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Newry company C-Tec (NI) have partnered with the Daisy Children and Young People's Unit in Daisy Hill Hospital to provide the unit with much-needed gifts.
It's part of a partnership between eight companies and The Northern Ireland Children to Lapland Trust (NICLT).
The scheme includes eight paediatric units and the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, and was created by NICLT Trustee Dr Mark Rollins to support children living with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions and who spend a lot of their precious time in hospital and/or hospice settings.
The idea came about as a result of the pandemic, which prevented the charity from carrying out its traditional annual flight to Lapland, which has been creating memories for children with challenging conditions for the past 12 years.
Speaking about the impact the inaugural gift delivery had on children in the hospital, Jodie Kenny, Lead Nurse at Daisy Children and Young People’s Unit, Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry said “Being in hospital can understandably be a stressful experience for children and their families and we always want to do everything we can to put them at ease during their stay with us. Huge thanks to the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust and all its partners for their very generous donation of sensory toys, which are a very welcome distraction for our young patients.”
Jimmy Walsh, Joint CEO, C-Tec (NI), who has supported the charity since 2014 and who donated to the initiative said “Each and every business in Northern Ireland has a moral obligation to support the community within which they are based and we are no different.
“The work of the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust is truly admirable and even in spite of the shadow of a pandemic, it has continued to put a smile on the faces of children who deserve it most. We are delighted to be involved in this very special initiative.”
A number of leading Northern Ireland businesses are corporate partners of the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland Trust. Their ongoing financial support allowed the charity to present approximately £1,000 worth of sensory toys and equipment to their respective paediatric units.
As well as C-Tec (NI) in Newry (Daisy Hill Hospital) other corporate partners are The Bushmills Inn (Causeway Hospital), Glens of Antrim Potatoes (Antrim Area Hospital), Hagan Homes (NI Children’s Hospice), Wineflair (Craigavon Hospital), Barclay Communications (The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children), CosyRoof (Altnagelvin Area Hospital) and Bells Crossgar Motors (Ulster Hospital). The charity was also delighted to be able to make a similar donation to the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen.
Dr Mark Rollins, a senior consultant paediatrician at Causeway Hospital, NICLT trustee and founder of the hospital gifting scheme, explains:
“This is a unique charity drive that allowed paediatric units around Northern Ireland to benefit from the most suitable sensory toys and equipment for their respective environments.
“These gifts will make a difference to children, carers and health teams who know full well the challenges they face daily.
“We are truly grateful for the very generous donations from the charity’s corporate partners in this scheme. They are among some of NI’s most esteemed companies and some of them have experienced one of their most trying times in business during the pandemic, but they haven’t allowed that to get in the way of their generosity.”
The charity’s annual Lapland trip with 100 local children with life threatening or life limiting conditions had to be cancelled because of the covid pandemic.
Instead, the charity raised funds to give 110 local children, who were nominated by the eight paediatric departments and the NI Children’s Hospice, a new experience, including a detailed personal letter from Santa, a video from the man himself from his grotto in Lapland, a visit from Santa and his elves as well as a gift to the value of £200, all received in the safety of their own homes.
Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust has also recently welcomed three new high profile ambassadors to the charity.
Former Ulster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions rugby ace Tommy Bowe, Ireland’s number one country singing star Nathan Carter and Northern Ireland Women’s Football Team captain, Marissa Callaghan have signed up to be advocates for the charity.
If you would like to find out more about The Northern Ireland Children to Lapland Trust or to make a donation check out WWW.NICLT.ORG
