on Thea and were ready to intervene to keep her as comfortable as possible.

Creating memories

The most important thing we did was accept where they are at. We try our hardest to see a family’s needs and meet them there. Some families want to know we are there but need space, others want us to be involved as much as possible. Thea’s family fully embraced all we offered and from that, experienced lots of beautiful memories.

Johnny and Karen wanted as many memory making activities as we could offer. We had such a lovely time thinking of different crafts we could do. Hand and foot casts were one of the first we did. Thea had the tiniest little toes. I think I held my breath when I peeled away the casting!

We involved Rupert in some canvas painting so that he will also have something to look back on and know he was a part of.

When a family is going through end-of-life care with their child, so many moments can become a blur. There is so much to take in and try to understand, so many different emotions. But in these moments, these keepsakes, time has stood still. That handprint, footprint, photo, will always remain and bring back a memory. Keepsakes and memories like these are irreplaceable.

Read more of Thea’s story.

The fight to save a vital piece of funding for children’s hospices took a major step forward today as mum Liz Bishop travelled to Westminster for a meeting with MPs.

Liz, whose daughter Lily-Mai received care at Acorns, joined the charity’s CEO Trevor Johnson to talk to MPs about how they can support Children’s Care Matters – an urgent campaign calling on the Government to safeguard the £25 million NHS England Children’s Hospice Grant.

Uncertainty around the future of the Grant, worth £2 million to Acorns every year,  means the charity, and children’s hospices nationwide are faced with difficult decisions about making cuts to the services that countless children and families need.

Liz returned to London after last month delivering a petition of over 10,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street as part of the campaign. She called on MPs to continue highlighting the funding issue in Parliament on behalf of families like hers who rely on children’s hospices.

She said: “It was fantastic to be back in Westminster again today and share my story about how Acorns provided amazing care for my daughter Lily-Mai and our whole family. The response from MPs has been really positive and it’s wonderful to know they will continue to raise this important issue in Parliament.

“To think there could be families like ours in the future who will miss out on vital care is really worrying. I hope the Government listens to our campaign and does something urgently to make sure Acorns, and every children’s hospice is protected.”

Children’s Care Matters was launched in July in response to the uncertain future of the NHS England Children’s Hospice Grant. Uncertainty around future funding comes as demand for end-of-life care provided to families like Liz’s at Acorns has grown by 47% in the past year.

Commenting on today’s meeting in Westminster, Acorns Chief Executive Trevor Johnson, said: “We are very encouraged by the response today from MPs and extremely grateful for their time and commitment to understanding the importance of this funding issue for children’s hospices.

“Every day that passes without a positive announcement from the Government our concern for the most vulnerable in our community grows. And that’s why we will continue campaigning and work together with our supporters to ensure that no child or family who need vital care is ever turned away.”

In the past year, Acorns has cared for more than 750 children across the West Midlands, and supported almost 1,000 families, including those who are bereaved.

This care and support is provided from Acorns three hospices, based in Birmingham, Walsall and Worcester, and in the community.

To find out more about the Children’s Care Matters campaign and how you can get involved, visit: www.acorns.org.uk/campaign

A group of West Midlands MPs have written a joint letter to the Government on behalf of Acorns, calling on vital funding for children’s hospices to be secured.

The five MPs – Nigel Huddleston, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Andrew Mitchell, Mark Garnier and Saqib Bhatti – wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, urging the Government to protect the NHS Children’s Hospice Grant.

The Grant, worth £25 million to the sector every year and 13% of Acorns’ annual income, is essential to help provide the services that children and families across the country rely-on.

You can read the letter below. To find out more about how you can help campaign for Acorns, visit www.acorns.org.uk/campaign

A mum from Worcester has delivered a petition signed by 10,491 people to 10 Downing Street today on behalf of the children’s hospice who cared for her daughter.

The petition, launched by Acorns Children’s Hospice in July, is part of a campaign calling on the Government to safeguard a vital £2 million funding stream for the charity called the Children’s Hospice Grant.

Liz Bishop, 45, joined Acorns CEO Trevor Johnson on the steps of 10 Downing Street as the two delivered a box of signatures along with a letter to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting.

Public backing for the campaign has been growing, with the petition to save the Grant reaching more than 10,000 signatures in just four weeks and celebrities including Julie Walters and actor Adrian Lester lending their support.

Liz’s daughter Lily-Mai was supported by Acorns for the Three Counties, the charity’s hospice in Worcester as she bravely battled a brain tumour for many years. She died at the hospice on 25^th June 2018, aged just seven.

Liz said: “Acorns is such an amazing place. They were there for us and Lily-Mai, catering to our every need. They are still helping us now and will do into the future too. We’ll forever feel like part of the Acorns family.

“This campaign is so close to my heart. More and more families need Acorns for love and care at the most difficult times. To think there could be families like ours in the future who’ll miss out on these vital services is just unimaginable.

“I hope the Government listens to our campaign and does something urgently to make sure Acorns, and every children’s hospice is protected, this year and long into the future.”

The campaign Children’s Care Matters was launched by Acorns in July in response to the uncertain future of the Children’s Hospice Grant.

Uncertainty around future funding comes as demand for end-of-life care provided to families like Liz’s at Acorns has grown by 47% in the past year.

Trevor Johnson, Acorns Chief Executive, urged people to keep supporting the campaign. He said: “Today is an important day, because we deliver a powerful message to the Government. In just a few short weeks, thousands of people have shown they recognise the importance of the vital care Acorns provides.

“We are so grateful that Liz could join us today. Her story is just one example out of hundreds of families every year who use our services. Every family we care for has a similar story to tell, and every one of them faces an uncertain future if this Grant is taken away.

“We may have delivered these signatures, but the petition will remain open, so please keep on signing, sharing, and writing to your local MP. Together we can make a difference for the countless families who rely on children’s palliative care.”

The future of the £25 million NHS Children’s Hospice Grant which is distributed annually to children’s hospices across England is uncertain. It makes up around 13% of Acorns income, a total of £2 million.

Without the grant Acorns, and many children’s hospices nationally, may be forced to cut vital services for life limited children and their families.

To find out how you can support the campaign, visit www.acorns.org.uk/campaign

Acorns Children’s Hospice has launched an urgent campaign to save vital £2 million government funding as it faces the prospect of turning away a child in need for the first time in the charity’s 36-year history.

The future of the funding – known as the Children’s Hospice Grant – is uncertain, meaning Acorns may be forced to cut vital services for life limited children and their families, unless the grant is confirmed before November.

The charity has launched a campaign – Children’s Care Matters – calling on the Government to confirm the grant and safeguard it for at least five years, so Acorns can continue providing the range of services hundreds of local families need.

To launch the campaign this week, staff and volunteers from Acorns are taking giant orange “HELP!” letters on tour around well-known West Midlands landmarks and asking the public to add their name to a Change.org petition.

The campaign tour was visiting the Bullring Bull, Birmingham, Diglis Locks in Worcester and the Saddlers Centre, Walsall across the week (Monday 29^th July to Friday 2^nd August).

Acorns Executive Nurse, Katie Burbridge said: “Every week that passes, the situation for Acorns and children’s hospices across the UK becomes ever more serious, affecting countless children and families.

“We’re here to say that children’s care really does matter and the Government needs to take action to safeguard the Children’s Hospice Grant, so vital services like ours can continue providing the care that families need.”

Uncertainty around the grant has come at a challenging time for Acorns, amid a background of rising costs and increasing demand for services.

In the past year, there has been a 47% increase in demand for the charity’s end-of-life care service, and demand for post-death bereavement services have doubled.

Katie added: “Uncertainty around the grant, rising costs and increased demand is extremely challenging mix for us to deal with. It means we’re ever more reliant on the generosity of local people for funds – a situation that’s simply not sustainable.

“Whatever people can do to support our campaign, we would be incredibly grateful, so we can raise awareness of this issue and get our voice heard, before it’s too late.”

The Children’s Hospice Grant is a national £25 million NHS grant, distributed to children’s hospices across England. It makes up around 13% of Acorns income, a total of £2 million.

For Acorns to continue, the vast majority of the remaining income the charity needs comes from fundraising and profits from charity shops.

In the past year, the charity has cared for more than 750 children across the West Midlands, and supported almost 1,000 families, including those who are bereaved.

This care and support is provided from Acorns three hospices, based in Birmingham, Walsall and Worcester, and in the community.

To find out more about the campaign and get involved, visit: www.acorns.org.uk/campaign